Blackhope Enigma

Teresa Flavin's first novel, THE BLACKHOPE ENIGMA, was shortlisted for the 2011 Scottish Children's Book Award, the 2011 Leeds Book Award and the 2011 Waverton Good Reads Award, and longlisted for the 2011 Branford Boase Prize. When she is not writing or illustrating, Teresa leads school art workshops, makes paintings and handmade books, travels to far-flung places with her geographer husband, hikes in the Scottish hills and walks every labyrinth she can find. Follow Teresa at www.teresaflavin.com or on Twitter: @TeresaFlavin.

Three children become trapped in a magical painting in an impressive debut that's part of Templar's expanding fiction list. It's a more literary read, and I'd put it at the top end of nine to 12, like Paul Dowsell.