Blue Peter Book Award facts for kids

The Blue Peter Book Awards are special prizes given to amazing books for kids! They are created by the famous BBC children's TV show, Blue Peter. These awards started in the year 2000 to celebrate books published in 1999.

Since 2006, a charity called Booktrust, which helps people love reading, has managed these awards. As of 2013, there are two main award types:

• Best Story: For the most exciting and imaginative storybook.
• Best Book with Facts: For the most interesting and informative non-fiction book.

Before 2013, there were other fun categories like "Most Fun Story with Pictures" and "Book I Couldn't Put Down."

How the Awards Work

Each year, three books are chosen for each category. Then, a special group of 200 children from 10 different schools gets to read and decide which books they like best! The winners are usually announced around World Book Day (UK and Ireland) in March.

Winners of the Blue Peter Book Awards

Here are some of the fantastic books that have won a Blue Peter Book Award over the years:

2020

• Best Story: Wildspark by Vashti Hardy
• Best Book with Facts: Rise Up: Ordinary Kids with Extraordinary Stories by Amanda Li, illustrated by Amy Blackwell

2019

• Best Story: The Boy At the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf
• Best Book with Facts: The Colours of History by Clive Gifford, illustrated by Marc-Etienne Peintre

2018

• Best Story: The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
• Best Book with Facts: Real-Life Mysteries by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

2017

• Best Story: Podkin One Ear by Kieran Larwood, illustrated by David Wyatt
• Best Book with Facts: Survivors by David Long, illustrated by Kerry Hyndman

2016

• Best Story: The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie
• Best Book with Facts: The Epic Book of Epicness by Adam Frost

2015

• Best Story: The Spy Who Loved School Dinners by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Thomas Flintham
• Best Book with Facts: The Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff by Andy Seed, illustrated by Scott Garrett

2014

• Best Story: Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
• Best Book with Facts: Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders: World War II by Tony Robinson, illustrated by Del Thorpe

2013

• Best Story: Tom Gates: Genius Ideas (Mostly) by Liz Pichon
• Best Book with Facts: House of Horrors (Horrible Science series) by Nick Arnold and Tony De Saulles

2012

• Book of the Year: The Considine Curse by Gareth P. Jones

2011

• Book of the Year: Dead Man's Cove (Laura Marlin Mysteries, 1) by Lauren St John

2010

• Book of the Year: Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes

2009

• Book of the Year: Shadow Forest by Matt Haig

2008

The awards did not run this year.

2007

• Book of the Year: The Outlaw Varjak Paw by S. F. Said, illustrated by Dave McKean
• Most Fun Story With Pictures: You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman
• Best Book with Facts: The Worst Children's Jobs in History by Tony Robinson
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: The Outlaw Varjak Paw

2006

• Book of the Year: Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
• Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud: Lost and Found
• Best Book with Facts: Spud Goes Green by Giles Thaxton
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Blood Fever by Charlie Higson

2005

• Book of the Year: Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
• Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud: The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
• Best Book with Facts: Explorers Wanted! At the North Pole by Simon Chapman
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Private Peaceful

2004

• Book of the Year: Man on the Moon by Simon Bartram
• Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud: Man on the Moon
• Best Book with Facts: The Ultimate Book Guide edited by Daniel Hahn
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Montmorency by Eleanor Updale

2003

• Book of the Year: Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
• Best Book to Read Aloud: Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
• Best Book with Facts: Pirate Diary by Richard Platt, illustrated by Chris Riddell
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Mortal Engines

2002

• Book of the Year: Feather Boy by Nicky Singer
• Best Book to Read Aloud: Crispin, the Pig Who Had It All by Ted Dewan
• Best New Information Book: Ada Lovelace: The Computer Wizard of Victorian England by Lucy Lethbridge – about Ada Lovelace
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Feather Boy
• Voter's Awards - Best Storybook: The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
• Voter's Awards - Best Book With Facts In: Terrible Tudors (Horrible Histories series) by Terry Deary, illustrated by Martin Brown

2001

• Book of the Year: The Wind Singer by William Nicholson
• Best Book to Read Aloud: The Bravest Ever Bear by Allan Ahlberg and Paul Howard
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: The Wind Singer
• Best Book to Keep Forever: The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean
• Voters' Awards - Best Storybook: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
• Voters' Awards - Best Book of Knowledge: Rotten Romans (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary

2000

• Book of the Year: A Pilgrim's Progress, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft
• Special Book to Keep Forever: A Pilgrim's Progress
• Book I Couldn't Put Down: Shadow of the Minotaur by Alan Gibbons
• Best Book to Read Aloud: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
• Voters' Awards - Best Book With Facts In It: Guinness World Records
• Voters' Awards - Book that Made Me Laugh the Loudest: Matilda by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake
• Voters' Awards - Best Book to Share: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling