A BOOK by award-winning Liz Pichon has scooped the Stockton children’s book of the year prize.

More than 600 children from 25 schools across the borough have been reading to find their favourite author from a selection of five books.

They had to choose between Ash Mistry And The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda, A Boy Called M.O.U.S.E by Penny Dolan, Small Change For Stuart by Lissa Evans, Fizzleburt Stump The Boy Who Ran Away From The Circus (And Joined The Library) by AF Harrold and Tom Gates’ Excellent Excuses (And Other Good Stuff) by Liz Pichon.

Top of the poll was Tom Gates’ Excellent Excuses which takes the form of a battered homework diary crammed with scribbles and stories.

The ceremony also included the Book Review Of The Year Award 2013, which was won by Sophie Chan, a pupil from Junction Farm Primary School, Eaglescliffe, for their review of Ash Mistry And The Savage Fortress.

Now in its 16th year, the book awards are organised by Stockton Council’s libraries service to celebrate books and the pleasure of reading.

To date, the Tom Gates series has sold more than 100,000 copies in the UK and been translated into 20 languages.