I spent Thursday afternoon doing something that I haven’t done for years – waiting for Blue Peter to come on. It didn’t disappoint (despite the lack of elephant poo) and it was glorious to see The Spy Who Loved School Dinners, written by Pamela Butchart and illustrated by Thomas Flintham, being deservedly shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award.
I particularly loved the animation of Thomas Flintham’s excellent artwork (at the top of this post), which felt like a whizzy testament to how brilliant his illustrations are, how important they are to the appeal of the book and how vital to its success. They complement Pamela’s hilarious prose perfectly, and I know from reading the book with my kids and in schools, how much they enhance the readers’ enjoyment without ever stopping them using their imaginations. No mean feat!
So we all just wanted to say a big thank you to Thomas, and congratulations to him and to Pamela on being shortlisted for not just the Blue Peter Book Award, but the Red House Children’s Book Award, too. May the champagne be flowing in both your houses all week, and beyond!
You can take a look inside The Spy Who Loved School Dinners here:
