East Sussex Children's Book Award 2012

Every year we ask children in Year 5 and 6 to vote for your favourite fiction book recently published in paperback. The shortlist of five books below has been carefully chosen with the help of children from several local schools.

If your school takes part in the 2012 book award, you had the chance to:

• read and discuss the books during spring
• meet the authors
• enter the book jacket competition and creative writing competition
• see your best reviews published on this website.

Voting for award ended Friday 11 May, but we'd still like to hear what you think about the books. Use the links below to write and read your reviews online.

The winning book will be announced at an award ceremony for local schools at Uckfield Civic Centre, Wednesday 20 June.

'Blackout' by Robert Swindells

It's September 1939 and Britain has just entered the Second World War. But in the small town of Golfodd there are no bombs, no soldiers and no machine guns. When friends Tom, Mary, Gary and Dil start shadowing the mysterious new woman in town, they find themselves in unexpected danger.

• Get a copy of 'Blackout' by Robert Swindells
• Read your reviews and vote for 'Blackout'
• Write a book review

'Dead Man's Cove' by Lauren St John

When orphan Laura Marlin is sent to live with her strange uncle in Cornwall she longs for excitement. Inspired by her favourite detective novels, Laura sees her new life as an opportunity to live out her ambitions, and it isn't long before mysterious goings-on attract her attention. Exciting detective story.

• Get a copy of 'Dead Man's Cove'
• Read your reviews and vote for 'Dead Man's Cove'
• Write a book review

'The Deeping secrets' by Victor Watson

After a train is blown up, the people in the village of Great Deeping become aware that there's a spy in their midst. However, Mollie and her friends soon become distracted looking for buried treasure and as their search continues they find more than they bargained for. A tense adventure set in World War 2.

• Get a copy of 'The Deeping secrets'
• Read your reviews and vote for 'The Deeping secrets'
• Write a book review

'Gravenhunger' by Harriet Goodwin

When 13-year-old Phoenix goes to spend the summer at Gravenhunger Manor, the ancestral home of his dead mother, he uncovers a dark family secret. Phoenix is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, but as the secret begins to unravel, he finds himself in grave danger. A haunting mystery story.

• Get a copy of 'Gravenhunger'
• Read your review and vote for 'Gravenhunger'
• Write a book review

'Magicalamity' by Kate Saunders

Tom discovers his dad is an escaped fairy on the run and that he is a demisprite – the child of a fairy and a human. Then he meets his three fairy godmothers who have been summoned to protect him and finds he has to survive their botched magic spells, learn to fly and enter the Fairy Realm to save his parents. Very funny fantasy.

• Get a copy of 'Magicalamity'
• Read your reviews and vote for 'Magicalamity'
• Write a book review

Meeting the authors

Children from primary schools across East Sussex met the writers and talked about their books at events in March.

• Kate Saunders visited West St Leonards Primary and Elphinstone Primary, Hastings on Wednesday 7 March.
• Harriet Goodwin visited Blackboys Primary and Sir Henry Fermor Primary in Crowborough on Monday 12 March.
• Victor Watson visited Southdown Junior in Newhaven on Wednesday 14 March, and Queen's Park Primary in Brighton and Mile Oak Primary in Portslade on Thursday 15 March.
• Lauren St John visited Heron Park Primary in Eastbourne and Grovelands Primary in Hailsham on Tuesday 20 March.

More information for schools

Schools can find out how to take part in the book award by visiting Czone – Book awards and events.

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