YOUNG Swindon bookworms have named their favourite novel of 2003 after a four-month voting process.

And the winner is . . . Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses, a tale about two friends living in a segregated society. It tackles the issues of racism and prejudice in an alternative world.

The youngsters' comments about the books have been put on the website www.swindon.gov.uk. One young Noughts And Crosses fan, Sam, from St Joseph's School in Stratton St Margaret, said: "It is written with feeling and racism is viewed from two teenagers from different races and their struggle to see each other despite troubles at home.

"It has an unusual twist and I think it helps people understand how people under fire of racism feel."

The Fantastic Fiction Award 2003 was supported by award-winning children's author Gillian Cross, whose novel, Tightrope, also made the shortlist. Gillian visited West Swindon library last month to talk about her books.

Other shortlisted novels were Voyage Of The Arctic Tern by Hugh Montgomery, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, and Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah.