Faber Children’s shortlisted for two Blue Peter Awards

Two Faber Children’s titles are in the running for the 2017 Blue Peter Book Awards, along with books from HarperCollins Children’s, David Fickling Books, Wide Eyed Editions and Walker.
 
Faber’s Podkin One Ear by Kieran Larwood, illustrated by David Wyatt, is shortlisted for ‘best story’, alongside Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford and Lost Tales by Adam Murphy and Lisa Murphy (David Fickling Books).
 
In the ‘best book with facts’ category, the shortlisted titles are Survivors by David Long, illustrated by Kerry Hyndman (Faber Children’s), Destination Space by Dr Christoph Englert and Tom Clohosy Cole (Wide Eyed Editions) and Football School: Where Football Rules the World by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton, illustrated by Spike Gerrell (Walker Books).
 
The shortlist, announced on Blue Peter today (1st December), was chosen by a team of judges: authors Nih Nihal Arthanayake al Arthanayake, author and illustrator Sarah McIntyre and Waterstone’s children’s book buyer Florentyna Martin. The winners of each category will now be chosen by 400 children from 12 schools in the UK.
 
Diana Gerald, chief executive of BookTrust, which administers the award, said: “The Blue Peter Book Awards have been celebrating children’s literature since 2000. They are a wonderful way to share an excitement of reading and encourage the children to be part of the bigger picture. Reading impacts so many parts of life, not only are there educational benefits but reading also helps to build confidence and develop social skills. Being involved in the decision-making process of such prestigious awards will hopefully help to change opinions on reading and make the children feel they are part of something special.”