Long-listed for the Le Prince Maurice Prize, judged by a panel chaired by Tim Lott and including Helen Dunmore, Blake Morrison and the children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson.
Short-listed for the YoungMinds Book of the Year Award, presented by Philip Pullman.

'The grown-ups held an inquiry into how a child came to disappear, but they didn't name names like they do when children let grown-ups down. They talked about a catalogue of errors as if mistakes were something that turned up in the post and got paid for at leisure. I had my own ideas . . .'

Meet Harry Pickles, aged nine and a bit. Harry is the fastest boy runner in the world (probably), first son of Mo and Pa (the best-looking parents in the school car park), big brother to Daniel (who runs like a girl but is, in his own twerpy way, a star). His life is good. He's premier league. At least, that's the way it was before the school trip . . .

Clare Sambrook's unforgettable first novel captures with startling truth and clarity the perspective of a confused nine year old. Poignant and personal, Hide and Seek resonates with authenticity and a brutal honesty that manages to be harrowing, life affirming and funny.

ISBN: 1 84195 605 8

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