Royal Mail awards for Scottish children's books announced

The third annual Royal Mail award for Scottish children's books has been won by DarkIsle, reports the Guardian.

The children's fantasy book brushed off stiff competition in the eight to 11-year-olds category to be voted by Scottish children as their favourite read of the past year.

DarkIsle by DA Nelson is the first in a three-part epic adventure story centred on the exploits of Morag, aged ten, who fights to protect the world from an evil warlock with her trusted band of fellow adventurers consisting of "a talking rat and a resourceful dodo", according to the newspaper.

Three age groups shared the 9,541 votes cast by Scottish schoolchildren with Billy Monster's Daymare by Alan Durant and Ross Collins winning the zero to seven age group and JA Henderson's Bunker 10 triumphing in the 12 to 16 category.

Ms Nelson was born in Glasgow in 1970 and worked as a journalist before venturing into the world of PR. She works for Glasgow Health Service as a publication manager and writes in the moments of free time she is able to squeeze out of her busy life.