After years of domination by teen fiction, a resurgence in quality writing for younger children has packed the line-up for this year's Guardian children's fiction prize with stories for the under-10s, full of ogres, wolves and mysterious Green Men.
From Eva Ibbotson's The Ogre of Oglefort, about a hag, a troll, a wizard and a boy's quest to rescue a princess and face a terrifying ogre, to Ally Kennen's Sparks, in which three children set out on an adventure to fulfil their grandfather's instructions for his funeral, the longlist for the award, revealed today, is full of writing for younger readers.
"Adults love crossover fiction because it's closer to us and easier to appreciate, and it has traditionally been the place of some very fine writing. That's great, but I'm particularly delighted this year to have had such strong entries for eight, nine and 10-year-olds," said chair of judges and the Guardian's children's books editor, Julia Eccleshare.
"It is a very difficult age to publish for, and that's been the problem. Recently though there's felt like a resurgence," Eccleshare said. "Eight-plus is really the place to get them hooked, and it's very exciting to find that publishers are publishing with great success into this area. The balance of our list is actually for primary school children, rather than for secondary school, and at a time when there are worries about children reading – well, it isn't because there aren't the children's books there: here they are."
The eight-book longlist also includes Morris Gleitzman's Now, aimed at children of nine and above and bringing the story of Holocaust survivor Felix into the present day. Linda Newbery's story for eight years and above, Lob, tells of a girl's visit to her grandparents in the country, where she meets Grandpa Will's mysterious green helper, while Michelle Paver's Ghost Hunter is a quest set in a frozen prehistoric world.
Three titles for older readers complete the line-up: a rich historical novel about the Spanish Inquisition by Theresa Breslin, Prisoner of the Inquisition, Gregory Hughes's tale of two children who set off alone on a journey to find their uncle in New York when their father dies, Unhooking the Moon, and Marcus Sedgwick's gothic novel White Crow, in which Rebecca uncovers dangerous secrets from the past when she moves to a small village with her father.
Won in the past by authors including Philip Pullman, Ted Hughes and Anne Fine, the 42-year-old prize went last year to Mal Peet, and in 2008 to Patrick Ness – both of whom write for children over 12. "If you've not become a good reader by 12 you probably won't be, so we do want to make sure there are great books for younger readers as well," said Eccleshare, who is joined on the judging panel by Peet and authors Linda Buckley-Archer and Jenny Downham. The prize will be awarded in September.
The Guardian has also launched a competition for young critics, which is open to anyone under 16, with prizes awarded to the 10 best reviews of the longlisted titles, as selected by the Guardian's literary editor, Claire Armitstead, and Eccleshare.
The longlist:
Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin (Doubleday, £12.99). Age: 12+
Now by Morris Gleitzman (Puffin, £6.99). Age: 9+
Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes (Quercus, £6.99). Age: 11+
The Ogre of Oglefort by Eva Ibbotson (Macmillan, £9.99). Age: 8+
Sparks by Ally Kennen (Marion Lloyd Books, £6.99). Age: 9+
Lob by Linda Newbery illustrated by Pam Smy (David Fickling, £10.99). Age: 8+
Ghost Hunter by Michelle Paver (Orion, £10.99). Age: 10+
White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion, £9.99). Age: 13+