Oh, and a little interview...

This interview is on the Booktrust website along with others from the Blue Peter Book Awards shortlist.

Scott Garrett on The Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff and being nominated for a Blue Peter Book Award

29 January 2015

First of all, congratulations on making the Blue Peter Book Awards shortlist! What's it like being nominated for a Blue Peter Book Award?

Great! … I only wish I'd written it!! ... and I hope I get a badge.

Can you tell us something no one knows about The Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff?

The jester on page 43 was inspired by Mr Claypole, who used to be on an old children's TV show called Rentaghost. He used to really annoy me!

Do you think you would have enjoyed judging a book award when you were in school?

Yes! Although I was never very good at reading at school, books took me ages to read.

The Blue Peter Book Awards turn 15 this year - which books were you reading when you were 15?

It's hard to remember exactly, but i guess whatever we were reading at school, so probably Romeo and Juliet, alsoJude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy.

In fact I remember drawing the little boy Jude sitting in a train carriage. I had a brilliant English teacher called Mr Strange (that really was his name!), who always set projects that had a drawing option. An English project where I didn't have to write!

I loved drawing  and thought I was getting away without having to do any real work, but he was much smarter than me and realised this was the way to get me involved in the books. He was right and I'm reminded of him every time a publisher sends me a manuscript to illustrate. Mr Strange was a smart man and a great teacher (I read lots of books now). This book is for Mr Strange (Peter).

If children enjoyed reading your book, what would you recommend they read next?

Hmmm…they could read the other one, The Anti-Boredom Book of Brilliant Things to Do. That has awesome pictures in it too!