Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2013 - winners announced

A book about a teenage girl with an unspeakable secret writing to a murderer on death row has been crowned overall winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2013. At a ceremony at Waterstones' flagship shop in London Piccadilly Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher bagged the prize which champions the future stars of children's literature, and is one of the UK's most prestigious children's book awards.

Find out more about the category winners below.

The teenage protagonist of Ketchup Clouds reveals a terrible secret through a sequence of letters to a condemned murderer in a Texan jail. The idea was inspired by the author's own experiences of writing to a death row prisoner as a teenager.

"Ketchup Clouds is a classic coming of age story featuring death, betrayal and redemption."

Melissa Cox, Children's Buyer, Waterstones

Rebecca Cobb triumphed in the picture book category with Lunchtime, a colourful book which is about a girl who doesn't want to eat her lunch.

"The illustrations skilfully evoke the wonder of a child's imagination and the story is great fun to read aloud with small children. Cobb is definitely one to watch."

Melissa Cox, Children's Buyer, Waterstones

Jacket designer, RJ Palacio's book is about a boy with a facial deformity starting school for the first time, aged 10.

"An unsentimental and ultimately hopeful exploration of the ugly reaction that physical disability and difference can provoke in children and adults alike."

Melissa Cox, Children's Buyer, Waterstones