Following the huge success of the very first book of Blue Peter published by Lutterworth in 1964, the BBC realised the potential marektplace for their own product and in 1965 the second annual was published by BBC Enterprises.
BBC Enterprises, later known as BBC Worldwide, were to publish the Blue Peter annual right up until 1986.
The second Blue Peter book was edited by Biddy Baxter with Edward Barnes and Rosemary Gill. The acknowledgements section also thanks Christopher Trace, Valerie Singleton, Margaret Parnell and Gillian Farnsworth. The book's cover features Chris, Val, Petra and Jason and, significantly, the Blue Peter badge designed by Tony Hart.
The book was introduced with the hall mark "Hello there!" feature signed by the presenters, Christopher and Valerie, with the paw marks of Petra and Jason, which highlighted scenes from some of the past year's shows and an invitation for regular readers to recall each feature.
The second book introduced Honey the Blue Peter guide dog, who had been purchased for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association following the show's very first fund raising appeal in 1964 where silver paper had been collected in a Marylebone scout hall.
The book also featured more illustrated stories by Tim about Bleep & Booster and Bengo the boxer cub. There were also plenty of puzzles and a crossword.
In the second annual there were several 'makes', mainly from Valerie who provided guidance on making party chocolate cake, pencil cases from plastic bottles, a pyjama clown and a soldier's outfit for Teddy.
The make from Chris was somewhat more ambitious and a great deal more technical as he attempted to solve a big problem for model railway enthusiasts by demonstrating how to build a folding table from two 8ft lengths of blockboard, wall brackets and a swivel pulley system screwed into the walls and ceiling ...and not forgetting a 36ft length of hoisting rope.
The make from Chris was somewhat more ambitious and a great deal more technical as he attempted to solve a big problem for model railway enthusiasts by demonstrating how to build a folding table from two 8ft lengths of blockboard, wall brackets and a swivel pulley system screwed into the walls and ceiling ...and not forgetting a 36ft length of hoisting rope.
Considering that anyone setting out to construct Chris's foldaway table for a full sized model railway would have had to do things like, for instance, stand on step ladders to drill the swivel pulley block into the ceiling or use a heavy duty saw to cut 2 x 1 inch pieces of timber to the correct lengths, nowhere does he add the advice "you might need to consult an adult about this project". Perhaps demonstrating what a different world we lived in back in 1965.
In fairness to Chris he also showed readers how to make a bird table and a nesting box for blue tits, although even these items contain detailed technical instructions which would no doubt seem completely alien to modern children for whom unpacking and plugging in the PS3 is as techically demanding as it gets.
The second book had plenty of features on subjects that were rapidly becoming Blue Peter standards including stamps, pets, historical stories and model collecting. There were additional items on the international code of signals, lifesaving and the changing of the guard which together create an impression of Blue Peter promoting high standards for it's young readers and viewers if rather stuffy and establishment compared with children's television in 2012.
In fairness to Chris he also showed readers how to make a bird table and a nesting box for blue tits, although even these items contain detailed technical instructions which would no doubt seem completely alien to modern children for whom unpacking and plugging in the PS3 is as techically demanding as it gets.
The second book had plenty of features on subjects that were rapidly becoming Blue Peter standards including stamps, pets, historical stories and model collecting. There were additional items on the international code of signals, lifesaving and the changing of the guard which together create an impression of Blue Peter promoting high standards for it's young readers and viewers if rather stuffy and establishment compared with children's television in 2012.
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