DISCERNING pupils have helped to draw up a shortlist of novels for a national literary competition.

The Year Seven youngsters at Withins High School are thrilled after five of their recommendations made it into the final eight choices for the Kate Greenaway Award for illustration in children's literature.

Anne Smallwood, independent learning resource centre manager, at the Breightmet school, is a judge on the Greenaway panel as well as the equally prestigious National Carnegie Award for children's fiction.

She asked the pupils to look at more than 30 books and to come up with a list of their favourites. But she was stunned when so many of their choices coincided with those of the judges.

Another group of pupils at the Newby Road school are studying books shortlisted for the Carnegie Award and their views on the novels will be passed to the panel of judges.

Mrs Smallwood said: "The children have never done anything like this before and they tried really hard -- including the pupils with special needs.

"They have been asking me for ages if any of their choices made it on to the final list and will be delighted at the news. It just shows that the librarians at the school are in touch with what the children want to read."