Children's writer Jacqueline Wilson has retained her crown as the most borrowed author in UK libraries for the third year running, Public Lending Right (PLR) announced today. Ms Wilson toppled popular romantic fiction writer Catherine Cookson from the top of the lending charts in 2003 after a 17 year reign by the romantic novelist.

PLR figures released today show that Ms Wilson, the current Children's Laureate, was the only UK writer to notch up over 2 million loans, during 2004-5, ahead of adult fiction writers Josephine Cox, Danielle Steel and James Patterson.

"This year's charts show that the children's and young people's library service is as vibrant as ever," says PLR Registrar, Jim Parker. "It is fitting that, at the time Jacqueline Wilson holds the post of Children's Laureate and continues to do so much for reading, libraries and young people, our figures demonstrate her enduring popularity as a writer."

Jacqueline Wilson commented: "I am thrilled by the news from PLR: it's great that so many children are obviously spending time in libraries. It's a tribute to the hard work of many people, and to the success of initiatives such as the Bookstart scheme which have done such a great job in encouraging children into libraries from an early age. I know that libraries are also wholeheartedly behind the Reading Aloud campaign which I am making the centrepiece of my tenure as Children's Laureate."