Blood of the Lamb: The Crossing by Mandy Hager

Target age 13+

This is the first book in a stunning new trilogy that follows the fate of Maryam and her unlikely companions – Joseph, Ruth and Lazarus.

Set on a small island in the Pacific, where the elite control the population from a rotting cruise ship, this fast, suspenseful drama is underpinned by a powerful and moving story about love and loss.

Mandy Hager is a Wellington writer and educator. She won the LIANZA Esther Glen Award for Fiction in 2008 for her novel Smashed. Mandy is married with two adult children.

Reserve me!

This award allows our toughest critics - New Zealand's young readers - to have their say in the New Zealand Post Book Awards. School-aged children and teenagers from all over New Zealand can vote for their favourite book from among the 20 finalists selected by the judges.

The award winner is announced by young readers at the awards ceremony and the author and/or illustrator of this coveted award wins $1,000.

Each year this award produces an enormous response - proof of its enduring popularity. Book lovers can vote only once, in any form. Every voting card or online vote that is received puts the voter's nominated school in the draw to win $1,000 of Booksellers Tokens.

Voting for 2010 closes at 5pm 30 April 2010.