The novel, which was published for both children and adults, is about a 15-year-old with a form of autism who turns detective to solve a murder.

Judges said they were really impressed with the book because author Mark Haddon "used disability to throw light upon the world."

As the overall Whitbread winner he picked up a cheque for £25,000.

Big success

Earlier on this month the book won the Whitbread award for "best novel".

Mark Haddon, who has already written 18 children's books, said the huge success of his book had been a total surprise to him.