We are so grateful to our judges this year.

In January 2009 they will meet to decide on the two Russian winners, and in March they will meet to decide on the ten Scottish winners.

Stewart Conn is an award-winning poet and playwright, and has edited a vast number of poetry anthologies for people of all ages. He has an international reputation and has given readings of his work throughout the world. He is also a great champion of poetry and poets, and was the first Edinburgh Makar. His own anthologies include Stolen Light, The Loving Cup and Ghosts at Cockcrow.

Rosemary Goring is the Literary Editor of The Herald. She describes herself as 'being a compulsive reader as a child, and becoming an anti-social book addict as an adult'.
She started her career as an in-house editor for Chambers, responsible for many reference books, among them The Larousse Dictionary of Writers and Literary Characters. She also compiled and edited Scotland: The Autobiography.

Nicola Morgan is the author of over 70 books. An expert in literacy and helping children to become confident readers, her writing career was originally based around early learning. But with Mondays are Red, Nicola launched her hugely successful career as a writer for teenagers. In addition to further award-winning novels including Fleshmarket and The Highwayman's Footsteps, Nicola has had huge success with Blame my Brain and Know My Brain and visits schools through the UK and overseas. www.nicolamorgan.co.uk