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

More than 600 children from 25 primary and secondary 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 A.F. Harrold andTom Gates Excellent Excuses (and other good stuff) written by Liz Pichon.

Top of the poll was Tom Gates Excellent Excuses (and other good stuff) 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 by Sarwat Chadda.

Now in its 16th year the book awards is 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 has been translated into 20 languages around the world.

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates first published in 2011 and has won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011, Red House Children’s Book Award (Younger Readers Category) 2012 and the Waterstones Prize 2012 (in the best fiction for five to 12-year-olds category).