Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book is the winner of the prestigious 2010 Carnegie Medal, awarded to “the most outstanding book for children” published in the UK. The Graveyard Book also won the 2009 Newbery Medal, given by the American Library Association, and is the first book ever to win both prizes.

Shortlisted books included Terry Pratchett’s Nation, Philip Reeve’s Fever Crumb and Patrick Ness’s The Ask and the Answer. The award, administered by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, is judged by a panel of children’s librarians.

“It’s particularly fantastic for me because it was the first literary prize I was ever aware of as a kid,” says Gaiman, who will receive a golden medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his choice.