My favourite contemporary children\'s author is Philip Reeve - Charlie Higson An epic, thrilling, action-packed city-eat-city adventure starring brave fighter Tamzin Pook, who must travel from the spectator sport combat arena in Margate to the Thunder City, where a chilling, ruthless villain has seized power. She will face Revenants - animal/machine hybrids with ferocious appetites - dangerous mercenaries and must learn to trust a group of oddballs whose eccentricities mask their huge hearts and steadfast courage. The Mortal Engines series has sold over half a million copies in the UK alone via Nielsen Bookscan. Its epic appeal crosses all age ranges Reeve\'s novels have won the Guardian Children\'s Award, Blue Peter Award, Smarties Gold Prize and the Carnegie Medal. Mortal Engines is now a feature film produced by Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson