Over 300 students from 40 schools in Kent and Sussex aged between 11-14 read, reviewed and voted for their favourite books from a list of 15 titles nominated by publishers.

Students selected and then voted for a shortlist of five books and all five authors were at the Presentation Evening at Roedean School on 18^th January 2008 where Kate Cann was announced the winner for her book Leaving Poppy. Also Highly Commended was Charlie Higson for Double or Die.

Now in its fourth year, the organisers say that the Southern Schools Book Award is 'proving to be a highly successful mechanism for bringing together students from across the region to celebrate that pleasurable commodity the book'.

The shortlisted authors and their books are:
Beverley Birch Rift
Charles Butler The Lurkers
Kate Cann Leaving Poppy
Charlie Higson Double or Die
Marcus Sedgwick The Foreshadowing