[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-laugh-out-loud-book-awards-2017":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Yesterday's \u003Ca href=\"https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/lollies\">Laugh Out Loud Book Awards\u003C/a> were a very glitzy affair! I thought it was just going to be the standard thing where Michael Rosen says a few words, they pass out the awards and maybe show a bit of video material. But no, it was a big amazing variety show! Here's my picture book writer \u003Cb>Alan MacDonald\u003C/b> with a giant version of our shortlisted book, \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/prince-of-pants/\">The Prince of Pants\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/345762_original-83e2c8b218.jpg\" alt=\"the prince of pants\" title=\"prince of pants\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd check out the venue! I'd never even heard of the \u003Ca href=\"https://troxy.co.uk/\">Troxy\u003C/a>, a glorious old Art Deco theatre near Limehouse station. These awards are a big deal; the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards, or 'Lollies' took over when the Roald Dahl Funny Prize was discontinued, celebrating the funniest children's books. And while lots of grownups like to talk about books that make them cry, when surveyed, kids overwhelmingly have said that they want to read books that make them laugh. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/345976_original-ea0a113742.jpg\" alt=\"troxy theatre\" title=\"troxy limehouse\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\nSpeaking of which, I've just spotted \u003Cb>Andy Stanton\u003C/b>, the writer of \u003Ci>Danny McGee Drinks the Sea\u003C/i>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/346971_original-a34bd91147.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWe and a huge group of school kids got some amazing entertainment! A short speech by Scholastic MD \u003Cb>Catherine Bell\u003C/b>, a stand-up performance of 'Chocolate Cake' by \u003Cb>Michael Rosen\u003C/b>, two comedy sketches from the Horrible Histories show from the \u003Cb>Birmingham Stage Company\u003C/b>, a reading with actors by \u003Cb>Alesha Dixon\u003C/b>, and a live drawing session with \u003Cb>Charlie Higson\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Liz Pichon\u003C/b>, followed by the dramatic appearance of the Tom Gates band, \u003Cb>Dude3\u003C/b>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/346195_original-f9e70fc0c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe band's been touring with Liz - how cool is that?! The kids went wild. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/346377_original-e9ae424f22.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOkay, the awards! The one I was most curious about was the Picture Book Award, won by writers \u003Cb>Kes & Claire Gray\u003C/b> and artist \u003Cb>Jim Field\u003C/b>, presented by Britain's two bestselling illustrators, \u003Cb>Tony Ross\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Axel Scheffler\u003C/b>. Congratulations, guys! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/347182_original-23b155d549.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/347512_original-03623d637e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's a little Question and Answer with presenters and judges \u003Cb>Katie Thistleton\u003C/b>, \u003Cb>Nicolette Jones\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Michael Rosen\u003C/b>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/346711_original-509db89f87.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe second award went to writer-illustrator \u003Cb>Jim Smith\u003C/b>. I've read one of the Barry Loser books and it was HILARIOUS. The pictures actually made me laugh out loud, they're completely mad. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/347795_original-5d34c580d6.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOh look, it's the original Horrible Histories duo \u003Cb>Martin Brown\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Terry Deary\u003C/b>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/348049_original-a220492942.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd the third award went to \u003Cb>Christine Hamill\u003C/b> and her book from Little Island Books, hooray! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/348410_original-79803a732d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's our fabulous designer on The Prince of Pants, \u003Cb>Strawberrie Donnelly\u003C/b>. See that feather? They were in all the flower vases and they looked the other way while I ran around stealing them all at the end, to make more fancy hats. I didn't manage to get a snapshot of our editor \u003Cb>Pauliina Malinen\u003C/b>, but it was great having the Scholastic team that made our book all there.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/348580_original-3ab575018a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAt the end, a special Popjam-voted award went to \u003Cb>David Solomons\u003C/b>, congrats! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/348860_original-3e7d289ee0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's David! He said his kid's loving \u003Ci>Pugs of the Frozen North\u003C/i>, which I was very chuffed to hear. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/349181_original-5ae41cd17f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are the team behind \u003Ci>Eddy Stone and the Epic Holiday Mash-Up\u003C/i>, \u003Cb>Simon Cherry \u003C/b>and \u003Cb>Francis Blake\u003C/b>. I absolutely adored this book, but it's a classic example of how, if an illustrator doesn't get their name on the front cover, they get left out of everything. Fortunately Francis was mentioned on the presenter's cue card, but his name or picture didn't appear on the screen like everyone else's, and if you look up their book online, it's almost impossible to find Francis's name anywhere. Simon's on the case, and he said they're definitely going to have Francis's name on the cover of Book 2, for which I'm hugely relieved. The pictures are beautifully drawn and add a lot to the reading experience. \u003Ca href=\"http://www.picturesmeanbusiness.com\">#PicturesMeanBusiness \u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/349229_original-b5ebc58f6c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nA few more snapshots from the after party - with writer \u003Cb>Catherine Johnson\u003C/b>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/349580_original-e2c6e030da.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHello, Popjam team! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/349708_original-ff2f22db9a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nUh oh, it looks like one of the Scholastic staff have had too much bubbly! Or maybe that's black plague, hmm. (The Horribly Histories lady had mysteriously vanished a few minutes later, fortunately leaving my handbag behind.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/350188_original-4cae6ec964.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHuge thanks, Scholastic, BookTrust, judges, school readers, presenters, writers, illustrators, actors, muscians, technicians, caterers and everyone who helped make this a fantastic event!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/795449.html\">Click here\u003C/a> to read about Alan MacDonald and my pre-Lollies visit to one of the participating schools, Chestnuts Primary School.\u003C/>","2018-01-19T11:29:00.000Z","laugh-out-loud-book-awards-2017",[],"laugh out loud book awards 2017",1776628729371]