Whitbread contenders unveiled!

It may be a novel, biography, children's book or even a poetry collection - but one of these 22 titles will take the Whitbread prize for book of the year.

While the Booker is awarded for best novel from a Commonwealth country and the Orange Prize for the best by a female author, the Whitbread aims to name the year's most enjoyable books.

This year's shortlist, with titles in five categories, includes Alan Hollinghurst's Booker winner The Line Of Beauty, and Orange winner Andrea Levy's Small Island.

Vying with them for the £5,000 best novel prize - and the chance to go on and win book of the year - is Louis de Bernières for Birds Without Wings.

Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, described as "Harry Potter for grown-ups", leads the running for best first novel.

John Sutherland's life of Stephen Spender and John Guy's Mary Queen Of Scots are in the running in the biography section, while the poetry category has two debut collections, These Days by Leontia Flynn and Ground Water by Matthew Hollis.

The children's book category features an all-female line-up, including Meg Rosoff 's acclaimed How I Live Now.

The winner of each category and the Whitbread Book Of The Year winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 25 January.