Sally Gardner follows the likes of JK Rowling in winning the award

Sally Gardner won the Nestl� Children's Book Prize age nine to 11 category for I, Coriander, a fantasy tale of murder and magic set in 17th century London.

Gardner's dyslexia was undiagnosed for most of her childhood and she was once told she was uneducable.

Around 55,000 schoolchildren voted in the annual awards, organised by the charity Booktrust.

Gardner, who has previously written and illustrated several books, beat The Scarecrow and his Servant by Philip Pullman, author of the acclaimed His Dark Materials books, into second place.

Oliver Jeffers' Lost and Found won the under five age group while The Whisperer by Nick Butterworth was top of the six to eight years category.

Julia Eccleshare, who chaired the adult judging panel said children's literature was in "better shape than ever".