Below is the CBI Book Awards Shortlist - and congratulations to all the shortlisted writers and illustrators. How did I do? 6 out of 10. Not as well as last year (9 out of 10 predicted) but not bad! How about you?
Anna Liza and the Happy Practice written by Eoin Colfer - Yes, got this one right! Brilliant book - delighted to see it on the shortlist.
Billy Button, Telegram Boy illustrated by Sheena Dempsey - Yes, and great to see Sheena on the shortlist! I love her work.
Bliain na nAmhrán scrIofa ag Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, maisithe ag Jennifer Farley, Brian Fitzgerald, Tarsila Krüse agus Christina O’Donovan - No (my Irish is average so I don't comment on the Irish language books)
Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton - delighted to see this one included as Chris is at the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival on 25/25th March and is a remarkable illustrator.
Historopedia by Fatti Burke and John Burke - I didn't get this one. I liked it a lot but thought it would be overshadowed by its predecessor, Irelandopedia.
Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan - Yes and YES! So deserving of an award.
Óró na Circíní agus Scéalta Eile Ón Afraic athinste ag Gabriel Rosenstock, maisithe ag Brian Fitzgerald - No, see above.
Plain Jane by Kim Hood - Yes and hurrah - delighted for Kim. It's a super book.
The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín - Yes and YES, YES, YES! An amazing book.
The Ministry of Strange, Unusual and Impossible Things by Paul Gamble - Yes
I'm very disappointed not to see Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden on the shortlist - as it's a brilliant book. Next year, Dave. It took Derek Landy several years to get a Skulduggery book on the shortlist and those books didn't take off at all. Nope, not at all!