Awards announced for the funniest books for children

The winners of the Laugh Out Loud Awards ('The Lollies') have been announced - with Tom Gates, a chocolate bunny and a bonkers diary of a pig among the books that made children laugh out loud!

The Lollies, run by publisher Scholastic, recognise and celebrate funny books. They are awarded in three categories: Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book, Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6-8s and Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9-13s. In Scholastic's Kids and Family Reading Report: UK Edition, nearly two thirds of children aged 6-17 said that they chose 'books that make me laugh' to read for pleasure. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at Park Primary School in London today, hosted by Katie Thistleton, which was live streamed so schools across the UK and Ireland could join in. Michael Rosen, poet Paul Cookson, and the Lollies Live performance group all took part. The winners are: Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book Mr Bunny's Chocolate Factory by Elys Dolan (OUP) Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6-8 year olds The Big, Fat, Totally Bonkers Diary of Pig by Emer Stamp (Scholastic) Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9-13 year olds Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (Kind Of) by Liz Pichon (Scholastic) The winners were chosen from a shortlist drawn up by the judges who included head judge Michael Rosen; Katie Thistleton, presenter and host of the CBBC Children's Book Club, primary school teachers and bloggers Jo Cummins and Jonny Walker, as well Kate Newport, product director for Scholastic Book Clubs and Book Fairs. Teachers and their classes, parents and children read and discussed the books over the next six months and cast their vote for their favourites in each category to find the winning titles. Head Lollies judge Michael Rosen said, "It's fantastic to see the huge engagement from schools and children for the Lollies. The books that children have chosen are all worthy winners but even more importantly, it's provided a focus for children to read for pleasure and discover the joy that funny books can bring." Here's the full shortlist: Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book: Mr Bunny's Chocolate Factory by Elys Dolan (OUP) The Squirrels Who Squabbled by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Hachette) Oi Cat! by Kes Gray and Jim Field (Hachette) I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt (PRH) Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6-8 year olds: Barry Loser and the Birthday Billions by Jim Smith (Egmont) The Big, Fat, Totally Bonkers Diary of Pig by Emer Stamp (Scholastic) There's a Werewolf in My Tent! by Pamela Butchart and Thomas Flintham (Nosy Crow) Lyttle Lies: The Pudding Problem by Joe Berger (Simon and Schuster) Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9-13 year olds: Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (Kind Of) by Liz Pichon (Scholastic) My Mum's Growing Down by Laura Dockrill and David Tazzyman (Faber) Uncle Shawn and Bill and the Almost Entirely Unplanned Adventure by A. L. Kennedy and Gemma Correll (Walker) Football School Season 2: Where Football Saves the World by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton and Spike Gerrell (Walker)