The general feeling on the panel was that the longlist for this year's Times/Chicken House publishing deal was strong. But five YA and MG titles made it.
Among them all the library staff out there may recognise a certain name who continues to amaze us all with his talent:
A Celestial Family – Meena Mistry
Chance and the Seventh Son – Anna Hattersley
The Corner Shop on Apocalypse Street – Tommy Finlayson
Earth Elite – Alan Joyce
The Wandering – Melissa Catena
You Have Selected Power Drive – Lucas Maxwell
Huge congratulations to shortlisted authors.
The winner will be announced in November.