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Author and TV presenter Tony Robinson has won his second Blue Peter book award, for Weird World of Wonders: World War II, illustrated by Thomas Flintham (Macmillan Children's Books).
Robinson won the Best Book with Facts award, beating Marvellous Maths by Jonathan Litton, illustrated by Thomas Flintham (Templar Publishing), and The World of Infographics: Animal Kingdom by Jon Richards, illustrated by Ed Simkins (Wayland Books).
Katherine Rundell was also a winner, getting the Best Story award for her critically acclaimed second novel Rooftoppers (Faber & Faber). Rooftoppers came ahead of fellow nominations Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre (Oxford University Press), and Whale Boy by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Joe McLaren (Yearling).
The awards were announced on a special World Book Day morning bulletin of "Newsround" today (8th March), and viewers will be able to see the authors receive their awards on CBBC's "Blue Peter" tonight.
Tony Robinson told The Bookseller that it was an honour to win the award, especially because it is voted for by children.
“The thing about the Blue Peter award is that it is voted for by kids themselves,” he said. “It’s outside the world of book promotion, you know that what you are creating is surprising and amusing children.”
The book is packed with surprising facts and Robinson’s favourite is that Churchill had a secret spy shop. "It was hidden at the back of one of the museums and spies could go there to get spying aids, including a dead rat full of explosives,” he explained.
Rundell said: “I am so wildly delighted and grateful: to win a prize that is voted for by the people for you whom you wrote the book is the most spectacular feeling. And I am thrilled to get a Blue Peter badge at last! I spent most of my childhood loitering hopefully near rivers, waiting for someone to fall in and need rescuing so that I could get a badge - and now I don't even have to get wet.”
The shortlist was put together by a panel of four judges: World Book Day director Kirsten Grant, author Marcus Sedgwick, "Blue Peter" editor Ewan Vinnicombe, and CBBC presenter Katie Thistleton. The final winners were chosen by pupils from 10 schools across the UK.