Along with children from all over the Highlands, the youngsters have all been busy reading, reviewing and voting for their top titles for Highland Council's Children's Book Awards.

And at a ceremony held in the Strathpeffer Pavilion last week, the award winners were announced.

Sharing the top prize for the picture book category was Ed Vere, for The Getaway, and Niamh Sharkey for her book I'm a Happy Hugglewug.

Winner of the eight-plus category was Richard Hamilton, with Ghostboy and the Moonbalm Treasure, and the 12-plus award went to Tim Bowler for Frozen Fire.

The awards are organised by the council's library service with support from wind farm operators Falck Renewables and ANTA Pottery at Fearn, in Easter Ross.

As well as a number of the short-listed authors, attending the event were pupils from the 45 primary and secondary schools across the Highlands that had taken part.

Principal school librarian Stephanie Hoyle said: "We launched these awards at a special young readers' event in January and after a ballot in March a short-list of entries was drawn up. Pupils taking part were able to share their comments about the short-listed books on the book awards' website which we set up and they had the chance to vote again in a final ballot, the results of which were kept secret until the awards presentation.

Pupils from Lochcarron Primary School and Fortrose, Alness and Invergordon academies are pictured at the Book Awards with the winning authors (from left) Richard Hamilton, Tim Bowler and Ed Vere, and Erin Murchie from Falck Renewables.

"I would like to thank all the pupils for their help in selecting this year's winners and congratulate all the short-listed authors, especially those who were able to join us at the ceremony. All the books on the short-list were donated by the publishers so I would also like to thank them for their support.

"There is a wide and wonderful selection of books available nowadays for young people to read, covering an enormous range of interests.

"A love of reading nurtured at a young age can last a lifetime. These awards have encouraged pupils to read and review a large selection of books that they might not otherwise have looked at and I am sure it has widened their tastes on the types of books they enjoy."

The chairman of the council's education, culture and leisure committee, Councillor Roddy Balfour, said: "It is encouraging to see so many young people showing a real interest in reading a wide selection of books, and it is an added bonus for them to come along to the award ceremony to meet and speak to their favourite authors. I hope they continue enjoying books throughout their lives."

Earlier in the day, the short-listed authors attended special workshops for pupils and answered questions about becoming writers.

The awards were presented by Golspie High School S4 pupil Dale Pryde-MacDonald, and afterwards the authors signed copies of their books.

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