Wildlife wins the day at Blue Peter Book Awards

Books about wildlife dominate the Blue Peter Awards, with wins for Invented by Animals by Christiane Dorian and Gosia Herba (Wide Eyed Editions) and The Last Bear by Hannah Gold and Levi Pinfold (HarperCollins Children’s).

Managed by BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, the awards honour authors and illustrators who have created the best books for primary school-aged children, published in the last 12 months. The winning titles were voted for by more than 300 children from 12 schools across the UK.  

Taking the top spot for Best Book with Facts is Invented by Animals, while honoured as the winner of Best Story is The Last Bear. The winners were selected from a six-strong shortlist, and fought off competition from authors and illustrators including Maisie Chan and Anh Cao, and Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Adam Hayes.

The Last Bear follows an adventure set in the Arctic Circle exploring central character April’s relationship with her father and touching on the climate emergency.

“When I found out I had won, I burst into tears and couldn’t speak," Gold said. "Like many children, I grew up on a diet of ’Blue Peter’, following the show’s adventures and falling in love with all the pets. This feels particularly apt, because whilst The Last Bear touches upon serious themes, at its core it is a story about the love between a child and an animal. Some of my earliest memories are visits to the library with my mum and then scampering back home to lose myself in the pages of a book. Books aren’t just about escape. For children, stories play an increasingly important role in teaching empathy, kindness and tolerance. They help shape identity, a sense of belonging and often lend courage.”

Pinfold, who illustrated the book, added: “Who’d have thought reading too many comics as a kid would lead to a Blue Peter Book Award?! It’s amazing to be a part of Hannah’s wonderful book. To me, good stories are the ultimate enjoyment. It doesn’t matter what kind of person you are; you can guarantee someone has written a story which will grab you and not let go. It’s a thrill to celebrate something that can give so much pleasure. And to those of you who might be sitting on the fence about picking up a book: Take a chance, try something that looks good, it can change your life! It did mine.”

Invented by Animals is a non-fiction book exploring how animal anatomy, behaviour and skills have influenced the development of a range of human inventions. 

“I am thrilled to win the Blue Peter Book Award amongst so many fantastic books," Dorian said. "The fact that it is judged by children makes it even more special, as they are the best critics. I would say to children, read about what you enjoy. Whether it’s stepping into an imaginary world of wizards or learning all about amazing creatures or tropical jungles, books help us to understand the world around us and stimulate our curiosity and imagination. They can be funny, informative and inspiring. If you find books daunting, you don’t have to read it from beginning to end in one go. You can dip in and out, look at the pictures and go for the bits of text you find most interesting.”

Illustrator Herba added: “I love creating books for children, so it’s my greatest joy to be appreciated by the readers. As a child, I spent most of my time reading or drawing, two things, each connected with books, which helped me discover my true passion: illustrating and making books for kids. We can do incredible things using nothing but our imagination and reading can be a great adventure. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t like a particular book. Look for another one that will interest and amaze you with the story. There are so many books in the world that everyone will find something interesting.”

Diana Gerald, chief executive officer of BookTrust, commented: “In an ever-changing and stressful world, more than ever we need brilliant and informative books that can grab the attention of every child, no matter what their interests, and inspire even the most reluctant of readers to pick up a book. At an age when children are starting to grow and develop their interests, the 2022 Blue Peter Book Award winners have offered children knowledge, escapism, new role models and nurtured their curiosity. But most of all they have inspired a new generation of children on their journey to becoming readers.

"Congratulations to Christiane, Gosia, Hannah and Levi and all the shortlisted authors and illustrators for your fabulous books and a special thank you to all the young readers who have devoured these books and voted for their favourite. We hope everyone who’s participated in these brilliant awards will go on and share their favourites with their friends, families and teachers and inspire new readers on the way.”