I hope you are all well. For us teachers on half term it has been a very welcome break - although I use that term loosely as I have been doing school work for most of it. The weather has been a mix of lovely sunshine and horrendous winds. My mum lives in south Wales where they have been hit quite hard but she is thankful she lives up a mountain so doesn't have to worry about flooding.
So, on with booky business. As the title says, Blue Peter are celebrating 20 years of Blue Peter book awards. They want to know which of their award winning books from those years is the BEST EVER!!
This is a mighty task, but luckily for us, some lovely judges have culled the shortlist to just 10 books. Without further ado, here they are:
1. The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Ralf
Synopsis:
A story of friendship, hope and the importance of kindness, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a story full of heart and humour, told from a unique perspective. Featuring illustrations from Pippa Curnick, this is an exceptional book by an emerging voice in children’s writing.
When a new boy joins their class, a group of children try to befriend him. They soon learn that Ahmet is a refugee and has been separated from his family. None of the grown-ups seem to be able to help him, so the friends come up with a daring plan, embarking on an extraordinary adventure.
2. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson & illustrated by Alex Scheffler
"A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good."
Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when a quick-witted mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake ...and a hungry Gruffalo! Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's The Gruffalo is an undisputed modern classic and has become a best-selling phenomenon across the world with over 13.5 million copies sold.
This award-winning rhyming story of a mouse and a monster has found its way into the hearts and bedtimes of an entire generation of children and will undoubtedly continue to enchant children for years and years to come. No home should be without The Gruffalo!
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
Synopsis:
Life isn’t much fun at number four Privet Drive, at least not for Harry Potter, living under the stairs in a cupboard full of spiders, but all of that is about to change. On the eve of Harry’s eleventh birthday the letters start arriving; letters written in emerald green ink on yellowing parchment with an unmistakable letter H on purple wax seals. Because Harry Potter is no ordinary boy, he is the boy who lived, the wizard whose name everyone in the magical world knows and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin and life for Harry Potter will never be the same again.
So pick up your broomstick, have your wand at the ready. Waterstones invites you to Join Harry as he discovers the magical world for the very first time at the start of this incredible, multi-award-winning series.
This is where the magic begins!
4. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Synopsis:
It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful
That might be true of most parents, but for Matilda Wormwood, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Matilda’s parents hardly notice her at all; they’re much more interested with fiddling customers at Mr Wormwood’s second-hand car business, playing bingo or eating their dinner in front of the TV. Even at school it’s not much better, the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull is a fearsome gorgon of a woman who likes nothing better than throwing small children out of the window at the smallest provocation.
Matilda is no ordinary child though; Matilda is something special and she’s had enough with the grown-up’s bullying ways. With the help of her wonderful teacher Miss Honey, Matilda might just be able to change things for the better.
Waterstones invites you to meet marvellous, magical Matilda and watch as she shows that, with a little ingenuity, even the smallest people can make a big difference.
It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.
Now the magic of Roald Dahl is brought to life in these new illustrated paperback editions from the imagination of Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl’s own favourite illustrator. With brand new, bold cover designs and Blake’s quintessential pen and ink drawings these are classic editions for every generation to enjoy.
Roald Dahl was a spy, ace fighter pilot, chocolate historian and medical inventor. He was also the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG and many more brilliant stories. He remains the world's number one storyteller.
5. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Synopsis:
It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing an old mining town across the dried-up bed of the old North Sea.
So begins Mortal Engines, launching Philip Reeve's brilliantly-imagined steampunk creation, the world of the Traction Era, where mobile cities fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic future.
Set thousands of years in the future, in the aftermath of the Sixty Minute War which destroyed the civilisation of the 21st century the Mortal Engines series is a modern masterpiece, blending science-fiction, adventure and wonderful strangeness.
Airships storm the skies whilst deep in the oceans submarines lie waiting for prey. In this dangerous landscape the cities and their anti-tractionist enemies race to capture the remnants of perilous technologies to put to use.
6. The Outlaw Varjak Paw by S. F. Said
Synopsis:
Having saved the city cats from a fate worse than death, Varjak Paw finds himself the elected and popular leader of a new gang - a gang that supports freedom and kindness for all. But will the pressure take its toll on this brave yet sometimes naive cat?
Soon the city erupts in an all-out gang war as the evil Sally Bones attempts to control the lives of all cats. Horrified and outnumbered, Varjak and the others must fight for their freedom or die trying; can Jalal's Way really be the best way?
7. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
Synopsis:
Told in the voice of Private Tommo Peaceful, the story follows twenty-four hours at the front, and captures his memories of his family and his village life - by no means as tranquil as it appeared.
Full of vivid detail and engrossing atmosphere, leading to a dramatic and moving conclusion, Private Peaceful is both a compelling love story and a deeply moving account of the First World War.
8. Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
Synopsis:
Join plucky heroine Sophie, her eccentric guardian Charles, and her intrepid orphan allies on the rooftops of Victorian Paris, as they encounter suspense and adventure that will keep kids of all ages on the edge of their seats right to the heartwarming end.
My mother is still alive, and she is going to come for me one day. Everyone thinks that.
Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help...
Charles, a fellow survivor and an eccentric scholar, finds Sophie and brings her home to his London bachelor flat. Raised in a quirky home filled with music, words and love (though questionable diet), Sophie grows into a free-spirited tomboy with a taste for Shakespeare and the unshakeable belief that anything is possible. And you should never ignore a possible.
So when the child welfare agency in its bureaucratic wisdom threatens to send Sophie to an orphanage, the optimistic girl and her odd guardian flee to Paris on a quest to find her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker.
Secured in an attic to evade the French authorities, Sophie escapes through the skylight and meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - homeless urchins who tightrope walk above the busy streets below, dining on pigeons and snails alongside the gargoyles and bell tower of Notre Dame. Together they set out on an unimaginable adventure, scouring the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London - and most importantly, before she loses hope.
9. The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
Synopsis:
STRICTLY PRIVATE. KEEP OUT ON PAIN OF DEATH.
I'm Tracy Beaker - have you heard of me? I'm stuck in The Dumping Ground just at the moment, but I'm sure my Mum will come and get me soon. A certain Justine-Hateful-Littlewood has stolen my best friend Louise but I don't let it get me down. I never cry. Ever. I've done a bit of screaming and stamping in my time mind you ... I like eating birthday cake. And Smarties and Big Macs with French fries and strawberry milkshakes. I also like story writing. This is a story all about me - so I know you'll enjoy it!
10. You're a Bad Man Mr Gum by Andy Stanton
Synopsis:
'Completely hilarious . . . kind of The League of Gentlemen for kids' Zoe Ball Shabba me whiskers! It's a bold new look for Mr Gum, the best-selling cult classic, ready for a new generation of nibbleheads. `It's time for action,' said Mr Gum to nobody in particular. `Nasty action.' Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book's all about him. And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly. And there's heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING
So there you have them. I have to make 2 confessions here. 1. Don't shout at me it's just my opinion, but I'm not a fan of Harry Potter. There, it's out in the open. 2. I've not heard of Mortal Engines. I must put it on my TBR though as it is obviously a great book.
Voting opened today at 5.30pm and closes at midday on 2nd March. You can vote on the Blue Peter website here.
So hard to choose just one ... I don't know who I'm going to vote for yet. Do you?
Happy reading,
Allison xx
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