Children's writer Jacqueline Wilson has retained her position as the nation's most borrowed author for the second year running.

Her books were borrowed over 2 million times from public libraries, according to new figures for 2003-2004 by Public Lending Right.

Last year, Jacqueline Wilson put an end to Dame Catherine Cookson's 17-year reign at the top of the PLR charts. Cookson is now the fifth most borrowed author overall.

Holding firm from last year in second and third places are Danielle Steel and Josephine Cox, while children's writer Mick Inkpen moves up from fifth to fourth place overall.

Within the top 20 there were big rises for authors James Patterson (from 13th to 6th) and Ian Rankin (from 16th to 9th).

JK Rowling takes first place for the most borrowed book - 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'. She has also moved up from 42nd to 29th place in the most borrowed authors list.

John Grisham is once again the author of the most borrowed adult fiction title ("The King of Torts"); and Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" is the most borrowed non-fiction title.