The 30th anniversary of the Lancashire Book of the Year awards will be celebrated at a special event in Preston.

The ceremony, on Saturday 18 June at County Hall from 10am to 2.30pm, will also see the winning author of the Lancashire Book of the Year award presented with their accolade.

The Lancashire Book of the Year remains one of the few book awards where young people themselves are totally responsible for drawing up the shortlist and choosing the overall winner.

The event will be attended by seven of the 11 shortlisted authors: Alex Bell, Simon Cheshire, Sarah Mussi, Carla Spradbery, Jeannie Waudby, Leo Hunt and Eleanor Wood; who will also sign copies of their books.

Workshops will also be held on themes including how young people are portrayed in fiction.

County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for environment, planning and cultural services, said: "Being introduced to books at a young age is important, as it can build up a love of reading that can stay with you for the rest of your life.

"It's fantastic to see so many young people so actively involved in judging these awards, and clearly getting so much pleasure from books.

"I know that what makes this award extra special for the shortlisted authors is that it is the young readers themselves who choose the winner - the young people they are actually writing for, and this means so much to them.

"I really hope that their love of reading continues."

The Lancashire Book of the Year was the first regional book award for children when it was originally organised in 1987. It was won that year by Philip Pullman, who went on to great success with the "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

The judges are pupils from Year 9 (aged between 13 and 14). Twelve high schools from across the county take part, with one school representing each of Lancashire's districts.

The schools that have taken part this year are:

Sir John Thursby, Burnley
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Clitheroe, Ribble Valley
Marsden Heights Community College, Nelson, Pendle
Lancaster Girls Grammar School, Lancaster
Millfield Science and Performing Arts College, Thornton Cleveleys, Wyre
St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham St Annes, Fylde
St Michael's Church of England High School, Chorley
Lathom High School, Skelmersdale, West Lancashire
Balshaw's Church of England High School, Leyland, South Ribble
Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle, Hyndburn
Alder Grange School, Rawtenstall, Rossendale
Our Lady Catholic High School, Fulwood, Preston

There were 92 books nominated on the list this year. The young judges came together in March to hear which books had made it to the shortlist. A panel of 24 pupils then joined the chair of the judging sessions, freelance children's book specialist Jake Hope, to read and appraise each of the eleven shortlisted books.

The Lancashire Book of the Year Award was sponsored by UCLan, for the 15th year.

Anyone can attend the free event, but booking is essential as places are limited. Places can be booked at http://bit.ly/lboy2016

To find out more about Lancashire County Council's Library and Information Service, visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries