Blue Peter is a long-running BBC television programme for children. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC Channel. Since it's first aired in 1958 there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time. This allows the program to aim to capture both genders. The show uses a studio for the main format of the presenting, however their is also a garden, often referred to as 'The Blue Peter Garden', that is used during the summer months or used when they are showing any outside activites. The current presenters as of 2010 are, Andy Akinwolere, Helen Skelton and Joel Defries.
Blue Peter awards drop 'unsuitable' finalist
Andy Mulligan's Trash chosen for shortlist, then excluded over 'scenes of violence and swearing'
This year's Blue Peter awards shortlist, announced this afternoon, has been overshadowed by news that Andy Mulligan's Trash, initially selected by judges, was dropped from the finalists on the grounds that it was unsuitable for the BBC programme's younger fans.
Trash is the story of a young street child who lives and works on a rubbish heap, and who finds himself on the run from the police. A statement from Blue Peter said the book should not have been shortlisted in the first place "because it contains scenes of violence and swearing that are not suitable for the younger end of our audience." The programme-makers added: "We regret the mistake that was made in the initial judging but we do not believe the book is appropriate for children as young as six."
Blue Peter's communications chief Clare Rainsford said books submitted for the awards need to be broadly suitable across the programme's viewer age range of six to 12. The shortlisted titles go to child judges for the next stage of judging and some are as young as eight, she added.
David Fickling, Trash's publisher, said that while he completely understood Blue Peter's wish not to upset its audience and didn't want to attack the "brilliant" prize, he was astonished by the decision to withdraw Trash from the shortlist.
"It does have menace, all good thrillers have menace, and the Daleks are very menacing," he said. "I feel that this is a very inspiring, exciting book, with a moral framework, and that their audience at the older end of 9-12 is being denied something they absolutely should be reading."
Fickling added that he thought children should not be over-protected in their reading. "Poor children live a very unpleasant life and to avoid that would be untruthful, and I don't think one should be untruthful to children. You can't make life wonderfully safe and middle-class all over the world," he said.
The winning books will be revealed in early March, to coincide with World Book Day. The full shortlists for the awards are:
Best Book with Facts:
Do Igloos Have Loos? by Mitchell Symons
How the World Works by Christiane Dorion, illustrated by Beverley Young, pop-ups designed by Andy Mansfield
What You Need To Know Now: The World in Facts, Stats, and Graphics by Joe Fullman, Ian Graham, Sally Regan and Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Sheila Collins, Mik Gates, Jim Green, Katie Knutton, Phillip Letsu and Hoa Luc
Most Fun Story with Pictures:
Alienography by Chris Riddell
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree by Andy Stanton, illustrated by David Tazzyman
Lunatics and Luck (The Raven Mysteries) by Marcus Sedgwick, illustrated by Pete Williamson
Favourite Stories:
Dead Man's Cove (A Laura Marlin Mystery) by Lauren St John
A Web of Air (Mortal Engines) by Philip Reeve
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
• On guardian.co.uk/books tomorrow, Michelle Pauli talks to Andy Mulligan
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