Gruffalo author Donaldson up for children's fiction prize

Julia Donaldson was made Children's Laureate in 2011

Superworm, Julia Donaldson's tale of a cunning worm, and The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey's novel about an alien invasion, are among the 10 books shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award.

It is the only national children's book prize voted for entirely by youngsters.

Donaldson is up against previous winner Eoin Colfer and Jeanne Willis, who won the 2010 younger children category.

JK Rowling, Patrick Ness, Michael Morpurgo, Malorie Blackman and Anthony Horowitz are previous winners.

The entire shortlist is as follows:

Books for Younger Children

Superworm - Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Scholastic)

Walter and The No Need To Worry Suit - Rachel Bright (HarperCollins)

How To Hide A Lion - Helen Stephens (Alison Green Books)

Hippospotamus - Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross (Andersen)

Books for Younger Readers

The Land of Neverbelieve - Norman Messenger (Walker)

Atticus Claw Breaks The Law - Jennifer Gray (Faber & Faber)

Claude In The Country - Alex T Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Books for Older Readers

Killing Rachel - Anne Cassidy (Bloomsbury)

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey (Penguin)

The Reluctant Assassin - Eoin Colfer (Simon and Schuster)

Children are invited to vote on the Red House website until mid-January 2014.

The award ceremony will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre in London on 22 February 2014. The awards are now in their 34th year.