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Outrage as Jordan nominated for children's book award

24/03/2008

Katie Price has indirectly provoked outrage after her book Perfect Ponies: My Pony Care Book was nominated for the WH Smith Children's Book of the Year.

The nomination of the glamour model's book has led to widespread condemnation, with the Society of Authors complaining that the publication was not her own work as a ghost writer was involved in the writing of the book.

Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring, told The Times newspaper: "I'm shocked. I'm amazed the publishers even put the book up. If it's ghost-written then it's inappropriate that it should be shortlisted. I am disappointed by the judges."

And Chocolat author Joanne Harris added: "If this is an award for people who write books then it should be open only to people who write books, not to somebody who lends their name to a book, or who would have written a book if they had time but didn't."

The award has been won in the past by leading children's authors such as Roald Dahl, Philip Pullman and Raymond Briggs.

Price, also know as Jordan, was defended by Mark Booth, her publishing director, who claimed there was nothing wrong with the use of ghostwriters.

"I don't see what the fuss is about. It's no different to the way the recordings of the Monkees were done," he said.