Julie Burchill's controversial book about schoolgirls discovering lesbian love has been shortlisted for a teen fiction prize.

The Hove writer's novel, Sugar Rush, which has been adapted into a current Channel 4 drama series, is one of seven books vying for the Booktrust Teenage Prize.

How I Live Now by American writer Meg Rosoff, a debut novel which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, is also on the list.

The award, now in its third year, was set up to celebrate contemporary fiction for teenagers.

The other shortlisted books are Siberia by Ann Halam, Come Clean by Terri Paddock, The Whisper by Bali Rai, Century by Sarah Singleton and The Unrivalled Spangles by Karen Wallace.

Many of the shortlisted books feature strong subject matter.

Rai's book explores Punjabi gang culture in his home city of Leicester.

Paddock's novel is based on her sister's harrowing experience in a boot camp-style rehab centre in the US.

In 2003 the prize went to Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and last year the winner was Anne Cassidy for her book Looking for JJ.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London in November.