Julia Golding's debut novel, THE DIAMOND OF DRURY LANE, published by Egmont, has won the Nestle Children's Book Award in the 9-11 category.

One of the UK's biggest and longest-running awards of its type, the Nestle Children's Book Prize (formerly known as the Smarties Book Prize) celebrates the very best in children's literature and involves over 55,000 children in choosing the nation's favourite children's books.

In January 2006 THE DIAMOND OF DRURY LANE was awarded the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize. It was also nominated for the Costa (formerly Whitbread) Children's Award.

THE DIAMOND OF DRURY LANE is the first in a series of novels featuring feisty heroine Cat, a ward of the Drury Lane theatre in Georgian London. CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS was published in August 2006, and DEN OF THIEVES will follow in February 2007.