The search is underway to find the best Scottish children's books, as the shortlist for the Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's Books was announced on Friday 18th May. The awards, inaugurated in 2006, offer a prize of £3,000 for the winner of each category, making this the largest British children's book award. Runners-up in each category receive £500 each.

A book review competition for children will run concurrently, with prizes awarded to the best reviews (in either Gaelic or English) of the shortlisted titles or the Gaelic category winner. Competition winners will be recognised at the awards ceremony in November and will win book tokens for themselves as well as an author visit for their school or library.

Speaking about the Awards,Gavin Wallace, Head of Literature at the Scottish Arts Council, said: “The Royal Mail Awards are unique prizes which celebrate and promote the outstandingly high calibre of writing for children of all ages in Scotland, and obviously we’re delighted with the expansion and wider inclusiveness introduced this year. And the ownership of the prizes by children across Scotland is a glorious thing - we have wonderful young readers as well as wonderful authors!”

Details about the shortlisted books below:

GAELIC CATEGORY WINNER

USPAIG AGUS S-S

Marie C. NicAmhlaigh, illustrated by Kathleen NicAonghais The rather haughty and clever Seonag-Sìne (S-S) thinks the scruffy boy next door (Uspaig) is pretty useless at everything. However, he persuades her to go on a special trip with him on the underground where she discovers he has very special powers indeed. This is Marie's third children's book. The other two are Teàrlag agus na Spàinean and Teàrlag agus am Bodach-Sneachd. Kathleen has illustrated another children's book, Al, by Seonag Monk but she is perhaps better known as a brilliant traditional singer and has also done some acting on Gaelic TV.

EARLY YEARS (0 - 7 years)

AUGUSTUS AND HIS SMILE 

By Catherine Rayner Augustus the tiger was sad. He had lost his smile. So he did a huge tigery stretch, and set off to find it.

KATIE'S MOOSE

By James Robertson, Matthew Fitt and Karen Sutherland.Where's Katie's moose? There it is noo. Keek-a-boo! See that wee moose Runnin roon the hoose. Where's Katie's bear? There it is noo. Keek-a-boo! See that puir bear Doon there on the flair. "Katie's Moose" is the follow-up publication to the best-selling "Kaite's Coo: Traditional Scots Rhymes For Wee Folk". Babies and young children will love the simple story of Katie gathering up her animal friends in time for bed. Each page shows Katie looking for the Dug, the Pig, the Bear, the Craw, the Coo and of course the wee Moose. Sometimes they're not that easy to find - until you lift the flap. And sometimes they're in quite surprising places! These simple Scots words and sounds, together with Karen Sutherland's bright and cheery illustrations, will make this board book a favourite with bairns and parents alike - especially at bedtime!

DAN AND DIESEL

By Charlotte Hudson. Dan's dog, Diesel, is a wonder dog. He can do anything. He can ride on trains and planes and in underground tunnels. He can stand next to an enormous smoke-breathing dragon and never flinch an inch. When Dan is with Diesel he can go anywhere. He can go shopping at the market. He can play jazz in the Boogaloo band. He can climb mountains and draw pictures in his head. Together, they can conquer the world. But one day, Diesel is whisked away in a big black van ...

YOUNGER READERS (8 - 12 years)

CHILL

By Alex Nye.Samuel is trapped by huge snowdrifts in an old remote house. And that’s not the only thing causing a cold shiver to creep down his spine. He feels like the ghostly figure in the locked library has a message…but who is it for? Fiona lives in the big house, but will that help the two of them to break the curse on her family? As the ice sets in, they uncover a deadly tale of betrayal and revenge. Set on bleak Sherrifmuir near Stirling, this is a spooky tale of the past coming back to haunt the present.

THE FLIGHT OF THE SILVER TURTLE

By John Fardell.Sam and Marcia are back in Edinburgh with Zara, Ben and Professor Ampersand. The friends are helping to build an amazing electric-powered flying boat when they stumble across an old photograph - a clue that leads them on to the trail of a long-lost secret invention that could change the world. But a shadowy organisation is also after the invention. Soon the children are caught up in a perilous struggle that will take them through dimly-lit museum galleries, up into the skies above Europe, down to the murky depths of Lake Geneva, and into the heart of a fortified Swiss castle. This is a breathtaking adventure of encrypted messages, aerial chases and astonishing secrets from the author of "The 7 Professors Of The Far North".

THE HIGHWAYMAN'S FOOTSTEPS

By Nicola Morgan.“I felt cold metal on the side of my skull before I heard the voice…a pistol. Resting on the bone just behind my ear. The favourite place for murderers, robbers and highwaymen because they could be sure to blow your brains out before you had time to scream.” When high-born William de Lacey saves a highwayman’s life, he cannot guess how his own life will change. He many have escaped his father’s sneering contempt, but had his easy childhood prepared him for the terrifying dangers that he must now face? The stark ghostly moors are as hostile as the pursuing redcoats, and Will must make some difficult decisions if he is to escape with his life.

OLDER READERS (13 - 16 years)

THE MEDICI SEAL

By Theresa Breslin. Fleeing from the murderous brigand Sandino, Matteo - a young boy - is saved from drowning by the companions of Leonardo da Vinci. From this moment on, Matteo is at the Maestro's side as he carries out his work, which ranges from the painting of magnificent frescos to intricate dissection of the human body. But Leonardo is employed by Cesare Borgia, head of one of Italy's leading families. Cruel and ruthless, the Borgia punishes without mercy those who oppose him or who threaten him in any way. As Da Vinci and Matteo travel across Italy on the Borgia's business, murder, deceit and revenge follow in their trail. For Matteo carries with him a secret - a secret that both the Borgia and Medici families would kill to obtain. A life-changing secret that must, finally, come to light for all to see... A gloriously rich and authentic story of the Renaissance, "The Medici Seal" is also both the personal story of Matteo, a boy becoming a man, and a fascinating glimpse into the world of Da Vinci.

SCARLETT

By Cathy Cassidy.When teen rebel, Scarlett, is sent to stay with Dad and his new family, it's behave or else! Can Scarlett manage her anger or will she die of boredom? Either way, a mysterious and too-gorgeous-to-be-true local boy can supply some of the answers... Scarlett likes trouble. She's attracted to it, like a bee to honey. Right now, though, Scarlett's been in trouble one time too many - and her life has turned upside-down.

NEMESIS

By Catherine MacPhail.“I turned back to the Dark Man in the shadows. I’m not ready for you yet, Mr Death. You’ll have to run fast to catch me.” Ram has no memory of who he is. He wakes up in a darkened corridor of a tower block with no idea of how he has got there. And then the lift doors nearby open and inside is a man, lying in a pool of blood, desperately trying to tell him something… Ram is now the murder suspect and on the run. But it isn’t just the police he has to worry about. Something is moving in the shadows. Could it be connected with the dying man’s last words? Or is his past catching up with him?