Letter: A children's winner

Sir: As chair of the group that selected Stone Cold as winner of the Carnegie Medal, I am surprised that Christina Hardyment's daughters were 'genuinely surprised that it has won' (16 July). The panel was not 'chronically over-anxious' to select a book not obviously aimed at a middle- class, scout-attending, living with both parents audience: it was the quality of the writing which carried them through. After all, the award is given for an outstanding book for children.

Yours sincerely,

KEITH BARKER

Youth Libraries Group

Birmingham

18 July