SOME of the country's top children's authors will be visiting Teesside for an award next week.

Children from schools in Stockton have been busily reading a shortlist of five books to choose their favourite, as part of Stockton Children's Book of the Year contest.

More than 1,000 nine to 12- year-olds, from primary, secondary and special schools in Stockton borough will vote in a secret ballot to nominate their favourite books this week.

Their top author will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Stockton next Tuesday, which all five shortlisted authors will attend.

This year's shortlisted titles are: Awful End by Philip Ardagh; Uncle Edward and the Egg by CC Chessell; A Land without Magic by Stephen Elboz; Deadly Famous by Richard Kidd and the Killer Underpants by Michael Lawrence.

The event is sponsored by Safeway Ingleby Barwick, Badger for Books, Thornaby-A-Reading town and the Retired Members Association.

Lesley King, Stockton council libraries and information services manager, said: "The children have been avidly reading the books and voting on their favourite author, and the tension will be rising during the ceremony to find out who is the children's choice."