Children's fiction prize book club: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

Every week we are featuring one of the brilliant books in the running for the Guardian children's fiction prize. This week, the last in the series, it's My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher, an emotional story of family, friendship and grief, told through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy. Chair of the children's fiction prize, Julia Eccleshare, says of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece: "Heartbreaking and funny in equal measure, 10-year-old Jamie's direct and wide-eyed account of the emotional chaos he and his family live through following the death of his sister in a terrorist attack is poignant and warm-hearted. Beginning a new life in the Lake District with his older sister and his father, who mourns his daughter through alcohol and a wild rage against her killers, Jamie knows he should feel sadder than he does. The truth is, he can hardly remember his sister; and what is happening with his new school and new friends, especially Sunya, is more urgent – as is his yearning for his absent mother. Emotionally charged, this is a wonderfully touching story which never slips into worthiness." Now's your chance to read the book, hear from the author, write a review – and enter our young critics' prize. Read an extract from My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Read an interview with Annabel Pitcher Review my book! Watch Annabel Pitcher tell you why you should review HER book, with some great suggestions about how you might do it Listen to a clip of David Tennan t reading from My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Read Philip Ardagh's Guardian review of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Read children's books site member reviews of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Got a question for Annabel about My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece? Send it to us at [email protected] and we'll put a selection to Andy and publish your questions and his replies here Buy My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece at the Guardian bookshop at a discount Write your review! The Young Critics competition is for all young readers to share their views on any of the longlisted books. Anyone under 16 can enter by writing a review of no more than 200 words of one of the books longlisted for the prize. Individuals or school classes can enter and there are great prizes to be won. You can find out more, and download the application form, here . If you would like your review to appear on the website as part of the book club you just need to join the site (you can find out how here, it's really simple!) and then email it to us. It can be any length! Two of the Guardian's top children's books critics, Philip Ardagh and Linda Buckley-Archer have given some great advice on writing book reviews . And, of course, it must all be your own work. If you decide to quote from anybody else's review, then you MUST credit them. Or comment! If you'd just like to share a quick comment about the book, email it to [email protected] and we'll add it to this page Find out more about the Guardian children's fiction prize bookclub