Royal Station Master’s Daughters at War

Ellee Seymour 

THE historic railway station at Wolferton in Norfolk takes centre stage once more in the second book of a fascinating First World War debut saga series from journalist and PR professional Ellee Seymour (pictured below).

Wolferton Station – now in private hands – opened in 1862 and was the nearest station to Sandringham House. Trains continued to bring the royal family to and from their estate right up until the station’s closure in 1969.

Seymour’s delightful series was inspired by the Saward family, who ran the station in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and her stories gives readers a glimpse into all walks of life during this period... from top-tier royalty to the humblest of soldiers.

It’s 1917 and we meet up again with Maria who has adapted well to her new life on the royal Sandringham estate where she works as a maid for the widowed Queen Alexandra in the Big House. After growing up amidst poverty and suffering, Maria is in awe of the many treasures around her.

It is two years since she turned up at the royal station master Harry Saward’s house at Wolferton to escape her secret past. Maria was destitute and had nowhere else to turn but, having proved herself honest and capable, Harry and his daughters have welcomed her as one of the family. But when a mysterious relative called Nellie Jeacock turns up, on the run from the law, Maria’s new-found happiness could be under threat.

Meanwhile, the impact of the war is being felt deeply in the community as the fate of missing men from the Sandringham Company, who fought in Gallipoli, is still unknown. Harry’s daughters pull together to support each other and the women on the royal estate as they face up to their sorrows and challenges.

Ada’s husband, Alfie, is away fighting on the front line leaving her to care alone for their young son while Beatrice is now a VAD nurse at a cottage hospital and still mourning the loss of her first love, Sam. Jessie, meanwhile, has become a land army girl, transforming the Queen’s flower garden at Wolferton Station into a vegetable plot, and still longing for the return of her sweetheart Jack.

In a community torn apart by loss and tragedy, how will the station master’s family survive and find the happiness they are all searching for?

Packed with gripping drama, love and secrets, a cast of colourful characters, and with a delicious, authentic gingerbread biscuits recipe to tickle the tastebuds, this is a heartwarming treat guaranteed to leave saga fans hungry for more.
(Zaffre, paperback, £9.99)

A Daughter’s Gift

Mollie Walton

SOME of the Second World War’s unsung female heroes are being given their place in the spotlight in a gripping saga trilogy from Molly Walton, better known as the historical novelist Rebecca Mascull.

A Daughter’s Gift is the second book in this enthralling series which stars the women who worked at a Y Station, a signals intelligence site, near Scarborough.

Inspired by her visit to the stunning Raven Hall Hotel, which sits 600 feet above sea level in Ravenscar, near Scarborough, and enjoys a cliff-top view over Robin Hood’s Bay, Walton (pictured below) dug into this beautiful area’s wartime history and discovered that Raven Hall, built in 1774, was used as a billet for these wartime workers. And as the wartime home front has often been compared to people’s lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of the anxiety, fears for the future, restrictions on civil liberties and the grieving process of families who lost loved ones, Walton set out to explore the experiences of women in society, in work and in the home.

At the heart of these stories are widow Rosina Calvert-Lazenby and her five daughters – Grace, Evelyn, Constance and twins Daisy and Dora – and Raven Hall, the crumbling ancestral home of the Lazenby family, of which Rosina is now the sole living member.

We meet up with them again in September 1940, a year since war was first announced and at a time when the threats are becoming all too real. With Raven Hall requisitioned by the army, Rosina must do all she can to protect her family home from the rowdy troops. And after Rosina’s burgeoning relationship with young RAF Sergeant Harry Woodvine is interrupted when he’s posted abroad, the arrival of an older officer who takes a keen interest in her could also spell trouble.

Meanwhile, Rosina’s fearless second daughter, 20-year-old Evelyn, decides to join the Auxiliary Fire Service. Determined to help with the Blitz effort in London, she faces extreme danger. Two kind professional firemen, the Bailey brothers, take her under their wing to help protect and guide her. But with the bombings getting worse, there can be no guarantees. Who will be safe, how can Rosina protect all those she loves, and is love still possible with such high stakes?

A Daughter’s Gift is another superbly researched rollercoaster ride through the heartaches, dramas and perils of the Calvert-Lazenby family as Rosina and her daughters continue to adapt to a new and complex way of life in which love and friendship blossom, and the dangers and losses of wartime are never far away. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the North Yorkshire coastline, and with its rich and authentic portrayal of the changing role of women and the pressures they faced on the home front, Walton brings us an emotional and insightful story of strength, resilience and romance.
(Welbeck, hardback, £14.99)

The Woolworths Girl’s Promise

Elaine Everest

WELCOME back to the entertaining fortunes and misfortunes of Elaine Everest’s ‘family’ of devoted and dedicated store staff who have become like friends to an army of avid readers.

This wonderfully nostalgic Woolies series, which has brought new life and love for the famous stores which once graced almost every high street in the country, has taken us through the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a group of hard-working women and their boss Betty Billington at the Kentish town of Erith during the turbulent years of the Second World War.

When the long years of conflict finally ended in Everest’s (pictured below) fourth book, A Gift from Woolworths, her plan was to make it the girls’ last chapter but she was so inundated by readers begging to find out what happened next that she happily returned to familiar territory in her fifth book, Wedding Bells for Woolworths. And after a much-loved prequel, A Mother Forever, charting the early life of favourite character Ruby Caselton, and an exciting seventh instalment in which we met a new generation of Woolworths Girls, Everest bounces back with her eighth amazing Woolworths saga.

So get ready to discover the turbulent early life of the irrepressible Betty Billington...  including her journey before she arrived at the Erith store, and her meeting with her fellow Woolworths girls in 1938 just as war loomed once more on the horizon.

After losing her beloved fiancé at Ypres in 1917, 17-year-old Elizabeth (Betty) Billington faces a lonely future estranged from her upper-class parents due to her association with Charlie Sayers and his working-class family.

No longer able to live under her parents’ roof, Betty is taken in by Charlie’s father and escapes the suffocating demands of her parents. But Betty soon learns all too well about the realities of life after an accident at the Woolwich Arsenal munitions works, and gains strength and independence from her experiences.

Spotting an advertisement for a job at Woolworths nearby, Betty begins a new and rewarding career, even if it means starting at the bottom of the employment ladder in the well-known store. Soon, her work journey leads her to Ramsgate in Kent to work in a newly built store and with it the chance of marriage, but can she ever forget Charlie and the promise she made to him?

With its enchanting mix of drama, romance, friendship and family, and lots of twists and turns to enjoy along the way, this is an enthralling account of the early life of one of Everest’s best-loved Woolworths girls and another uplifting read from a master storyteller.
(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

The Strawberry Fields Girls

Karen Dickson

AS three young women prepare for a summer season of strawberry picking in 1913, they little suspect that love may soon be knocking on their door... just as the drums of war start to slowly beat across Europe. 

The Strawberry Fields Girls comes from the pen of Karen Dickson (pictured below), an author who started writing stories when she was just a child and has always been interested in social history. Her heartwarming sagas may be set in the south of England where she now lives but are inspired by the stories of her grandparents who lived in the North and grew up in the early part of the twentieth century.

And this new rollercoaster tale, set amidst the glorious strawberry fields of Hampshire, recalls the county’s reputation as the ‘Strawberry Coast,’ harvesting high quality, flavourful strawberries  which would be picked every day and over 20,000 berries loaded on to a daily train bound for Covent Garden and top hotels in London.

The strawberry harvest is finally ready. The delicious fruit makes up the main source of income for the small hamlet of Strawbridge in Hampshire. Good friends Leah Hopwood, Alice Russell and Dora Webb are ready to spend their summer months working as strawberry pickers on Isaac Whitworth’s farm. 

But when Leah takes a fancy to young seasonal farm hand Harry White from London, and Alice catches the eye of the handsome new curate Samuel Roberts, the two girls find themselves falling fast. This leaves Dora on the outside, struggling with the weight of being her family’s sole breadwinner and caring for her sickly father. But the summer months are long and the surprises are far from over. Away from the fields, a war is brewing which risks everything the girls can dare to dream about.

Beautifully written with what is fast becoming her signature warmth and empathy, Dickson’s new page-turner brings us three resourceful, determined and inspirational young women in a gripping story packed with emotion, drama and romance.

Featuring a cast of vibrant and authentic characters, the evocative backdrop of a country heading into war, and the charms of a forgotten rural world, this is a compelling and ultimately uplifting tale with friendship, family and love at its core.
(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £22)

One Enchanted Evening

Katie Fforde

DRAW the curtains, throw another log on the fire, and escape into the sunshine of deepest Dorset! The current cold-snap is the perfect time to cosy up with one of Katie Fforde’s warm and welcoming novels – gorgeous books that serve up love, fun and home-spun wisdom in the most delightful ways.

And One Enchanted Evening is a truly tasty dish... Fforde’s amazing thirtieth novel and the last in a trilogy of standalone stories set during the 1960s, with each focusing on a different girl from a group of three friends who met at a cookery course in London.

And after enjoying romance and happy endings with Lizzie and Alexandra in A Wedding in the Country and A Wedding in Provence, we’re now invited to feast on the life and loves of Meg who meets her match in a bullying chef when she is called in to help mastermind a banqueting event at her mother’s hotel. Peopled with Fforde’s trademark cast of lovable and eclectic characters, her special brand of sparkling storytelling, and with surprises at every turn of the hotel’s stairs, this is entertaining romance with an added helping of spice.

Ever since she can remember, Meg Sanderson has wanted to be a professional cook but it’s 1964 and, in restaurant kitchens all over England, it is still very much a man’s world. 

So Meg is thrilled to get the chance to go and learn from a French chef in Provence but in the meantime, she gets a call from her mother Louise who is running – and fallen very much in love with Nightingale Woods – an old Georgian house-turned-hotel in rural Dorset. 

There’s an important banqueting event coming up and she needs help... in fact she needs it now! When Meg arrives at the hotel, she finds that it is stuck in the past but she loves a challenge and sets to work. Then Justin, the son of the hotel owner and himself a chef, appears and he’s determined to take over the running of the kitchen. Infuriated at his attitude towards her, Meg is determined to keep cooking and prove herself a skilled chef... but soon sparks begin to fly. Will their differences be a recipe for disaster?

Fforde (pictured above) lives up to her well-earned reputation as the ‘godmother of romantic fiction’ as she serves up a funny, feelgood story in which the slow-cook romance between Meg and Justin proves to be a far from smooth true love course. So book in at Nightingale Woods… and get ready for a summer of loving!
(Century, hardback, £16.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Survival skills, engineering heroes and a wartime mystery

Learn how to stay safe in the modern world, discover why engineers are superheroes, join youngsters on the trail of secrets and spies at wartime Bletchley Park, take time out for a chat with an infamous pirate, saddle up for an adventure with a girl and her pony, and discover how to help endangered dolphins with a super springtime selection 

Age 8 plus
Ultimate Survival Handbook
Andy McNab

STAYING safe in the modern world has never been so important so dive into this smart and savvy children’s survival guide from world-famous ex-SAS author Andy McNab. As a member of 22 SAS, McNab was at the centre of covert operations across five continents for nine years and was awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal during his military career, and has since become one of the world’s best-selling writers.

Using his vast experience and wisdom, McNab brings a 360-degree emphasis on survival in three key environments for today’s young readers... crucial skills for the wild, staying safe in the urban world, and protecting your online identity. Find out the best way to set up a camp, safely start a campfire, find your bearings, search for food and water and stay safe in the great outdoors. There are also important basics for camping and hiking, and readers will discover what to do about more unusual events... including escaping quicksand, tsunamis and wild animal attacks.

In the guide to urban survival, learn how to stay safe in the city, avoid stranger danger, keep clear of crowd crush at a big event, find your way around any urban environment, seek help if you get stuck in a lift, and how to manage any emergency. With years of military-grade security experience, McNab is also perfectly placed to give crucial tips on staying safe online. Discover how to make an unbreakable password, how to hide your identity from trolls and scammers, and how to banish cyber-bullies. Having survived the world’s most gruelling situations, Mc Nab’s invaluable book delivers hard-won advice in clear and simple language, with lots of practical tips, visual references and anecdotes from his own survival experience. So if you want to be ready for the outdoors, street-smart in the city, and safe online, this fun, simple and authentic real-world survival guide has everything you need!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, Flexibound, £12.99)

Age 12 plus
Engineers Making a Difference
Dr Shini Somara, Manuel Šumberac
and Adam Allsuch Boardman

IF you thought being an engineer was simply solving some important contemporary challenges, think again because it turns out they’re actually Superheroes! In an inspirational collaboration between What on Earth Publishing, Imperial College London, and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, youngsters are gifted an exciting introduction to engineering which showcases forty-six diverse, creative and extraordinary engineers who are actively helping to change our world. Two free copies of this extraordinary book – superbly illustrated by Manuel Šumberac and Adam Allsuch Boardman – will be sent to every secondary school in the UK as part of a kit which includes a teacher’s guide, twelve posters covering a hot topic from each chapter, and a full-length laminated timeline.

Written by mechanical engineer and leading broadcaster Dr Shini Somara, who is passionate about making science and technology accessible to all, the fully illustrated book – aimed at 12 to 15-year-olds who are considering their future educational and career choices – comprises role model profiles from across the engineering industry, with chapters ranging from the environment to robots, and from communications to entertainment. These real-life engineers are using their problem-solving skills on everything from protecting the planet, creating clean energy, designing prosthetic limbs and eliminating food shortages to programming AI and exploring the surface of Mars.

Meet an eclectic cross-section of engineers such as space physicist Professor Michele Dougherty from Imperial College, Pierre Paslier, the co-founder and co-CEO of the sustainable packaging startup Notpla, Jamie Pinnel, a technician working at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research and rollercoaster designer Michelle Hicks. From apprentices and lab technicians to university professors and start-up CEOs, discover the broad ranging possibilities of engineering jobs, what problems these engineers are solving and why they love their jobs... and find out if you want to join them in their desire to change the world for the better.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £16.99)

Age 9 plus
I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery
Rhian Tracey

IT'S wartime, there’s an enemy operating undercover, and it’s up to three intrepid youngsters to solve a perilous mystery! Inspired by trips to Bletchley Park – one of the most secret places in Britain during the Second World War – and her own family’s link to the code-breaking centre, Welsh author Rhian Tracey brings us a ripping yarn of secrets, spies and subterfuge. I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery is based on true events and explores not just the nationally important work of the Bletchley Park staff but how three plucky youngsters form close friendships during the adversities of wartime and dare to dig deep to unearth a plot that puts the country in deadly danger. Twelve-year-old Robyn has grown up in Bletchley Park where her father works as a driver. When she's not at school, there's nothing she likes more than helping her dad in the garages. Then the war begins in September of 1939 and everything at Bletchley changes for Robyn... no more climbing trees and no more swimming in the lake. She’s stuck in a place full of grown-ups and rules and secrets.

But then Robyn is assigned to help with the carrier pigeons that take messages to the Allies. It means she must sign the Official Secrets Act and is ordered not to leave the grounds of the park. While Bletchley is buzzing with people recruited for the war effort and all eyes are on the skies, Robyn becomes convinced that there’s something sinister going on within Bletchley Park itself. Together with her friends Mary and Ned, Robyn resolves to uncover the enemy in their midst... Packed with intrigue, mystery, excitement and a host of feathered friends, this heartwarming and inspirational story packs a real punch as the children embark on a race against time to track down an elusive traitor. Add on the dramatic and authentic wartime backdrop, some clever red herrings and an old-fashioned, addictive sense of adventure and you have the perfect history/mystery for young thrill-seekers!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Astonishing Chronicles
of Oscar from Elsewhere
Jaclyn Moriarty and Karl James Mountford

THE Aussie queen of fantasy novels Jaclyn Moriarty is back to cast a spell with another thrilling tale of friendship, magic and dastardly dangers! The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere is the fourth whimsical and witty middle-grade novel from Moriarty and illustrator Karl James Mountford in their highly acclaimed Bronte Mettlestone series. In another mesmerising blend of fun and fast-paced adventure, Moriarty gives readers a fresh perspective on her richly imagined fantasy land through the eyes of new character Oscar Banetti who is just skipping school and hanging out at the local skate park on Monday morning when he suddenly finds himself transported into a very different world where witches and water sprites really exist and there are no aeroplanes, Netflix or even pizza. In the company of Bronte Mettlestone, her cousins Imogen and Esther Mettlestone-Staranise, and their pirate-cum-prince friend Alejandro, ordinary Oscar finds himself on a quest to locate nine separate pieces of a key, held by nine separate people, in order to unlock a complicated spell that has trapped the Elven city of Dun-sorey-lo-vay-lo-hey. If they don’t succeed in their quest, on Friday at noon the spell becomes permanent, the Elves will be crushed to death and Oscar will be trapped in this magical world forever. Moriarty’s vivid imagination and storytelling skills unleash a thrilling and epic adventure as we follow the quest to find the nine keys, share a breathtaking adventure full of cryptic challenges, and a witness a battle to the very end. Add on an addictive brand of wickedly clever wordplay, the welcome reappearance of the irrepressible Mettlestone clan, and the stage is set for another outrageously entertaining performance!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Weather Weaver: Winter’s Keep
Tamsin Mori 

IMAGINE having a cloud for a friend and being able to choose the weather… would it bring sunshine-filled happiness, or storms of darkness and discontent? Always at ease in the stunning scenery of her mother’s Shetland homeland, where she whispered spells into sea shells and sang to the selkies, author Tamsin Mori has harnessed the islands’ fabulous myths and legends for this mesmerising Weather Weaver debut series filled with magic, danger… and weather of every kind. These thrilling, original and action-packed adventures celebrate the rich, mysterious and unpredictable moods of the elements whilst gently exploring universal themes like gaining independence, the meaning of home, handling grief, and discovering the fallibility of adults. Taking centre stage is Stella who grew up on a tiny Shetland island but left five years ago and has now returned to stay with her widowed Grandpa. When she first arrived, Stella felt lonely but then she met an old woman named Tamar, a Weather Weaver who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes. And now, with the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud, Stella is learning the craft of weather weaving. In this third adventure, we find that with Velda overthrown and the Storm Laws abolished, hundreds of young Storm Weavers are set to be reunited with their stolen clouds. The very first cloud taken belonged to Tamar’s last apprentice, the sea witch, and when Heather returns, seeking to lay the past to rest, the first person she turns to is Stella. But how far can you trust a sea witch? Is she seeking redemption, or plotting her final revenge? With the Teran rising from the deep and the island in his icy grip, Stella and her friends will have to fight to save weather as we know it. Drawing on the elements, island myths, and the natural world, Winter's Keep is an enchanting and inspirational tale which blends the thrills and spills of magic with a beautifully portrayed and authentic young girl who is firmly rooted in reality. Add on the wild beauty of Shetland and some fascinating insights into weather systems, and you have a wonderful, windblown reminder that looking for the end of the rainbow isn’t always an impossible dream!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Interview with Blackbeard
and Other Vicious Villains
Andy Seed and Gareth Conway

JUST imagine if you could go back in time and talk to plundering pirates and famous villains from the past... what would you ask? Blue Peter Award-winning author Andy Seed and illustrator Gareth Conway have fun with their entertaining history series which features ‘interviews’ with ten big names from the past. So join former teacher Seed on his amazing time-travelling machine as he interviews ten famous villains who take a quick break from dastardly deeds to answer all sorts of (very nosy) questions about their actions and unique perspectives. Get to know villains like the pirate Blackbeard, Ivan the Terrible, Gunpowder Plot conspirator Guy Fawkes, Vlad the Impaler, highwayman Ned Kelly and the Roman Emperor Nero. Are these villains as wicked as we’ve been led to believe, and will intrepid Andy make it out alive? Discover the good, the bad, and the unexpected as each baddie reveals the truth about their lives... and attempts to find out about the future! This super, fun and fact-filled book offers a bite-sized text in a question-and-answer format and is paired with Conway’s lively and entertaining illustrations, perfect for reluctant readers and comedy-seeking history fans. With bonus facts about key events in each ruler’s life, and a fun quiz at the end, the book is ideal for Horrible Histories fans… and any reader who enjoys a fresh and captivating take on historical figures from across the world.
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Meg and Merlin: Running Away
Tanya Landman and Sònia Albert

SADDLE up for an action-packed new instalment of award-winning author Tanya Landman’s captivating Meg and Merlin series which is proving a dream read for pony lovers. Packed with action, fun and friendships, these warmhearted stories celebrate the close bond between horse and rider, and this gripping new adventure will have youngsters cantering through the pages. Meg and her new friend Sam Houseman meet up to take out their ponies, Merlin and Alfred, but after a long picnic ride and a lovely day in the countryside, Meg takes a wrong turn and gets lost while making her way home. And things take a dangerous turn when Merlin gets spooked and takes off, galloping straight towards the deadly danger of a main road... can Meg get him back under control before disaster strikes? Brought to life by the lively illustrations of Sònia Albert, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this drama-filled adventure about a ride that spirals out of control is a sure-fire winner for young readers.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Can we really help the Dolphins?
Katie Daynes and Róisín Hahessy

THE wonders of the oceans – and the threats that they face – spring to colourful and inspirational life in a charming new book in Usborne Publishing’s resonant Can we really help… series. Can we really help the Dolphins? is the fourth title and offers young readers a positive and empowering introduction to protecting our seas... and the creatures that live in them. It has been written by non-fiction author Katie Daynes who thinks the best thing we can do is encourage children to play their own part in protecting their future from climate change. Brought to life by Róisín Hahessy’s beautiful illustrations and lovable characters, children learn about the many important roles our seas and oceans play, and the practical and helpful solutions available for positive action to help stop climate change. With a cast of children taking starring roles, the story reveals how a message in a bottle turns a seaside holiday into a worldwide campaign to save the ocean. The sea creatures are having a rough ride at the moment, navigating plastic litter, chemical spills, warming oceans and fishing supertrawlers. The dolphins, turtles, penguins and other creatures share their predicament with six sparky, beach-loving children... and together they make an exciting plan to save the world's seas and oceans. Young readers cannot help but be inspired and energised when they discover what’s really going on under the sea, and are empowered to play a small but important part in helping sea creatures and shaping the future.
(Usborne Publishing, hardback, £9.99)

Age 5 plus
Call the Puffins!
Cath Howe and Ella Okstad

WHEN a rescue is needed, call in team puffin! Author, teacher and self-confessed puffin enthusiast Cath Howe works her word magic on the first book of a sparkling new series starring a stellar group of young puffins in training for a search and rescue team. So head off to the island of Egg where a brave and bold puffin rescue team are in training. The puffins must work together to rescue birds and eggs wherever they are in danger. Eager to get started are Muffin, who is following in her dad’s footsteps and anxious not to let him down, Tiny whose eyesight is a challenge but is determined it won’t stop him for long, and Forti who seems so over-confident but is really desperate to impress. Along with their fellow recruits, these plucky and unflappable little puffins must work together to help all the birds on the island! Brought to life by the enchanting artwork of illustrator Ella Okstad, this gorgeous new series celebrates teamwork, belonging and resilience as the new puffin team get in the swim for their exciting rescue roles. Add on an irresistible helping of fluttery fun and mischief and youngsters are in for the perfect puffin fest! 
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog
Lisa Papp

THE healing power of books, and the joys of shared reading, are guaranteed to tug at everyone’s heartstrings in a beautiful and inspirational picture book from American author and illustrator Lisa Papp. Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog is the follow-up to the much-loved Madeline Finn and the Library Dog and both books were inspired by the Read-to-Dogs programme at Papp’s local library where she spent the better part of a year following the wonderful dogs and their dedicated owners. And in this new adventure, we join Madeline Finn who has lots of responsibilities with her new adopted puppy Star. She has to walk and feed him, and make sure he has a safe place to sleep. But, she learns, the most important thing is love. So when Madeline visits an animal shelter, she has lots of questions about the dogs who live there. Do they get to play outside? Do they get to sleep under blankets? Does anyone read to them? Does anyone tell them they love them? Madeline is determined to help the shelter dogs but can she find a way to make each one of them feel special? With the help of some friends and a few good books, she just may discover that even small people can make a big difference. Love and caring shine out from every page of this adorable and gentle story which comes with a gallery of Papp’s soft focus illustrations in a palette of exquisite, retro-style watercolour tones. 
(Old Barn Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus
The Big Bad Bug
Kate Read

A GREEDY bug with a penchant for bullying gets his comeuppance in a big, bold and beautiful picture book from talented author and illustrator Kate Read whose debut, One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller, won both awards and plaudits. Read, who paints, dyes, prints, draws on and cuts up paper to create collage illustrations, has fun with a magnificent minibeast mini-drama in which little ones enjoy a richly colourful bug’s eye view of the world. The Big Bad Bug, a self-proclaimed ‘very rare species’ is used to getting his own way, but claiming a giant berry all for himself is a step too far. Will he ever learn to share, and mend his bullying ways? From the bottom of the garden to the inside of a jar of blackberries, this picture perfect story about a self-important beetle is a humorous reminder for young  children that you can’t always get your own way, and that kindness and community are worth far more than selfishness and bullying. Bursting with Read’s richly detailed illustrations in a palette of rich and vibrant colours, and all accompanied by gentle, life-enhancing messages, this is a story to share and enjoy.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
All the Wonderful Ways to Read
Laura Baker and Sandra de la Prada

IF you want to discover the transporting wonders of reading, take a thrilling, rollercoaster journey through the pages of an inspirational picture book! The perfectly titled All the Wonderful Ways to Read is a joyful rhyming romp which opens up a whole world of books and encourages youngsters to read whatever, however and wherever they choose. ‘Books take us on journeys that we can all share, And give us the power to go anywhere! So no matter just how, or what book, or your speed, what I wish for NOW.... is that YOU love to read!’ Fly to the moon, sail out to sea, sneak into dragon worlds, laugh, gasp, cheer and read stories that you wish could go on forever. Carefully and imaginatively written by Laura Baker and illustrated with warmth and wit by Sandra de la Prada, the book is a glorious celebration of reading in all its forms... ideal as inspiration for reluctant readers and a joy for little bookworms.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Radzi’s Move Like a Cub
Radzi Chinyanganya and Aimee Wright

WELL-KNOWN children’s TV presenter and TikTok sensation Radzi Chinyanganya gets kids rolling, waddling, prowling and swinging in a colourful board book full of fun, action and extra cute baby animals! Radzi’s Move Like a Cub is the perfect pre-school introduction to the joys of moving as little ones are invited to copy their favourite baby animals. From puppies and kittens to baby elephants and lion cubs, this eye-catching book includes a range of simple animal movements carefully selected to engage, energise, and then relax little ones. And as they learn to move like animals, children develop important early learning skills and have fun naming the animals and objects that go with each movement. Aimee Wright’s adorable illustrations bring the baby animals to life and the simple text helps to broaden their vocabulary. Created in a sturdy board format, the book is tailor-made for little children to enjoy with parents, or hold by themselves, and as getting moving has many health benefits, such as balance, co-ordination and mindfulness, this feast of fun and action is a must for your own little cubs!
(DK, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Meet the Weather
Caryl Hart and Bethan Woollvin

HEAD for the skies and prepare for all weathers with an exciting, multi-coloured and action-packed picture book from the top team that brought us the acclaimed Meet the Planets and Meet the Oceans. Join in the fun of an exciting hot-air balloon adventure with Caryl Hart’s romping rhyme and the gorgeous, eye-catching neon illustrations of Bethan Woollvin, and get ready to meet everything from whooshing wind and feathery, fluffy snow to bright rainbows and shimmering sunshine. Little ones will love being swept away into the adventures of a girl and her dog as they say hello to all the different kinds of weather that make up our amazing world. Visit rainy rainforests, snowy mountains and stormy seas, and enjoy the ride as science learning blends perfectly with Hart’s rhyming story and Woollvin’s brightly coloured and high-energy artwork. So what are you waiting for? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... come rain or shine, let’s take off on an unforgettable journey!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age six months plus
Don't Tickle the Gorilla!
Sam Taplin and Ana Martin Larranaga

DON'T tickle the gorilla... because it might roar if you do! Little ones will be well and truly tickled when they get their hands on this fabulously fun and ‘feely’ sound book. There’s a gigglesome gorilla, a squawky crane, a grunting hog and a squeaky mongoose just waiting to entertain when toddlers give them a tickle! Tiny tots will love pressing the fluffy, touchy-feely patches to hear the different animal sounds in this delightful novelty board book. At the end of the story, all the animals get noisy at the same time in a musical finale guaranteed to get everyone dancing. With Sam Taplin’s fun narrative and the wonderfully vivid artwork of Ana Martin Larranaga bringing the animals to life, expect loads of laughs and tons of touchy-feely, singalong encores! Perfect for babies’ tummy time, sensory play, or simply snuggling up at story time.
(Usborne, board book, £12.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A scoop on poop, the school for thieves and maths wizardry

Get to the bottom of your kids’ questions about poo, meet a boy who specialises in pickpocketing, enjoy a playful mix of maths wizardry and musical marvels, escape into a troubled girl’s thrilling Dark World, and beware of a wolf in sheep’s clothing with a selection of exciting new children’s books

Age 5 plus
Super Poopers
Alex Woolf and
Isobel Lundie

POO... it’s a word that kids love to say, but it’s also a word we shouldn’t pooh-pooh! Let your mischievous youngsters get to the bottom of all their questions about poo with this brilliant new book which reveals the power of poo and what it can do for both humans and animals in the funniest and most child-friendly way. Blending Alex Woolf’s fascinating and entertaining journey through the story of poo with Isobel Lundie’s colourful and quirky illustrations, Super Poopers is simply brimming with fun and facts, and teaches young readers about how extraordinary poo can be. Discover which animals eat their own poo, why some creatures make their homes from dung, and what bird droppings have to do with spa treatments.  Find out how nature finds value in everything, even waste, and how we study it for science, use it in competitions and can even turn it into art. It seems there is no limit to human and animal ingenuity when it comes to finding uses for poo... it can fertilise crops, can be burnt for heat and can even be used to make face cream and paper. From sea cucumbers saving the planet and games played with cowpats to guano gunpowder and the beetle faeces found in the average grocery shop, Super Poopers is flush with facts that will get you gagging, goggling and giggling. Fun faeces facts that are not to be sniffed at!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
Crookhaven: The School for Thieves
J.J. Arcanjo 

A SCHOOL for thieves – and a boy who specialises in pickpocketing – are set to steal the limelight in the first of a dazzling debut series from half-Portuguese, half-English writer J.J. Arcanjo.  Arcanjo, who works in the editorial department at Bloomsbury Publishing, has already penned two crime novels for adults and now his first middle-grade series – with its fast-paced action, diverse characters and alluring, atmospheric backdrop – promises to be a thoroughly arresting winner.
‘So this is really a school for criminals.’ It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation. ‘We are so much more than that,’ Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. ‘We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and... yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future.’
Thirteen-year-old Gabriel Avery is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he’s caught. But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven, a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and ‘crim-nastics,’ all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent. But... can you ever really trust a thief? With a school-wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel’s first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember... With its Robin Hood vibes, themes of family and friendship, and exploration of what it really means to do good, Crookhaven is a thrilling, escapist adventure full of secrets and skulduggery, and with an imaginative power that marks out an exciting and empathetic new voice in children’s fiction. It would be a crime to miss the fun!
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 4 plus
That’s Mathematics
Tom Lehrer, Chris Smith and Elīna Braslina

SING a song of... maths! Inspired by the lyrics of Tom Lehrer, the 94-year-old American satirist, singer-songwriter and all-round maths genius, Chris Smith brings young readers a joyful and playful amalgam of maths wizardry and musical marvels. Lehrer, who taught both mathematics and musical theatre, is probably most famous for his tongue-twisting Elements song, which includes all the periodic table elements, but it was his popular song, That’s Mathematics, that sets the beat for this fun and informative picture book which introduces real-world maths that children use every day to prove that maths really is fun... and everywhere! Lavishly and colourfully illustrated by Latvian artist Elīna Brasliņa, this clever and entertaining book shows children the way maths informs how they count, share, play, do sport, make cakes and move to music, and was created by Mama Makes Books, a small, young, independent UK publisher which creates books ‘made with love’ for children, from newborns to eight-year-olds. A vibrant celebration of the maths that children use every day, the youngest can enjoy it as a picture book, reading Lehrer’s rhyming song lyrics, looking at Braslina’s fun illustrations and picking up a basic understanding of real-world maths whilst learning some core primary maths language along the way. Older children are challenged to dive into author and Scottish Teacher of the Year Smith’s ‘Try This’ and ‘Explore This’ sections with activities designed to deepen their curiosity and knowledge. There are also supporting online activities to continue the fun, plus notes for parents to encourage children to get involved, discuss topics covered, and keep the learning going after the book is closed. With answers and a glossary of maths terms provided, and online activity sheets for more maths fun, the message that shines out from every page is undoubtedly that maths is interesting, fun and used in every walk of life. Ideal for early years, home learning, and as a useful and fun book to support the primary maths curriculum in schools.
(Mama Makes Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
Maggie Blue and the White Crow
Anna Goodall

FINDING light in a dark world has never been more relevant than it is today and the second book in Anna Goodall’s coruscating middle-grade Maggie Blue trilogy burns brightly for readers young and old. Inspired by her interest in animals (including talking ones!), other worlds, families and friendship, Goodall’s thrilling, thought-provoking debut series stars a troubled 12-year-old girl thrust into terrifying adventures and discovering the power of friendship, courage and simply being yourself. Maggie and her beloved, grumpy talking cat companion Hoagy are trying to adjust to a quieter life after the terrors she has encountered in a world she never knew existed. She is once again living with her eccentric aunt Esme and hanging out with friends Ida and Will. Maggie wants to forget about the events of the previous year but the Dark World won’t let them go. Maggie is being watched and one day a small white bird appears. Where has the white crow come from, and why won’t it leave Maggie alone? Little does she know yet that the Dark World has been waiting for her to return... and when her mum Cynthia is kidnapped and taken there, Maggie has no choice but to go back. With the help of Hoagy and some new friends by her side, Maggie must go back to the place that she never wished to see again if she is ever to see her mum... or regain control of her own life. With her sarcastic cat Hoagy by her side, Maggie’s fantastical adventures cannot fail to entertain. Maggie’s connection to the sinister Dark World lies at the pulsating heart of Goodall’s bizarre and magical adventures...all the action and danger is rooted in the darkness and buried secrets that simmer inside her. Tingling with a tangible current of emotion, and with a thrill-a-minute story that follows the lost and melancholic Maggie’s adventure in the chilling, mercenary Dark World, Goodall cleverly explores themes of identity and mental health with a deft and sensitive touch. Add on the leavening wit and sarcasm of one-eyed Hoagy, and a stunning cover illustration by Sandra Dieckmann, and you have the perfect gift package for every child that craves an all-round, cracking adventure story!
(Guppy Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
Alex Neptune, Pirate Hunter
David Owen 

INDIANA Jones meets Pirates of the Caribbean in this ultimate treasure-hunting, puzzle-solving ocean adventure from David Owen, the exciting author whose YA debut novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Pirate Hunter is the second book of Owen’s thrilling, all-action and fun-filled Alex Neptune series for younger readers which was inspired by his self-confessed love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt friendships.  At its heart is Alex, the boy born with the power of the ocean in his hands. Here we find him struggling to get to grips with his new oceanic powers and the whole ‘hero’ thing... so the last thing he needs is Haven Bay being attacked by pirates in a ship made of rubbish. The marauders are hunting for the missing egg of the elusive Water-Dragon, and Alex is determined to reach it first to stop them stealing its power. Along with friends tech-genius Zoe and legend-lover Anil – plus a clumsy seal, a lock-picking hermit crab and some seriously menacing otters – Alex sets out on a treasure hunt to a secret shipwreck where they must face three monstrous challenges! With the power of the sea at the centre of a fast-flowing story, the weirdest cast of characters this side of the tide, and eco themes that speak as loudly as the crashing of the waves in Haven Bay, this sparkling maritime odyssey is must reading for all adventure lovers!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Book of Legends
Lenny Henry and Keenon Ferrell

WHAT if stories turned out to be real? That’s the conundrum facing two very ordinary siblings embarking on an extraordinary journey in a thrilling novel from comedian, writer, philanthropist and award-winning actor Sir Lenny Henry. The Book of Legends, fabulously illustrated throughout by talented New York-based artist Keenon Ferrell, is full of the same brand of magic and adventure that won the hearts of young readers in Sir Lenny’s all-action and thought-provoking debut novel The Boy With Wings. In this funny and fast-moving tale, we meet Bran and Fran Harrison who love living with their mum, the storyteller at the Once Upon a Wow bookstore in their small Midlands town. Ever since Dad disappeared in a bolt of lightning, Mum and her big book of stories filled with fantastical people and places have been the centre of their world. But when Mum goes missing too, and her stories turn out to be a portal to another world, Bran and Fran are going to have a huge, magical adventure on their hands. Luckily, they have Wilma, the Wizard’s Wife, and Zack, the wisecracking Zebracorn, to help them on their journey. And they’re going to need help because there are evil princes, mud monsters and Viking armies all standing in their way. Can they find their mum, and just maybe their way home too? Filled with the intriguing concept of stories within the story, Sir Lenny’s latest adventure gives free rein to his trademark wit, sense of fun and soaring imagination but also his empathy and keen eye for the challenges of youthful angst. With its wonderful evocation of a magical other-world and the warm-hearted dynamics of family love and friendship, this high-octane adventure will have youngsters giggling, gasping and guffawing from first page to last.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 7 plus
Nell and the Cave Bear: The Journey Home
Martin Brown 

FROM truly horrible histories to a truly heartwarming adventure… renowned illustrator Martin Brown is delighting readers with his adorable young fiction debut series. Best known as illustrator of the outstandingly successful Horrible Histories series, in which he teamed up with author Terry Deary, Brown proves to be just as adept as writing with these tales starring an orphan girl and her beloved companion, a cave bear. A long, long time ago, a girl lived with her tribe in a cave. As she had no parents of her own, her pet cave bear was her best friend and together they embarked on a great adventure to search for a place to call home. At the moment they are safe in the company of the animal-loving Sea Clan. But when their old enemies, the Woodland Clan, begin causing trouble, the two friends are separated. And this time the Woodland hunters are determined not to return home empty-handed. Now Nell must face great danger to protect the Cave Bear from the hunters... with new friends by her side, can she bring the clans together again? These adorable stories have all the right ingredients for early readers… exciting, easy-to-follow adventures full of friendships and fun escapades, gentle humour, diverse animal and human characters, and all beautifully brought to life by Brown’s exquisite two-tone artwork. Moving tales of togetherness with messages for the modern world…
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Sheep School
Ross Montgomery and Marisa Morea

THERE'S a wolf in sheep’s clothing and he’s coming to eat you up! A thwarted thespian lamb called William takes centre stage in a wonderfully woolly and witty tale from bestselling children’s author Ross Montgomery. Filled with Marisa Morea’s colourful and characterful illustrations, an addictive sense of fun, and subtle messages about celebrating different talents, Sheep School is the latest book in publisher Barrington Stoke’s super-readable Little Gems series which brings together leading authors and illustrators. William the lamb is known as the worst sheep in Sheep School, mainly because just can’t stand still. His feet are always tapping, ready to dance, and he loves nothing more than bursting into song. But his talents aren’t always appreciated by his teacher, Miss Bleater. Cast out of the flock, he wanders away feeling miserable only to witness the rest of the sheep being captured by the crafty Big Bad Wolf. Can William find a way to put his artistic skills to use to save the day? This delightful adventure, with an unexpected twist in its tail, includes some extra activity fun inside the cover and comes with a host of clever design and finishing techniques, like dyslexia-friendly fonts, to create easy-to-read, first chapter books in a format ideal for little hands. A laugh-out-loud escapade which – just like William the lamb – stands out from the crowd!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Woodland Magic: The Stranded Otter
Julie Sykes and Katy Riddell

MEET the tiny little people on another big mission to keep the countryside safe! The Stranded Otter is the third story in a magical and timely illustrated adventure series from Julie Sykes, bestselling author of the Unicorn Academy series, and talented young illustrator Katy Riddell. Brimming with drama and with a powerful environmental message, the stories focus on The Keepers, a secretive tribe of little people who live in the middle of the Whispering Woods. Their task is to care for the countryside and rewild it when humans (or Ruffins as they call them) are careless with it. Young Keepers Cora and Jax are looking forward to the Moonlight Party raft race... with their friend Trix's help, they have built a special raft. But at the same time they are beginning to wonder if they will ever become fully trained Keepers, despite all their rewilding efforts. After an exciting expedition to build a bug hotel and salvage supermarket food waste, they come across a young otter stranded in the stream. Suddenly the raft has a much more important role than Cora ever imagined. With its alluring mix of animal rescue, nature conservation and adventure, this magical, warmhearted series is a must for all young and enthusiastic eco-warriors.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £5.99)

Age 5 plus
Luma and the Grumpy Dragon
Leah Mohammed and Loretta Schauer

THERE'S a special kind of ‘puppy’ love in this adorable debut series from Leah Mohammed who was inspired by her British-Pakistani heritage and the kind of warm, family orientated story she would have loved to read as a girl. Starring schoolgirl Luma Dewan, who has discovered that there is always mischief and magic when you have a baby dragon as a pet, these gorgeous first chapter books feature two warm and funny stories packed with Loretta Schauer’s lovely, cuddly illustrations. Here we find Luma excited to see her new friend Ella, but Timir is very grumpy. Even though he has never met Luma’s new friend, he already knows he doesn’t like her... and he is determined to cause trouble! Meanwhile, there’s great excitement next door as it’s Nani’s birthday. Luma and Timir race to Nani’s back door, arms loaded with gifts. But Nani is worried as Zayan, her dragon, hasn’t come to visit her and he’s never missed a birthday before. Can Luma and Timir track down Zayan... and help to make Nani's birthday extra special? Expect lots of laughs and family fun, flame-loads of mischief, and a truly magical friendship as Luma and her cheeky but lovable dragon steal the show again!
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)

Age 2 plus
Baby Owl: Amazing Animal Tales
Anne Rooney and Qu Lan

WE all see pictures of adorable baby animals… but how big are they really, and how much do they weigh? The ever-inventive book boffins at Oxford University Press work their magic on this exciting and innovative picture book series which delivers incredible baby animal survival stories and optional flaps which open to reveal amazing facts. So say hello to Baby Owl who snuggles with his siblings in the safety of the nest. But as he grows, it’s time to take care of himself. He must find the courage to spread his wings and fly! This heartwarming story – superbly illustrated by Qu Lan in the stunning shades of night time – features an owl family living in the branches of a tall oak tree and has big flaps to open and fascinating owl facts to discover. Readers will love interacting with the flaps where they can guess which owl egg will hatch next! And with a bat to spot on every page, and the choice to make the story a fiction or non-fiction experience, this gorgeous book is a feast of fun, facts and feathery delights!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Food Fight
Alex Latimer

VEGETABLES might currently be hard to track down... but there’s no shortage of veggie laughs in a tasty new picture book from talented writer and illustrator Alex Latimer who is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Fruit and veg top the menu in Food Fight, a fun-packed tale which gives youngsters an early and entertaining insight to the prickly topic of conflict resolution. The Fruits and the Vegetables have been fighting forever but best friends Grape and Mushroom decide it’s time for things to change. They meet in secret and hatch a plan to end the fighting once and for all. And so they set off on an epic journey to the very top of the fridge to ask the legendary Wise Old Cheese for help... that is, if he even exists, of course! Join these tiny peace envoys on their courageous mission as they eventually find the solution in an unexpected place. With a gallery of fresh, eye-catching illustrations, a witty narrative featuring a cast of colourful fruit and veg characters, and a text that reminds readers young and old about the importance of teamwork and friendship, this is the picture perfect way to inspire young diplomats of the future!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Winnie and Wilbur: The Festival of Witches
Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul

THE adventures of Winnie the Witch and her black cat have provided spellbinding, bite-size stories for 35 years and the two madcap stars take centre stage in this super gift edition picture book. Written by the ever-inventive Valerie Thomas and brilliantly illustrated in Korky Paul’s distinctive and charismatic style, Winnie and Wilbur’s escapades are always mad, bad and dangerously hilarious, and in their latest colourful adventure there are laughs galore and a magical celebration of community, diversity and friendship. Winnie and Wilbur are on their annual visit to the Worldwide Witches’ Festival, meeting witches (and their cats!) from all over the globe. They have a wonderful time partying, dancing and learning new spells. When the festival is over, Winnie and Wilbur hop on their broomstick and zoom off on a magical mystery tour to visit their new friends in a tropical treehouse, a castle by the sea and a house on top of a mountain. When they eventually arrive back home, it seems much too quiet… but then there’s a knock at the door! Thomas’s joyful, exuberant and warm-hearted story is a true celebration of all that is good in a world where community and friendship come first while Paul’s richly detailed and playful artwork is full of fun, mischief and mayhem. A cracking chaotic caper that’s guaranteed to cast a spell!
(OUP, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Sophie la girafe: 
Sophie goes to Nursery
Ruth Symons and Vulli

EVER since she was first produced in Paris in 1961, Sophie la girafe has been a worldwide success as the number one squeaky rubber teething toy. And now Sophie is stepping into the limelight again on the pages of a brilliant series of board books. So get ready to prepare your tots and toddlers for nursery with this super tactile book which comes packed with gentle messages, textured trace-the-shape pages to engage babies’ senses, practical tips and lots of first words to learn. Here, we join Sophie for her first day at nursery in a story perfectly created for little ones settling into a new day care environment. Sophie’s experiences help build familiarity and confidence about days at nursery or with a childminder, with each scene picking out key first words for building their language skills. Sensitively and imaginatively written by author Ruth Symons, and beautifully illustrated by Vulli, these colourful books are perfect for reading aloud together with babies and toddlers, or as a gift for a new baby.
(Templar Publishing, board book, £6.99)

Age six months plus
That’s Not My Fire Engine...
Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

SET your little ones’ imaginations on fire with the exciting new book in Usborne’s award-winning That’s Not My... series, a much-loved favourite with both parents and children. The bestselling touchy-feely series has over 70 titles and has sold over 20 million books worldwide. The simple text, bold, colourful illustrations and tactile patches are irresistible to babies and toddlers who love turning the pages and touching the fun and ‘feely’ patches. Written by Fiona Watt and illustrated by Rachel Wells, this new title features different textured patches on every spread as we discover fire engines with their bumpy doors, squashy wheels and sparkly lights speeding through the pages. These board books allow the youngest family members to have a hand in all the fun of reading as they follow the story and look for the little white mouse on every page. Specially designed to develop sensory and language awareness, the distinctive That’s Not My… board books really are a vividly visual and hands-on treat for inquisitive babies and toddlers. Touchy-feely genius at a stroke!
(Usborne Publishing, board book, £6.99)