Ref. 25525-4BOOKWORMS found out there is more to children's literature than Harry Potter - after debating the merits of five new works of fiction.

Year nine pupils from Dorcan Technology College, Kingsdown and Highworth Warneford schools took part in the event called the Riveting Read. All the pupils volunteered to read Sabriel by Garth Nix; You Don't Know Me by David Klass; The Edge by Alan Gibbons; Saffy's Angel by Hilary Mackay and Remembrance by Theresa Breslin.

The students were divided into groups by gender to see if they had different opinions on the books.

After exchanging views on covers, characters, plot and style, a spokesperson from each group presented their findings.

The afternoon of discussion culminated in a final vote resulting in Garth Nix's Sabriel a dark fantasy story of a hero who goes beyond the grave as the overall winner

Christine Lutman, a librarian at Highworth Warneford School, where the event took place, said: "The afternoon gave pupils from different schools to meet and expand their reading horizons, and show that there are books beyond Harry Potter.

"We hope this will become a regular feature on the calendar of the schools involved."