Children with a love for literature got the chance to meet the authors of some of their favourite books at an awards event in East Sussex.

Youngsters from 17 primary schools across the county were present at a ceremony at the De La Warr Pavilion, in Bexhill, where the winner of the East Sussex Children’s Book Award 2013 was announced.

Organised by East Sussex County Council’s Schools Library and Museum Service, the Book Award initiative runs for six months and includes author events which this year have been attended by more than 1,000 pupils across 60 schools.

The students have been busy since January reading the five nominated titles and selecting their favourite, picking sweet-toothed adventure The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders as their top read, with The Great Escape by Megan Rix as runner-up.

The other shortlisted books were The Messenger Bird by Ruth Eastham, Goblins by Philip Reeve, and Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans.

Cllr Chris Dowling, county council lead member for community services, said: “The Book Award scheme is a great way of helping to fuel children’s interest in literature and promoting reading for pleasure.

“It’s fantastic that so many children have been involved and the awards ceremony was a great way to round off this year’s award scheme.”

Schools attending the awards ceremony (17 from East Sussex and one from Brighton & Hove) were:

– Alfriston School
– Battle & Langton Church of England Primary School, Battle
– Ditchling (St Margaret’s) Church of England Primary School
– Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School, Hastings
– Harbour Primary & Nursery School, in Newhaven
– Hawkes Farm Primary School, Hailsham
– Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School
– Langney Primary School, Eastbourne
– Little Horsted Church Of England Primary School
– Mark Cross Church of England Primary School, Crowborough
– Ocklynge Junior School, Eastbourne
– Rocks Park Primary School, Uckfield
– Rotherfield Primary School
– St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, St Leonards-on-Sea
– Telscombe Cliffs Community Primary School
– Wadhurst Church of England Primary School
– Staplecross Methodist Primary School

– Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Rottingdean

More information about library events for children in East Sussex is available online at
www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenslibrary