'The book I'd give to my 10-year-old self' Join our competition to celebrate the announcement of the 10th Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist.

[RachelMumsnet]

The Waterstones Children's Book Prize is 10 years old this year. To celebrate this and the announcement of the shortlists for the Waterstones Children's Books Prize 2014 this morning, we're asking you to tell us

The book I'd give to my 10-year-old self

Post your choice and reason on this thread. Everyone who joins will be entered into a draw to win the FULL SET of SHORTLISTED BOOKS - that's 18 books altogether. Here's a list of the shortlist:

Best Picture Book:
Open Very Carefully by Nick Bromley and Nicola O'Byrne (Nosy Crow)
Harold Finds a Voice by Courtney Dicmas (Child's Play International)
Weasels by Elys Dolan (Nosy Crow)
Penguin in Peril by Helen Hancocks (Templar)
Time for Bed, Fred! by Yasmeen Ismail (Bloomsbury)
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water by Gemma Merino (Macmillan Children's Books)

Best Fiction for 5-12s:
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Darcy Burdock by Laura Dockrill (Random House Children's Books)
Shiverton Hall by Emerald Fennell (Bloomsbury)
The Skull in the Wood by Sandra Greaves (Chicken House)
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell (Faber and Faber)
The Last Wild by Piers Torday (Quercus)

Best Book for Teens:
The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale (Faber and Faber)
Butter by Erin Lange (Faber and Faber)
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch (Orion)
Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter (Hot Key Books)
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (Penguin)
Geek Girl by Holly Smale (HarperCollins Children's Books)

To kick off: I'd give my ten year old self Wonder by RJ Palacio - as well as it being a wonderful, moving and uplifting story, I'd hope I would pick up on the lesson it manages to teach without begin too preachy about being non-judgemental and kind to others.

This competition has now closed.

Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer. I loved that book. It fascinated me to think of becoming someone else in another time - v appropriate now with the centenary of the First World War. At primary school I remember our teacher asking us which book she should read to us next and me arguing for this one, I didn't get it - about time I persuaded another (hypothetical) ten year old how fabulous and atmospheric it is!

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge was my favourite when I was ten. It is utterly magical.

I was quite a serious child and liked to read historical novels. I didn't enjoy fantasy at all. However, if I has been given a copy of a Harry Potter Book it could have changed my whole outlook on life!

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. Saw the stage production at the weekend and simply stunning. Remembers those who died in the First World War on both sides from the perspective of a horse. Excellent book.

'My Best Fiend' by Sheila Lavelle.

This was one of the first books that made me laugh out loud and I would read them again and again (there were other books in the series as well). The reason the books resonated with me is that I think everyone has a 'frenemy' at school and I could relate to the main character, Charlie, as I was a tomboy as well. Tracked a few of the books down in the library recently (as they are out of print) and they are as good as I remember and haven't dated at all.

Great post and lots of books to revisit/add to reading list, thanks.

I can't decide probably all the above. Am absolutely revelling in this thread so many memories, so many books added to my kindle to re-readre-read, so happy :)

I would give my 10 year old self The Secret Garden because its full of secrets and opens up the imagination

I had already read a lot of these. What wonderful memories they evoke. I would give my 10 year old self "good omens" by pratchett and gaimen. It makes me laugh every time I read it. I love a good pun.

The book I would give my 10 year old self is "The Heart and The Bottle" by Oliver Jeffers. It would have helped prevent me making the same mistake as the girl in the book as she puts her heart in a bottle after losing a loved one. I spent too many years having locked my own heart away after losing my mum 12 years ago. I love that book so much - my children read it to me now and it makes me cry every time.

I'd give my ten year old self Anne of Green Gables because every girl needs adventure!

It would have to be the Harry Potter books, I didn't like reading much as a kid that was because the books at school were boring ... It I had the Garry potter book age ten I would of got into reading long before I did.

For me it would be "A Summer to Die" by Lois Lowry, an intensely moving book and the first one I read that didn't have a happy ending, or the entire Chalet School series- I was seriously addicted!

Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self, Joseph Galliano

Hi there,

Congratulations to LouSend who has won the full set of shortlisted books for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize (18 books in total). We will pm you with details on how to claim your prize. Thanks for everyone who posted their answers on the thread, its been lovely reading through them all

Thank you

The White Riders by Monica Edwards. It was on our bookshelf from dm, and I only picked it up after GCSEs looking for something different. Loved it-and it set me off on my love of book collecting.

I'd give myself "Attack of the Giant Robot Chickens" by Alex McCall. I'd tell myself that I was going to enjoy being an adult far more than I enjoyed being a child, and that when I grew up I would have children I loved more than I could possibly imagine. And one of my children would write a book for 8 to 12 year olds about giant robot chickens and I'd be such a proud mum.

By the time I was 10 I was reading Sherlock Holmes and got Dracula and Frankenstein for Christmas which I don't think is all that normal! I would have given myself 'I Capture The Castle' by Dodie Smith which I read last year and is lovely.

Midnight is a place by Joan Aitken.

I still think about it quite often & I'm 42.

My favourite book as a 10 year old was The Silver Sword and I loved reading it to my DC when they reached that age. If it had been around when I was 10, I'd have loved Holes by Louis Sachar or The ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman.

writersmum what a lovely reason. That made me a little teary and proud for you.

We got given a copy of Ravens gate in a box of awesome. I read it myself, and think my son will enjoy itin a couple of years. He also likes famous five and anything to do with the human body!

I select The Black Hand Gang by David Edwards as my kids have just read it. I got it free on amazon as an ebook and put it on their ipads but didn't realise the author web site has a free electronic game. Leo and Zoe played the game and avoided the book but after a few days the swap card info encouraged them to read the book. A brilliant idea.

My great love is Little Women. Loved each character and talked about what happened to them as if I knew them. A book to be read at any age. Of course I am also including Good Wives. They cannot be separated. I laughed and wept every time I reread them.

any diana wynne jones book but probably 'charmed life' or 'cart and cwidder." On my 9th birthday my godmother took me to the high hill bookshop on hampstead high street and told me I could buy 9 books because I was nine. Those were 2 of the ones I chose. I'd always want to recreate that experience for myself and am already looking forward to doing it with my daughter.