Messy, Wonderful Us

Catherine Isaac 

LEAVE the winter cold behind and head off to the ethereal beauty of Lake Garda… but get ready for so much more than sunshine on this unforgettable Italian odyssey.

After a string of witty and wonderful rom-coms under her pseudonym Jane Costello, former journalist and editor of the Liverpool Daily Post, Catherine Isaac, has moved her writing into top gear and driven her ‘new kind of novel’ straight into the bestsellers list.

Messy, Wonderful Us, a stunning tale of family secrets, tangled relationships, love, friendship and self-discovery, is her follow-on to You Me Everything, now optioned for film, and it certainly fulfils all the promise and exceeding talent of that initial change of writing direction. 

When she set out on this intriguing path, Isaac declared that her new genre would be ‘exploring some difficult themes but with compassion and humour,’ and this uplifting, emotional rollercoaster ride through some dark corners and sunlit uplands is one of the most affecting reads of 2019.

Research scientist Allie Culpepper, 33, from Liverpool has always lived a careful, focused existence, dedicating her career to finding a cure for the genetic disease, cystic fibrosis, while putting her love life on hold and her ticking biological clock ‘on snooze.’

UNFORGETTABLE ODYSSEY: Catherine Isaac

Her beloved father, Joe, has always been the rock in her life since her mother died from cancer when Allie was only six. But when she is rummaging through some drawers at her grandmother’s home, she finds a letter dating back to 1983 which turns upside down everything she had believed about her family. 

It’s a discovery that sends her to the town of Sirmione on the shores of Lake Garda with her best friend since schooldays, Ed Holt, a high-flying businessman, travelling alongside her. Ed has just shocked everyone with a sudden separation from his wife, Julia, and Allie hopes that a break will help him open up.

Her dad doesn’t know the reason for her trip, and Allie can’t bring herself to tell him that she is flying to Italy to unpick the truth about what her mother did all those years ago. But the secrets that emerge as the sun beats down on Lake Garda, and then on the Mediterranean coastline of Liguria, don’t merely concern her family’s tangled past. And the two friends are forced to confront questions about their own lifelong relationship that seem impossible to resolve.

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST review

Packed with the acute psychological insight, natural warmth, wry comedy and exquisitely drawn characters that we have come to expect from Isaac, this is a story that tackles the realities of life and some of the hardest-hitting topics with unflinching honesty, but without losing its sense of eternal optimism. Rich and compelling storylines encompassing three generations of women, and their complex, ‘messy,’ relationships, play out against the lush backdrop of Italy in a series of twists and turns, and sometimes jaw-dropping revelations.

These are real, flawed people with painful secrets, facing conflicting emotions and life-changing events. Their individual stories are written with compassion and insight, and discovering how their journeys end is just one of the many rewards of this beautiful, thought-provoking novel. 

(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £20)

A Midwinter Promise

Lulu Taylor 

A GRAND old Cornish house, a fractured family, and dark secrets from the past… Lulu Taylor, queen of a string of classic winter-warming novels like The Snow Rose, The Winter Secret and Her Frozen Heart, dishes up all those favourite reading ingredients for a gripping and emotion-packed, cross-generational saga that was just made for the long, cold nights.

Filled with this perceptive writer’s acute observation of fragile family relationships, beautifully drawn characters, and love-soaked drama, A Midwinter Promise explores the corrosive and lingering legacy of loss, grief, despair, and long-buried truths.

A lonely and imaginative child, Julia Teague loves Tawray, her family’s beautiful and wild Cornish home, with all her heart. But, scarred by her mother’s doomed struggle to bear more children, she enters her adult years determined to leave her home and seek a new beginning in London.

It’s there in the 1970s that she meets the handsome David Pengelly who is in royal service as aide to the most glamorous couple in the land. Julia and David fall madly in love, but when Julia becomes pregnant, even he can’t stop the terrible echoes of the past that are still ringing in her ears. The only sound to be heard above the noise and confusion is the old house in Cornwall, calling her home.

EMOTION-PACKED NOVEL:
Lulu Taylor

Decades later, Julia’s adult children, Alex and Johnnie, have still not unearthed the history of their family hidden behind the walls of Tawray. For daughter Alex, now the mother of two young girls, the house is full of memories of her late mother and she is still tied to it by ‘invisible ropes of love and longing.’

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST review

But Johnnie is bitter; angry that the house that should have been rightfully theirs after Julia died has instead been stolen from them. Their stepmother Sally, who always put her own son before Alex and Johnnie, wanted it gone, and their father agreed to the recent sale.

And now their father is dying from a devastating stroke in a hospital bed, and time is running out for Alex and Johnnie to uncover the secrets of what happened to their mother all those years ago. Can they discover the truth before the house closes its doors to them forever? Taylor’s absorbing – and often heartbreaking – novel weaves seamlessly between the lives of the two Pengelly generations as the truth of a marriage marred by terrible trauma, and shocking secrets involving infidelity, death and divorce, are slowly revealed.

At the centre of the story is the eternal draw of Tawray, nestling in its wild and wonderful Cornish landscape… a house that holds bittersweet memories for the children who grew up there, and a place that also bore witness to adult suffering and joy. Turbo-powered by emotion, angst and drama, and with twists in its tail, this is a story that resonates long after the last page has turned.

(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

The Crofter’s Daughter

Eileen Ramsay

RAISED on a farm in rural Scotland, Mairi McGloughlin has loved the land almost since the day she was born. Her dream would be to inherit her father’s tenanted croft, but the laws of the land and ages-old tradition says it’s her scholarly brother who will one day be in charge of Windydyke Farm overlooking the Firth of Tay.

Eileen Ramsay, who grew up in Dumfriesshire, and whose 2004 novel, Someday, Somewhere, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year award, sweeps us away to the hardships and uncertainty of the First World War in a moving saga of love, conflict and new beginnings.

Previously published as Harvest of Courage, this is a beautiful story of wartime set amidst the breathtaking landscape of eastern Scotland and stars a remarkable young woman who must keep the farm running and the home fires burning while her menfolk join the war raging across Europe.

MOVING SAGA: Eileen Ramsay

Ever since she was nine years old, Mairi McGloughlin has known she wants to be a farmer but she is also very aware that her brother Ian, who would far rather be reading a book and scribbling in his secret notebook than working on the land, will inherit the tenancy from their widowed father Colin.

As a girl, her destiny is to keep house for her father until Ian marries and then, unless she finds a husband for herself, to share chores with her sister-in-law.

Her father hopes she will marry handsome and charming Jack Black, son of the farmer with the biggest croft in the district, and it’s a marriage in which Mairi can see the sense, but she has always dreamed of marrying for love.

And then there is Robin Morrison, the schoolteacher’s son and her brother’s best friend. Robin, who is also a born scholar, has been a thorn in her side since they were children… and yet there’s something about him that Mairi cannot help but like.

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST review

But with the outbreak of the Great War, their choices change completely and neither Mairi, Ian nor Robin can hope to escape unscathed. As the young men are caught up in the struggle, Mairi remains on the farm, watching the circle of the seasons, and coming to grips with a changing world where now only the land and love are constant. But will it be enough to see them through?

Ramsay’s love of this stunning corner of Scotland shines through in an emotional story that explores a small farming community caught up in the rigours of war, and the difficult choices that must inevitably be made when men are called away to the battle front. Mairi proves to be an inspirational young woman, born into an age when women had little expectation of moving beyond their domestic role, but discovering that sometimes a changing world can reap an unexpected harvest.

Full of Ramsay’s natural warmth, superbly drawn characters, and wonderful storytelling, this is the ideal curl-up-and-relax book for long winter nights.

(Zaffre, paperback, £6.99)

Curl up with some cosy winter-warmers

From romance in a small Cotswold village, and drama on the wartime home front, to a lonely cat needing a loving home, and romance for a glitzy pop star, there are some gorgeous books to escape into this December

Snowed in at the Practice

Penny Parkes 

IT'S Christmas time in the pretty Cotswold village of Larkford and the residents are ready for a festive fling as the snow falls, secrets are revealed and romance blossoms under the mistletoe!

Curl up with the sparkling new seasonal novel from Penny Parkes, whose debut novel, Out of Practice, won the RNA Romantic Comedy Award in 2017, and was just the opener to a big-hearted and much-loved series.

Snowed in at the Practice is the fourth and final visit to the
nurses, doctors and patients of Larkford Surgery in the heart of a tight-knit community in the Cotswolds, a place where drama, rivalries, resentment and romance (and that’s just the doctors!) is never far away.

LAUGHTER AND TEARS: Penny Parkes

Dr Holly Graham is finding life with two sets of twins exhausting. Even with husband Dr Taffy Jones and devoted friend Elsie by her side, she is completely outnumbered. Making the transition back to work will be no easy feat but a regular slot on Radio Larkford as their on-air doctor might be the perfect stepping stone, until an unexpected job offer changes everything.

Dr Alice Walker’s new canine clinic at Larkford Surgery with Coco, her assistance dog, has been a storming success. If only shipping over her best friend, Dr Tilly Grainger, from South America to cover for Holly, had been such a smooth transition.

It seems that Tilly isn’t finding life in the peaceful Cotswolds valley as rewarding as she’d hoped, and the result is chaos!

Parkes, who draws on her past experience organising shoots for film, TV and advertising, serves up laughter and tears in equal measure, with all the action set against the beguiling backdrop of a charming village and its truly captivating residents.

So throw a log on the fire, sit back, and indulge your heart, your mind and your senses in this final visit to the warm, witty, wise and wonderful world of Larkford.

(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST reviews

The Nine Lives of Christmas

Florence McNicoll

COSY UP this Christmas with a festive feline story that will have cat and romance fans purring with joy!

The Nine Lives of Christmas is the first book in a heartwarming new fiction series in partnership with London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, written by Florence McNicoll, pen name for writer and editor, Sophie Wilson, who worked at Transworld Publishers for five years, and is a passionate cat lover and supporter of Battersea.

It’s Christmas at the dogs and cats home and rehoming team member Laura Summers is desperate to find a home for Felicia – a spiky, bad-tempered moggy with a heart of gold, and Battersea’s loneliest cat – in time for Christmas.

Her boyfriend, Rob, can’t understand why she’s spending so much time at work, but for Laura, the animals aren’t just a job, they’re her life. She needs a partner who understands that… doesn’t she? As the December snow falls, Laura encounters nine people, all of whom need a little love in their lives and find it in new pets. Everyone needs somebody to curl up with at Christmas, and when the handsome Aaron walks in, he takes not just Felicia, but Laura’s heart too...

Prepare to have your heartstrings well and truly tugged in this warm, funny and perceptive tale about loneliness, self-discovery, love… and the importance of furry friends.

(Trapeze, paperback, £7.99)

An Orphan’s Winter

Sheila Jeffries

ENJOY being swept away to stunning Cornwall and its fascinating history and people in the second book of Sheila Jeffries’ beautiful family saga series about a young girl rescued from a shipwreck in Cornwall.

These nostalgic and heartwarming stories, which began with A Cornish Orphan, are set in a fishing community near St Ives in the 1920s and 1930s, and are brimming with drama, emotion and West Country author Jeffries’ trademark spirituality.

In this new chapter in the life of survivor Lottie, it’s now almost a decade since she was rescued from a shipwreck by a local Cornish family, and the sixteen-year-old girl is settled in St Ives and ready to spend Christmas with her adoptive parents, Jenny and Arnie Lanroska.

But after a trip to America to meet her birth mother ends badly, Lottie fears her new life might be falling apart and she wishes she had never left England in the first place.

FAMILY SAGA: Sheila Jeffries

Arriving back in Cornwall, Lottie struggles to adjust to life with her temperamental mother around, and her arrival is certainly shaking up their quiet community. But Lottie is facing a more difficult problem… she’s hiding the secret of her first, forbidden love. And soon she is forced to make a choice between her duty to her family and to her heart.

As new challenges arrive for Lottie and the community in St Ives, will she and her family be able to overcome their troubles and find their way back to each other in time for Christmas? Once again, the timeless, rugged beauty of Cornwall forms the stunning backdrop to a moving story which is imbued with Jeffries’ natural warmth and insight. A born storyteller, she brings a unique tenderness and compassion to her novels, allowing both the natural world and spirituality to play powerful roles in the bittersweet fates and fortunes of her characters. Nostalgic, full of intriguing characters and history, and perfect for winter-time reading...

(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Abbey Clancy

GET ready for a glitzy, glamorous and gorgeous Christmas romance as Liverpool-born model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy sprinkles festive magic on the tale of a lovesick pop star.

Clancy, who is married to Premier League footballer Peter Crouch and has three young children, delivers a heartwarming, feel-good rom-com, full of drama and laugh-out-loud yuletide cheer, and starring a cast of sparkling characters.

FESTIVE MAGIC: Abbey Clancy 

Pop star Jessika Malone can’t believe her luck! Not only has she signed a major record deal and is
topping the charts with her latest single, she has also just been offered the chance of a lifetime… a tour with gorgeous megastar Cooper Black.

It’s everything she has ever dreamed of… except that it means travelling thousands of miles from her record producer boyfriend, Daniel, just when he has finally got down on one knee and popped the question.

Far from home and followed by the paparazzi, her relationship is tested more than Jessika ever imagined. Will she make it home for Christmas before it’s too late? A festive feast of fun and romance…

(Mills & Boon, paperback, £7.99)

25 Days in December

Poppy Alexander

REAL-LIFE and romance are in perfect unison in this tender and thoughtful Christmas cracker from Poppy Alexander.

25 Days in December offers so much more than a countdown to the big day as this observant author brings us the tale of a young mother still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her soldier husband several years after his death.

EMOTION AND INSIGHT:
Poppy Alexander

Kate Potter – mother to six-year-old Jack – used to know what happiness felt like. A few years ago, she was full of energy, excited by every possibility. But that was back when everything was different, before Kate’s husband went away with the army and didn’t come home. Now, she can’t even remember what it felt like to be in love.

Then Kate meets Daniel. Recognising her loneliness reflected in his eyes, Kate vows to try and help bring him out of his shell. But as Kate plans to bring life back to Daniel, she might have stumbled on the secret to happiness... can one chance meeting change two lives?

Alexander breaks our hearts and then mends them again in this beautiful Christmas story, which is packed with emotion and insight, and stars a carefully created cast of characters that readers cannot help but adore. 25 Days in December is a magical tale of discovering your inner strength, learning to love again, and finding happiness and resolution in the most unexpected places… the perfect Christmas gift.

(Orion, paperback, £8.99)

A Woman’s War

S. Block

WHEN ITV’s hugely successful drama, Home Fires, was cancelled after two series in 2016, 54,000 people signed a  petition calling for its return. While the series remains firmly off air, its creator Simon Block is continuing the story of Great Paxford’s
Women’s Institute with three novels, picking up precisely from that jaw-dropping series two finale when a plane crashed.

 ON THE HOME FRONT:
Simon Block

A Woman’s War is the second in the series and follows on from Keep the Home Fires Burning, which sold 65,000 copies, and once again returns to Great Paxford in Britain's darkest hour as an extraordinary community of women strives to protect the Home Front. In the depths of war, the women need all their strength.

As enemy planes continue to bombard the north-west of England, members of the WI are fighting harder than ever to persevere through the danger and privations. Teresa Lucas has reshaped her life to become the perfect wife, but will the arrival of a new guest throw her world off kilter? Laura Campbell is grieving for her father, but in the midst of tragedy, a new future beckons.

Pat Simms plans to escape her difficult life at the end of the war, but when things change at home, she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew. And for Steph Farrow, it’s not the threat of what’s to come that she fears, but whether she can live with what she has done… Expect high emotion, plenty of drama, and a few surprises as Block keeps his readers guessing from first page to last…

(Zaffre, paperback, £7.99)

The Christmas Party

Karen Swan

YOU know that the festive season really is under way when a Karen Swan Christmas cracker appears enticingly on the bookshelves. And this year, the queen of romance sweeps us away to the beautiful, rugged coast of south-west Ireland where three sisters – daughters of the country’s last remaining knight – are coming to terms with not just his death… but his unexpected legacy.

Author of big festive hitters like The Christmas Secret, Christmas Under the Stars and The Christmas Lights, Swan is an expert at delivering sack-loads of love, mystery, and drama… and this enchanting tale of a crumbling castle, family secrets, and unexpected romance sparkles like a frost-filled morning.

When Declan Lorne, the last remaining knight in Ireland, dies suddenly, an ancient title, dating back over 700 years, also passes with him as he has left no son and heir. His estate, however, is left to his three wild, precociously talented and beautiful daughters. The two eldest girls – Ottie, who runs a campsite on part of the 800-acre estate, and Pip, who is in charge of the stabling business – inherit in line with expectations, but to everyone’s surprise, and dismay, it is ‘baby of the family,’ Willow, who gets the castle, despite the fact that she left home three years ago and has never been back.

ENCHANTING TALE: Karen Swan

Nobody can understand why Willow has been given responsibility for the castle, but something unknown – something terrible – made her turn her back on her family, escaping to Dublin and vowing never to return.

The castle, however, proves to be a ‘poisoned chalice’ with the fabric crumbling and the prospect of crippling death taxes to be paid. So when Willow quickly announces she is selling up, her revenge seems sweet and the once-close sisters are pushed to breaking point. In desperation, Pip risks everything to secure her own future, and Ottie makes a decision that will ruin lives. It’s now a case of each woman for herself.

Before moving in, Connor Shaye, the prospective new owner, plans to throw a lavish party at the castle, just days before Christmas, to mark his hello and the Lornes’ goodbye. But as their secrets begin to catch up with them, Ottie, Willow and Pip are forced to ask themselves which is harder… stepping into the future, or letting go of the past?

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST review

Swan is on top form in this magical, love-soaked and drama-packed visit to the magnificent but mouldering Lorne Castle where the three very different sisters must come to terms with the death of their beloved father, and the big changes that become the catalyst for revelations and new beginnings.

From first page to last, this is a captivating winter odyssey filled with tears, laughter, a dazzling array of beautifully portrayed characters, page-turning suspense, gorgeous romance, and some wonderfully unexpected twists and turns.

Sprinkled throughout with Swan’s insight, natural warmth and eye for comedy, this is the perfect reading warm-up for the Christmas season.

(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

Blood’s Campaign

Angus Donald 

AS William of Orange’s army battles the rebel Jacobite forces of deposed Catholic monarch James II in Ireland, one seasoned English soldier has more than war on his mind.

Welcome back to the third book of Angus Donald’s exhilarating adventure series set in the tumultuous years of the 17^th century when change, treachery, revolution and famous battles were fought, lost and won. These thrilling, all-action historical romps focus on an intriguing real-life character called Holcroft Blood who may well have been a distant cousin of the author, and whose father, Colonel Thomas Blood, gained notoriety as the man who tried to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.

Holcroft became a distinguished military engineer rising to the rank of Brigadier-General and commanding the Duke of Marlborough’s artillery at the Battle of Blenheim. But he was also known to have been shy and mathematically brilliant and, in a stroke of literary genius, Donald portrays him as a man with mild Asperger’s syndrome, allowing his lack of social awareness and tendency to take everything literally to add an edge of dark humour and entertaining unpredictability.

And now Holcroft is back in action… this time as an engineer officer with his beloved Royal Train of Artillery regiment in 1689 as the English Army is besieging Carrickfergus. Ranged against them are French troops, sent by the French King Louis XIV to boost the Jacobite forces.

DOING BATTLE: Angus Donald

A brilliant but unusually pedantic gunner, Holcroft is ready to unleash his cannons on the enemy but this is more than war for Captain Blood… a lust for personal vengeance burns brightly inside him. He plans to track down a French spy, whose codename is Narrey, and either bring him to justice, or ‘dispatch him speedily to Hell.’

That man is French intelligence agent Henri d’Erloncourt who has come across the seas to foment rebellion against William of Orange but whose true mission is not to ease the suffering of the Irish but to serve the interests of his master, King Louis.

Meanwhile, Michael ‘Galloping’ Hogan, a brigand, boozer and despoiler of Protestant farms, strives to defend his native land, and make a little profit on the side. But when he takes the French spy’s gold, he suspects deep in his freedom-loving heart that he has merely swapped one foreign overlord for another…

One year later, on the banks of the River Boyne, on a fateful, scorching hot day, two armies clash in bloody battle – Protestant against Catholic – in an epic struggle for mastery of Ireland. And, when the slaughter is over and the smoke finally clears, for these three men, nothing will ever be the same again.

Donald, author of the much-loved Outlaw Chronicles starring a gangster-style Robin Hood, is a master at weaving fact and fiction… his heart-thumping tales of derring-do are also evocations of fascinating real events with some of history’s most compelling characters mingling with colourful fictional figures.

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST review

Here we once again revisit the days of the Glorious Revolution as Holcroft is called into action in support of his new and victorious king, William of Orange. All the thrills, spills, dramas and deadly warfare are viewed through the prism of the remarkably perceptive and straightforward Holroyd who must stay alive on the battlefield and fight against a venomous hidden enemy.

There is gripping adventure and dark comedy here aplenty, but Donald also delights his readers with captivating history lessons and intriguing insights into both the giants of the time and the smaller men and women who played their parts in the tumultuous events of the 17^th century. Another rip-roaring adventure from a master of his craft…

(Zaffre, hardback, £20)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A sparkling selection just made for giving

From cute and cuddly picture books to special pop-ups and books packed with fun, entertainment and learning, there is a bonanza of super titles this Christmas

Age 2 plus:

Follow the Star: A pop-up Christmas journey

Andy Mansfield 

JOIN an enchanting pop-up journey, and follow the story of the Christmas star on Christmas Eve… a night when magical things happen across the world!

Little ones will be delighted as they discover a foil star on every spread and intricate paper engineering pop-ups in this lavish novelty book which is guaranteed to make the perfect present.

Discover the special star as it twinkles at the top of a huge pop-up Christmas tree, shines above Santa Claus to light his way, sparkles in the sky above a city of skyscrapers, and illuminates the three kings as they journey to Bethlehem. With its glittering stars, beautiful rhyming story, rich artwork, and Andy Mansfield’s ingenious pop-ups, this is an unforgettable journey for all the family to enjoy.

(Templar Publishing, hardback, £14.99)

Click here for LANCASHIRE POST reviews

Age 9 plus:

Tyrannosaurus Rex: A 

Pop-Up Guide to Anatomy

Dougal Dixon and Rachel Caldwell

EXPLORE Tyrannosaurus rex, layer-by-layer, in this eye-popping vintage-inspired, pop-up book which guides readers through a real-life dinosaur dissection.

Millions of years after dinosaurs became extinct, the complete body of a Tyrannosaurus rex has recently been uncovered, its remains mysteriously preserved. It’s the discovery of a lifetime! Now a team of palaeontologists are preparing to dissect the body… and you are lucky enough to be able to join them. Under the watchful eye of the scientists, youngsters can peel back the flaps, lift away layers of skin, and reveal the inner workings of this prehistoric beast. 

So grab your scalpel and prepare to get stuck in!

By combining incredible paper engineering with Victorian-inspired illustrations by artist Rachel Caldwell, and fascinating anatomical notes written by Dougal Dixon, an internationally recognised authority on dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex provides a compelling and in-depth exploration of how a dinosaur’s body worked. The perfect gift for budding palaeontologists, dinosaur fans… and all curious kids!

(Templar Publishing, hardback, £25)

Age 9 plus:

Colossus

Colin Hynson and Giulia Lombardo

DISCOVER amazing facts and figures about some of the world’s most remarkable feats of engineering in a brilliant, large-size illustrated book from author and illustrator duo, Colin Hynson and Giulia Lombardo.

Did you know that the rocks used to build Stonehenge came from hundreds of miles away, and yet nobody knows how they got to Wiltshire, and did you know that the tallest buildings in the world can survive earthquakes with barely a scratch?

Have you ever wondered how the Golden Gate Bridge was built, how workers with basic tools created enormous monuments in ancient times… and just how do you build a flying laboratory in space?

From enormous bridges and tunnels that run for hundreds of miles, and energy-creating dams, to towering skyscrapers and massive space stations, discover how some of Earth’s most colossal structures were made in beautifully illustrated detail. Big is truly amazing in this celebration of engineering wonders…

(Templar Publishing, hardback, £16.99)

Age 6 plus:

The Storm Dog

Holly Webb

ESCAPE into a magical wintertime adventure in a bewitching time-travel story from popular children’s author Holly Webb.

Tilly is going to spend Christmas with her grandma and great-gran deep in the countryside on the Welsh borders. She’s got a big school project about the Second World War to do and great-gran, who was evacuated herself during the war, will be able to help.

Travelling on the train alone for the first time, Tilly falls asleep and wakes up to discover she has travelled all the way back to the Second World War. She is being evacuated to Wales with her two younger brothers Eddie and Alfie.

Stern old Mr Thomas offers to give them a home on his remote farm, where he lives alone with his very special sheepdog Tarran. But as Christmas approaches, the farmhouse gets cut off by the snow. And when Tarran comes to Tilly for help one stormy night, she needs to be braver than ever before…

Webb’s heartwarming story is brimming with adventure, excitement and goodwill, and is the perfect gift for all animal-loving youngsters.

(Stripes, paperback, £5.99)

Age 2 plus:

The Christmas Unicorn

Anna Currey

WISHES come true at Christmas in a beautiful, heart-warming story, set in the days leading up to Christmas.

Little ones will be enchanted by Anna Currey’s gorgeously illustrated picture book tale featuring a young girl’s magical encounter with a unicorn.

Christmas is just days away and Milly and her Mum are staying at Grandpa’s house. Dad hasn’t been able to come with them but will join them just as soon as he can. Unfortunately, Milly is feeling a little forlorn, away from her friends and without her Dad.

And then something wonderful happens. Milly meets Florian, a unicorn. One snowy night, he patters into Grandpa’s house and transforms Milly’s Christmas, filling it with friendship, surprise and sparkle. And somehow, Florian makes all Milly’s wishes come true!

Currey’s beautifully written and exquisitely illustrated book is filled with the spirit of wonder and kindness that are the traditional hallmarks of the Christmas season as families come together to celebrate. A charming story for everyone who believes in the magic of Christmas!

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus:

Winter Tales

Illustrated by Alison Edgson

LET your little ones steep themselves in the magic of wintertime with this anthology of cosy, heart-warming animal stories. Perfect for snuggling up with on cold winters nights, these snow-filled stories are beautifully illustrated by Alison Edgson and are an ideal choice for bedtime reading.

Far away in a snowy land, a polar bear wishes to become a penguin, two playful snow leopards explore a frozen mountain and a girl goes on an adventure with a flying musk ox.

There is so much to love in this book of winter treasures which includes stories by much-loved authors, including Michael Broad, Julia Green, Holly Webb, Caroline Pitcher, Malachy Doyle, Karen Wallace, Penny Dolan and Elizabeth Baguley. Beautifully created for sharing…

(Stripes, paperback, £5.99)

Age 5 plus:

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez  

Andrea Beaty and David Roberts

CAN you ever be too young to stand up for what you believe in? Meet Sofia Valdez, the new, feisty female star of the brilliant Questioneers series from author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts, the top team that created the inspirational stories of Iggy Peck, Architect, Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Ada Twist, Scientist.

Little Sofia, a Mexican-American girl with big ideas, is determined to get things done in her community to make the world a better place for everyone. Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school… until one day Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer take her. Sofia (fondly known as Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous landfill site, Mount Trashmore.

Then she gets an idea that the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall, only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she is just a child. Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove just what one kid can do!

Beaty’s inclusive, rhyming story about a girl prepared to take on the powerful authorities is brought to life by Roberts’ bright and colourful illustrations, and will resonate with any youngster who also wants to play their part in saving the planet.

(Abrams Books for Young Readers, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus:

Seasons: Four-Book Boxset

Sam Usher

ENJOY author and illustrator Sam Usher’s acclaimed and much-loved seasonal picture books about a little boy and his grandad in a gorgeous boxed set which is just perfect as a special Christmas gift.

This beautifully packaged mini hardback set contains Snow, Sun, Storm and Rain, with each book in this warm, original and inspirational series for pre-schoolers delivering wise and whimsical adventures celebrating the power of the imagination and the special bond between the older and younger generations.

Usher’s quirky and charmingly atmospheric stories are complemented by a palette of gorgeous watercolour illustrations which add extra character and texture to funny, enchanting and life-affirming adventures. A joy to read and a joy to behold…

(Templar Publishing, hardbacks, £25)

Age 3 plus:

The Most Wonderful Gift in the World

Mark Sperring and Lucy Fleming

TALENTED team, author Mark Sperring and illustrator Lucy Fleming, put friendship at the heart of a warm and endearing Christmas picture book.

On Christmas morning, Esme and Bear wake up to find a beautifully wrapped gift under the tree that isn’t for either of them. So the two of them set out to find Little Bunny Boo-Boo, the present’s rightful owner. 

They travel on the Treacherous Path through the snow, encounter the Howling Gale, and push their way through deep, deep snowdrifts to Little Bunny Boo-Boo’s house. Little do they know that the gift they are bringing is the greatest gift in the world… friendship.

With its enchanting story, glorious illustrations, and reassuring messages, this delightful Christmas tale is the perfect fit for the season of affection, shared hope and giving.  

(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus:

Just Like You!

Jane Chapman

TRAVEL through a glittering icy landscape with a little woolly mammoth in a stunning picture book from author and illustrator Jane Chapman.

Piccolo the little mammoth dreams of being big and strong… just like Pops, her hero. When the two set out on a special adventure across the icy plains, Piccolo wonders what they will discover. Could she grow up to be more like Pops than she knows?

Filled with the warmth of a father and daughter relationship, Just Like You! really does tug on the heartstrings while the melt-your-heart illustrations and a soothing, winter-themed gallery of enchanting illustrations add a visually spectacular layer to the story. A heart-warming and uplifting celebration of the journey of life and parental love… perfect for your little ones who long to grow up!

(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

The Snowiest Christmas Ever!

Jane Chapman

JOIN a family of bears as they discover that getting snowed in is the best fun ever! Author and illustrator Jane Chapman is on top form in a clever, cute and comical picture book that is ideal for the run-up to the Christmas season.

It’s Christmas time and snowflakes swirl around the bears’ cosy cabin. ‘Yippee!’ cheer the bear cubs. ‘More snow! More snow!’ Little cub Button wishes that it would snow forever and sure enough, the snow gets deeper… and deeper. But soon it’s right up to the windows and Button starts to worry that her wish was a big mistake. Will it ever stop?

Filled with Chapman’s warm and evocative illustrations, cute characters and humorous, fun-filled storylines, this is a reassuring celebration of wintertime, family life, and the loving hugs of a parent. An affectionate and madcap story will delight readers both young and old.

(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus:

Pip Finds a Home

Elena Topouzoglou

A LITTLE penguin’s journey to the South Pole turns out to be a voyage of self-discovery in a beautifully created picture book from author and illustrator Elena Topouzoglou.

Pip Finds a Home is a wintertime story that speaks loudly but gently to young children about all the amazing types of penguins on our planet, and the importance of protecting some of these endangered species.

When an explorer finds Pip in the North Pole, she takes him to the South Pole so he can be with the other penguins. Pip makes friends with lots of different penguins, but Pip isn’t an Adélie penguin or a Macaroni penguin, a Gentoo penguin or even an Emperor penguin. Is Pip really a penguin? And is the South Pole really where Pip belongs? With its beautifully evocative illustrations and creative story, this a picture book that both entertains and educates.

(New Frontier Publishing, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus:

Santa’s High-Tech Christmas

Mike Dumbleton and Angela Perrini

MODERN technology has its pitfalls… as Santa finds out in this funny and clever picture book from author Mike Dumbleton and illustrator Angela Perrini.

Santa has discovered high-tech gear. With his techno-pad, a flip-top roof on his sleigh, a soft reclining seat and a rocket pack, he is well prepared to deliver presents for Christmas Day. But as things start to go wrong, Santa needs help from a young girl so that all the presents get delivered on time!

Dumbleton’s very modern take on Santa will leave little ones giggling as the kindly old man is forced to turn to the younger generation for help with his technology while Perrini’s atmospheric illustrations capture the essence of the story and the Christmas spirit of giving and generosity.

(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

Clarice Bean, That’s Me

Lauren Child

LAUGHTER and chaos reign again as the irrepressible picture book star Clarice Bean returns in a special 20^th anniversary edition which is set to delight a new generation of mischief-makers.

Clarice Bean, That’s Me, the story that launched Lauren Child’s award-winning, bestselling Clarice Bean series, is a true picture book classic and this joyful new celebration comes with a gorgeous, foiled cover and a CD featuring three Clarice Bean stories, read by Claire Skinner, star of the BBC series Outnumbered, and featuring music and sound effects.

The current Children’s Laureate, Child is a multi-award-winning author whose books are known and enjoyed the world over. She is the creator of many much-loved characters, including Charlie and Lola, and Ruby Redfort, and since her first book was published in 1999, she has sold over six million books in 19 languages worldwide.

All Clarice Bean Tuesday wants is a bit of peace and quiet. But that can be hard to find in a house where your little brother is being utterly annoying, your big brother is in the dark tunnel of adolescence, and your grandad is pouring soup on his cornflakes…

Funny, thoughtful and brimming with love and joie de vivre, Clarice and her madcap siblings and parents are the epitome of happy family life… enjoy!

(Orchard Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus:

The Night Before Christmas

Clement C. Moore and Roger Duvoisin

THERE'S nothing like a traditional rhyme to evoke all the magic and nostalgia of Christmas. In 1822, American scholar and poet Clement C. Moore wrote a poem for his children called A Visit from St Nicholas, later to become known as The Night Before Christmas.

A friend submitted it to a local newspaper, The Troy Sentinel, where it was published on December 23, 1823, and is now a much-loved classic.

And now you can rediscover both the story, which is loved the world over, and the late Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Roger Duvoisin’s eye-catching interpretation from 1954, published here by Scallywag Press in a tall, narrow format perfect for tucking into a Christmas stocking.

From the celebrated opening lines, ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,’ to Santa’s final ‘good night’ wish, Moore’s unforgettable verse and Duvoisin’s rich illustrations take us on an enchanting and colourful journey. A true classic and a gift to treasure…

(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus:

The Tree That’s Meant To Be

Yuval Zommer

A LONELY little fir tree becomes a beacon of love and hope in a picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Yuval Zommer. The Tree That’s Meant To Be, a gorgeous Christmas-themed book that is destined to become a festive classic, has all those perfect ingredients to delight both children and their parents… warm, gentle storytelling, stunning artwork, and heartfelt messages about love and embracing what makes us different.

A little fir tree is too small and too imperfect to be chosen at Christmas time. But being left alone in the forest brings more rewards than the tree could ever have hoped for when his animal friends turn him into a tree of light and hope.

Zommer, who puts the living world at the heart of his powerful storytelling, brings the very youngest children a lyrically written, warm and festive story, the perfect book for families to share, and to talk about kindness, generosity, and the true meaning of Christmas.

(Oxford University Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus:

Santa’s Tight Squeeze

Alex Field and Karen Erasmus

CHRISTMAS is going to be a squeeze for Santa this year if he eats all those tasty treats on offer!

Author Alex Field and illustrator Karen Erasmus have fun with this charming and colourful picture book tale that solves the age-old dilemma of how Santa fits down the chimney if he eats all the food that the children leave out for him. Miles of smiles are guaranteed as little ones fly round the world with Santa and discover the true meaning of Christmas as he kindly saves all his treats for his deserving reindeer and an army of hardworking elves.

(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age one plus:

Marvin and Marigold: A Christmas Surprise

Mark Carthew and Simon Prescott

ENJOY a caring, sharing picture book that captures all the warmth and giving of Christmas! Author Mark Carthew and illustrator Simon Prescott work their special magic in the second adorable picture book in their beautiful Marvin and Marigold series which stars two little mice friends.

Here we find the two pals on the first day in December. Marigold receives a surprise gift from her mother. It’s a Christmas tree and all sorts of other treasures and trinkets to bring some festive cheer. And Marigold can’t wait to share her excitement with her best friend Marvin who has no tree or gifts to share. Carthew’s evocative verse is perfectly matched to Prescott’s endearing and colourful illustrations, making this the perfect book to make the magic of Christmas spring to life for the very youngest children.

(New Frontier Publishing, hardback, £11.99)