[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-blue-peter-book-awards-2017-judges":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"When I moved to Britain, it didn't take me very long to work out that THIS is quite an important Thing: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/158695_original-a7fc61ea74.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI have a Blue Peter badge!! And I'm thrilled to be on the team choosing this year's \u003Ca href=\"http://www.booktrust.org.uk/prizes/2\">Blue Peter Book Awards\u003C/a>. Last Friday we all met up with editor \u003Cb>Ewan Vinnicombe\u003C/b>, Book Trust and the film crew at \u003Ca href=\"http://www.manchester.gov.uk/directory_record/87760/central_library_incorporating_city_library/category/817/view_all_libraries\">Manchester Central Library\u003C/a>. Which is AMAZING. Have you been to Manchester Central Library? GO NOW, it's the most incredible place. Here is fellow judge \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Florentyna_M\">Florentyna Martin\u003C/a> admiring it with me. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/156104_original-cf5e74ec5d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWhen we arrived, the library served up lovely \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eccles_cake\">Eccles cakes\u003C/a>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/158178_original-aeaf4dbf3e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for more under the cut!-->\\r\nAnd we ran around with bananas in the former office of the Chief Librarian (as one does). Here's fellow judge \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/TherealNihal\">Nihal Arthanayake\u003C/a> brandishing deadly fruit like a pro.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/156476_original-dfbbf3e466.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe film crew had a lot of gear, which I decorated (again, as one does). \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/156914_original-59dfa15871.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHeh heh, I just had to show you the handles of the toilets down the hall. They actually say 'Crapper' on them. (Because, as any toilet expert knows, the history of sanitation owes a great deal to Yorkshireman \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thomas-crapper.com/The-History-of-Thomas-Crapper.html\">Thomas Crapper\u003C/a>.)  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/157033_original-52198aca5a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd then we got to go to the big central READING ROOM. WHOA. Also, wonderful accoustics, you can make all sorts of strange noises and they will bounce back to you. And we were there after-hours, which was rather lucky. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/157910_original-f2d28b4548.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's our judging team! Me, Nihal, Florentyna and Ewan (who helped the three of us come to a decision). We all had books we were really passionate about (although Ewan had to keep his favourites secret), and we each lost a book we really hoped would get in. But the face-to-face discussion was very helpful; I found myself suitably convinced in a couple cases, and Nihal and Florentyna also really listened when I pleaded for certain books. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/157395_original-5392c28a2f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHuge thanks to \u003Cb>Ewan\u003C/b>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/TanujaEast\">Tanuja East\u003C/a> and the Blue Peter film crew, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JennyEholder\">Jenny Holder\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/robyndonaldson\">Robyn Donaldson\u003C/a> from BookTrust, and \u003Cb>Suzi Wild\u003C/b> from the library, who looked after us so well! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/158768_original-706a1ff8c9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cb>Blue Peter will announce the shortlist live on Thursday, 1 December\u003C/b>, and you can read more about the Blue Peter Book Awards over on \u003Ca href=\"http://www.booktrust.org.uk/prizes/2\">Book Trust's website\u003C/a>. Here's the time in 2013 that \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/oliver-and-the-seawigs/\">Oliver and the Seawigs\u003C/a>\u003C/i> was announced on the shortlist, which was a very exciting day. :) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/seawigs_bluepeter_zpse7e555fc-e2055784ff.jpg\">","2016-11-14T14:25:00.000Z","blue-peter-book-awards-2017-judges",[],"blue peter book awards 2017: judges",1776628728730]