Every week we are featuring one of the brilliant books in the running for the Guardian children's fiction prize. This week it's Moon Pie by Simon Mason, a funny and moving tale of a family under pressure.
Julia Eccleshare, chair of the prize's judges, says: "How love is tested, challenged and threatened, but can ultimately hold families together is at the heart of Moon Pie. Martha is used to managing her father's sometimes erratic behaviour after her mother dies. Dealing with his oddities and caring for her small brother Tug seems not much stranger than her friend Marcus's obsession with Hollywood movies. But finally, even for her, it is all just a bit too much. This is a beautifully told story that is long on affection and short on preaching."
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 Moon Pie by Simon Mason
Watch Simon Mason tell you why you should review HIS book
Read an interview with Simon Mason
Read Marcus Sedgwick's Guardian review of Moon Pie
Read Simon Mason's top 10 books about families
Got a question for Simon about Moon Pie? Send it to us at childrens.books@guardian.co.uk and we'll put a selection to Andy and publish your questions and his replies here
Buy Moon Pie 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 childrens.books@guardian.co.uk and we'll add it to this page
Find out more about the Guardian children's fiction prize book club
Next week's book: Return to Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan
