Books for Christmas 2016 - Fabulous Flowers, Frost Giants and Five-minute Festive Stories

Books can entertain and inform. They can inspire and give direction. And they can comfort and terrify in equal measure. And if - whilst doing all that - they can be bound up as an object of beauty and tactile wonder, well - what could be better?

Here is our selection of books that have a little bit of the 'wow' factor about them that make them almost irresistible to hold in your hands...

A Miscellany of Magical Beasts - Simon Holland
From Werewolves to Merpeople, Griffins to The Sphinx, this is a captivating book of folklore, myths and spellbinding stories of 16 favourite mythical creatures from around the world.

Discover why griffins collect a gem called agate, how to put out dragon fire, how mischievous elves can cause terrible nightmares, and why giants have been with us every step of recorded human history.

The best part of the book is the illustrations though. There are beautiful (and fold out) illustrations from some of our most talented artists and illustrators including David Wyatt, Helen Ward and Gary Blythe. We reckon this is a beautiful gift for any fantasy lover, young or old.

A Treasury of Songs - Julia Donaldson
The physicist Richard Feynmann once observed that his best work came as a direct result of teaching young people - and Julia Donaldson cut her teeth as a teacher, telling stories and writing songs way before becoming one of our most cherished and bestselling children's authors we have ever produced.

Julia is a gifted songwriter for children, and this Treasury of Songs contains over twenty of her best-loved songs, including fun-filled action rhymes, Aesop's fables, and songs based on Julia Donaldson's best-loved picture books, from Room on the Broom to The Gruffalo. Illustrated throughout with Axel Scheffler's warm and wonderful artwork, with a CD of all the songs performed by Julia herself, which will be familiar to anyone who has heard them on TV or radio or enjoyed one of Julia's live performances.

A Year Full of Stories - Angela McAllister
Celebrate your year from New Year's Day to Christmas Eve with this treasury of 52 best-loved stories from around the world. This rich resource collects together folk tales from home and legends and myths from distant lands to commemorate the changing seasons, cultural events and international festivals throughout the year. Stories include 'Father Frost', 'The Magic Porridge Pot', 'The Frog Prince', 'The Runaway Pancake', 'The Pot of Gold', 'The Hare in the Moon' and 'One Dark and Stormy Night'.

And if you want to mix it up a bit with poetry and stories, take a look at the gorgeous 'A Poem for Every Night of the Year', a wonderful collection edited by Allie Esiri, inventor of the poetry app 'iF Poems'.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Carousel Book - Lewis Carroll
This gorgeous edition of Lewis Carroll's famous children's classic is a fabulous book that opens out into a carousel shape, showing Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in six visually enchanting 3-dimensional scenes.

Using original artwork by Sir John Tenniel and an abridged version of Lewis Carroll's original text, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Carousel Book is a delightful introduction to the story for younger readers. Peep into the story as Alice falls down the rabbit hole, grows and shrinks, meets the Cheshire Cat, joins the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, plays croquet with the Duchess, and attends the trial of the Knave of Hearts.

Botanicum - Katie Scott and Katherine J Willis
Big Picture Press scored a huge hit with Animalium (described by one of our customers - who also happens to be a scientist - as possibly the most inspiring science book she'd ever read). Now the same team has produced 'Botanicum', and is another awe-inspiring addition to their 'Welcome to the Museum' series.

It's a stunningly illustrated guide to plant life, curated by Professor Kathy Willis, with artwork from Katie Scott (who also did the artwork for Animalium). Botanicum gives readers the experience of a fascinating exhibition from the pages of a beautiful book. From perennials to bulbs to tropical exotica, Botanicum is a wonderful feast of botanical knowledge complete with superb cross sections of how plants work.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling
Prepare to be spellbound by Jim Kay's dazzling full-colour illustrations in this stunning new edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Breathtaking scenes, dark themes and unforgettable characters - including Dobby and Gilderoy Lockhart - await inside this fully illustrated edition.

With paint, pencil and pixels, award-winning illustrator Jim Kay conjures the wizarding world as we have never seen it before. Fizzing with magic and brimming with humour, this inspired reimagining will captivate fans and new readers alike, as Harry and his friends, now in their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, seek out a legendary chamber and the deadly secret that lies at its heart...

Lie Tree - Frances Hardinge
Next we have three titles, all previously published favourites, now produced with illustrations by Children's Laureate Chris Riddell.

In 'The Lie Tree', Riddell is the perfect illustrator to bring Frances Hardinge's collision of Victorian social injustice, twisted science and dark magic spilling out onto the page and cover in a very special hardback edition. The Lie Tree was one of our favourite books of last year - and winner of the 'Costa Book of the Year' 2015. Find out more when we reviewed the book on BBC Radio Oxford right at the start of this year.

Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman
Here, Riddell's illustrations are combined with jacket designs and metallic ink to turn Gaiman's thrilling, wintry Nordic epic into an icy bookish treat.

It's a tale of legend, magic and adventure in which Odd, a young Viking boy, is left fatherless following a raid on his village. And in the pitiliess Viking world there is no mercy for an unlucky soul with a crushed foot and no one to protect him. Fleeing to the woods, Odd stumbles upon and releases a trapped bear ...and then Odd's destiny begins to change.

The Hunting of the Snark - Lewis Carroll
Finally, in our Chris Riddell triple-bill, Riddell's illustrations perfectly complement Lewis Carroll's famous nonsense rhyme.

They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;
They pursued it with forks and hope;
They threatened its life with a railway-share;
They charmed it with smiles and soap.

First published in 1876, it features a cast of unlikely characters from The Jabberwocky. And whilst stocks last we have signed copies - even better!

5 Minute Festive Stories
A gorgeous gift collection of eight Christmas stories. Filled with festive fun and magical illustrations from best-loved illustrators including Tina Macnaughton, Tim Warnes and many more!

This collection has a tactile cover with holographic foil, and is the perfect present for little ones who are excited about Christmas!

Winnie the Pooh: The Best Bear in all the World
Celebrate 90 years of Winnie-the-Pooh with The Best Bear in all the World, the official sequel to the original stories by A.A. Milne. With brand-new stories from some of the most beloved children's authors writing today: Paul Bright, Brian Sibley, Kate Saunders and Jeanne Willis - each will transport you back into the Hundred Acre Wood for more adventures with Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and the rest of the gang.

With decorations by Mark Burgess, in the style of the cherished illustrations by E.H. Shepard. This book will delight fans old and new. Perfect bedtime reading for ages now-we-are-six and up.

The Storm Whale - Benji Davies
We've already included 'The Storm Whale in Winter' as one of our favourite picture books, but this is a beautiful slipcase edition of the original 'The Storm Whale' as well as 'The Storm Whale in Winter' from award-winning author and illustrator Benji Davies.

It's a poignant and moving tale about making new friends and learning that sometimes we have to let the things we love go.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

‘We’re going on a bear hunt 

We’re going to catch a...

Oh!

Small cuddly fluffy one

In Mostly Books!

We all have our favourite classic childrens picture book, and many people will fondly say that theirs is 'We’re going on a Bear Hunt' by Michael Rosen with the gorgeous and timeless illustrations by Helen Oxenbury. This Christmas, along with the Channel 4 adaptation of the book, you can get your hands on the bear himself, in the form of an adorable plush toy. Perfect for children to curl up with on the cold winter nights, or even for the adults to stage their own bear hunt with!

Also: We have a special limited signed edition in hardback of the original story - email us if you'd like to reserve a copy!

A First Book of Animals - Nicola Davies and Petr Horacek
When Nicola Davies produced ‘A First Book Of Nature’ in 2012, it was one of most popular books to recommend (you can read about it here). Now she has written ‘A First Book Of Animals’, a glorious collection of factual information presented in a poetry format covering everything from Barn Owls to Beavers and beautifully illustrated by Petr Horacek to capture a child's imagination. Split into five sections, Big and Small, Colours and Shapes, Animal Homes, Animal Babies and Animals in Action this is a perfect first poetry book for your little animal lovers.

As a bonus we have a limited number of copies signed by both Nicola and Petr in stock. Email us to reserve yours!

Crooked, twisted, but having a great day: BBC Oxford Afternoon Book Buzz

This week we were utterly thrilled to watch as Oxford-based author Frances Hardinge picked up one of the biggest prizes in British publishing - the Costa Book of the Year award.

Frances' books are a bold and imaginative blend of science fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, history and horror for children and young adults. But aside from her exquisite writing, she's a thoroughly lovely and generous person - and when we've taken her into local schools, the children have always been inspired to write themselves.

So we were excited to be able to rave about her Costa-winning book 'The Lie Tree' on BBC Radio Oxford this week. You can listen to the show here (fast-forward to approximately 2 hours 40 minutes).

Here are the books we reviewed:

The Lie Tree – Frances Hardinge (PB, Macmillan, £7.99)
It’s Victorian England, and Faith knows she has no future as a scientist like her father. But when he is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she discovers that a woman in Victorian society can be good at influencing and manipulating behind the scenes, and she sets about trying to uncover the truth, despite no-one believing her. In her father’s belongings, she finds a strange tree that seems to feed off of whispered lies, and the bigger and more believed the lies, the more the tree grows. She decides to experiment with it, but things start to spiral desperately out of control.

This is another brilliantly thought-provoking, imaginative tale that weaves science and fantasy, drawing on deep storytelling and fairy tale themes but totally original. Frances Hardinge is definitely at the cutting edge of YA writing – and now she’s one of our most celebrated authors.

Crooked Heart – Lissa Evans (Black Swan, PB, £7.99)

Where Frances Hardinge has written a book which has plenty of appeal for adult readers, Lissa Evans is an author who writes for children and adults. Lissa’s children’s books are brilliantly imaginative mystery stories and have been shortlisted for just about every children’s award going (here's a review we did in 2011 for 'Small Change for Stuart', one of favourite children's books ever)

In Crooked Heart, we reckon she’ll get plenty more nominations. It’s simply a rollicking good story, told with dark humour, showing how different people, with different skills, can be thrown together and blossom in the confusion of war.

The story is set at the outbreak of World War II, and Noel Bostock - aged ten, with no family - is evacuated from London to escape the Blitz. He winds up in St Albans with Vera Sedge. They seem the polar opposite: where Noel is studious, serious and analytical, Vee is instinctive, opportunistic and always on the make, drowning in debts and always desperate for money.

On her own, Vee’s a disaster, but with Noel, she's a team. But the consequences of their activities start to make them dangerous enemies, and Noel finds evacuation hasn’t exactly made him safer. Funny, original, a wonderful read.

How to Have a Good Day : Think Bigger, Feel Better and Transform Your Working Life – Caroline Webb (Macmillan, PB, £14.99)

Finally, we're big suckers for personal development or ‘how-to’ books (or, as we like to euphemistically call them, ‘success literature’) but in recent years the move has been to back up traditional recommendations of success (positive thinking, positive affirmations and goal settings) with the latest developments in how the brain works.

What we love about Caroline Webb’s ‘How to Have a Good Day’ is how it’s written as a handbook to achieve better outcomes in your life, with a folksy, attractive style which sets nice, achievable steps and contains plenty of real, recent proof that her tips really work.

It’s not grandiose, it’s nicely self-deprecating, and contains all sorts of science-backed, small changes we can make to achieve really desirable outcomes e.g. getting a better night’s sleep, getting along better with work colleagues, feeling fitter and achieving more. What a great way to start the year!

Super Thursday indie-style: is that the sound of Summer Reading we hear?

Sometimes in the Autumn, it seems like every Thursday is "super-Thursday", a day when huge numbers of books are published, and bookshops up and down the land struggle to cope with the number of boxes coming in.

Generally speaking the book trade loves these events - it generates huge interest in books, and creates a real buzz about the big-hitters that are going to bring customers into the shop in the crucial Christmas period.

Independent bookshops tend to have a more mixed feeling about these days (particularly those checking books into stock!). We are much simpler folk, tending to mistrust the pile 'em high philosophy of traditional retail, and prefer instead a steadier stream of great titles that we can sort through, curate, and introduce to readers by placing a book into someone's hands.

But here's the curious thing. Inevitably, about six months later, many of these big titles get published in paperback. On the same day. Along with quite a few big-hitting new titles. And yet - not a peep it seems from the publishing world?

Now there may or may not be a few other things happening next Thursday, but - in the spirit of independent retail, and on the basis that the majority of readers prefer paperbacks and wait for them eagerly to be published as paperback (particularly fiction, particularly bookgroup books, particularly as the holiday reading season approaches) we're having our own 'Super Thursday' in the bookshop next week.

We can't promise scantily-clad publicity assistants (of either gender). Or features on Start The Week. Although Mark may bare his knees if you are unlucky...

But we can promise some great reading to fire the gun on some of favourite reads ahead of Summer...

Kate Atkinson's dazzling 'Life After Life', explored the possibility of infinite chances, as Ursula Todd lived through the turbulent events of the last century again and again. In 'A God in Ruins', Atkinson turns her focus on Ursula's beloved younger brother RAF bomber pilot Teddy.

This is a highly engrossing and often heartbreaking journey though post-war Britain from the point of view of someone who witnessed so much death in his young life, his greatest challenge becomes to face living in a future he never expected to have. It manages to be a story about death, about life and also about narrative and story itself and certainly deserves to be considered a masterpiece and to be treasured as such.

One of our favourite books when it was published back in the Autumn (and with a much friendlier picture of Alan for the paperback cover!) 'Not My Father's Son' by Alan Cumming is part memoir, part family-history mystery, and part whodunnit as an appearance on Who Do You Think You Are sets off a landslide of family secrets and half-truths that make for a genuine page-turning read with a hugely satisfying ending.

You cannot help but get sucked into the entwined tale of two strands of Alan's family and the revelations at times are jaw-dropping. An uplifting, effortless read that's also an unexpected meditation on the shadows - and light - cast on us by our ancestors. 

We love Louise Levene - her debut 'A Vision of Loveliness' brilliantly evoked the dark-edged realities and possibilities of being a young woman in 60s London. So it's appropriate the we've moved into the 1970s with 'The Following Girls' (and we love that cover!)

Amanda Baker is part of a school gang 'the four Mandies', girls who are constantly in trouble at school. Stuck in the 1970s, where there is still a fight over woman having jobs and not being bound to the house all day, they have the teenage mindset of hating everything; from school to their parents rules. A funny, sharp story about growing up, life and friendship that could be more dangerous than good. This is one of Imogen's picks for the Summer.

One of Mark's favourites from last year is 'The Axeman's Jazz' by Ray Celestin. A killer is on the loose in New Orleans at the end of World War. A letter to the police promises to kill on a specific date, but also to spare anyone in whose house ‘a jazz band is in full swing’. Thus starts a frenetic jazz-fuelled race against the clock in the sultry, swampy, racially-charged state of post-war Louisiana. Corruption is rife, but it’s in everyone’s interest – politicians, police and Mafiosi – to catch the killer. But just who is responsible for the Axeman’s Jazz? Original, suspenseful and based on true events, this is cracking entertainment.

The death of Terry Pratchett was widely - and fittingly - mourned throughout the reading world, so it's very appropriate that Julia has voted for 'A Slip of the Keyboard', published in paperback on May 7. This collection of the best of Terry Pratchett's includes observations on subjects as diverse as animal rights, Gandalf's love life, banana daiquiris - and the disease that eventually killed him. With a forward by Neil Gaiman (with who he collaborated on the book 'Good Omens') this is a fine way to honour one of our greatest writers. 

A few times a year, a book is published that isn't just a bestseller, but a literary phenomenon. David Nicholls' book 'One Day' certainly fell into that category, but the tone is altogether darker in 'Us' which arrives in paperback ready for one of our big Summer reading picks.

With their teenage son all grown up, is there any reason for Connie and Douglas to stay together? Unwisely they plan an elaborate last family holiday – taking in the whole of Europe. What follows is a well-observed, sometimes hilarious, often painful bittersweet story of a marriage.

A new No 1 Ladies Detective Agency novel from Alexander McCall Smith is a cause for shouting for huge numbers of readers (and a celebratory pot of redbush tea), so we're delighted that 'The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe' arrives in paperback on May 7. 

This is Mma Ramotswe's fifteenth adventure (can you believe that?) and this time the focus is fully on Mma Makutsi, Ramotswe's enthusiastic, ambitious business partner (although officially she's only 'an assistant full partner' of course). Launching her own new enterprise, the 'Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe' ("only for the fashionable people") she's soon up to her neck in grumpy chefs, drunken waiters. So who's she gonna call? Mma Ramotswe, of course.

One of our favourite children's authors, Frances Hardinge, is riding high at the moment with her novel 'Cuckoo Song' being read across the country by children shadowing the Carnegie Award. And 'The Lie Tree' is another blistering original piece of storytelling that seems destined for awards.

In Victorian England, Faith knows she has no future as a scientist like her father. But when he is murdered she discovers women can be good at influencing and manipulating behind the scenes and she sets about trying to uncover the truth, even though no-one will believe it. Another thought-provoking, imaginative tale that weaves science and fantasy - Frances Hardinge is definitely at the cutting edge of YA writing.

(Frances had some cracking writing tips for aspiring authors when she came to Abingdon a few years ago - if you are interested about her writing process, our interview with her is well worth reading)

Back to non-fiction, and this was a giant of a book last Autumn - and a book we recommended a lot (and even spoke about on the radio). As far as themes go, they don’t get much bigger than the entire history of our species. Yuval Harari’s ‘Sapiens’ is one of those monumental works that gives a dizzying perspective on how we came to rule – and threaten – the entire planet. It starts with changes in our brain that allowed us to tell stories, imagine alternative scenarios, and out-manoeuvre other species (notably Neanderthals). From there we became farmers, developed religion, invented money, harnessed technology and threatened widespread extinction.

The writing is superb – fresh, brazen – and never afraid to come off the fence in areas that are controversial: did we domesticate wheat, or did it domesticate us? Did stockpiling food lay the psychological seeds for consumerism? Are we happier now than *any* of our ancestors? And what is going to replace our species, as surely as we replaced earlier species?

Another incredible book from one of Imogen's favourite authors - particularly relevant because two of our staff (no names!) will be travelling down to London later in May to a big event with author Sarah J Maas...

'A Court of Thorns and Roses' is a unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Follow Feyre as she is dragged from her home to live in a world dangous for Mortals. Filled with fey and magic, nothing is ever as it seems, and as the time she spends there lengths, she realises that the fey she lives with are hiding more than just their faces under the masks that they wear. Perfect for any fairytale loved, the magic of this book will not leave you even after finishing the last page...

With a highly prolific career - including a fictional retelling of the battle of Waterloo - it may surprise you to learn that 'Waterloo : The History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles' is Bernard Cornwell's first ever non-fiction title.

Cornwell combines his storytelling skills with a meticulously researched history to give a riveting account of every dramatic moment of the battle of Waterloo, from Napoleon's escape from Elba to the smoke and gore of the battlefields. Through letters and diaries he also sheds new light on the private thoughts of Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington, as well as the ordinary officers and soldiers. Published to coincide with the bicentenary this year, Waterloo is a tense and gripping story of heroism and tragedy - and of the final battle that determined the fate of Europe...

Finally, mystery stories are big at the moment for children, and we are big fans of Lauren Child and her undercover, wisecracking, teen sleuth Ruby Redfort. With funky new jackets for the whole series, book 3 arrives in paperback on Thursday: 'Catch You Death'. Ruby finds herself in a survival situation, with tigers and other wild animals on the loose. But if anyone can solve the mystery, it's going to be Ruby...

So - twelve of the best for Super Thursday. The odd one not (strictly speaking) published on that day, but near enough. And with other hardback titles from Mostly Books favourite Jeffery Deaver (Solitude Creek, the new Kathryn Dance novel), Kathy Reich's latest on paperback ('Bones Never Lie') and Wilbur Smith's 'Desert God' there will be a lot of activity in the shop next Thursday...

BBC Radio Oxford Afternoon Bookclub for March - and a Face Like Glass

Following on from World Book Day last week, here are two sessions on the BBC Oxford Afternoon show - the first is the regular monthly afternoon bookgroup that took place today (Monday March 11 - and which will be on BBC iPlayer for the next 7 days).

So get yourself a hot beverage, and indulge yourself in some bookish discussions...

Together with Nigel French of Coles Bookshop, we discussed some new titles - including Katherine Rundell's 'Rooftoppers' and John Ashdown-Hill's book 'The Last Days of Richard III' as well as discussing 'Red Bones' by Ann Cleeves, the book which inspired 'Shetland'.

Click on the link here and fast forward to approximately 1 hour and 9 minutes (or slightly earlier if you fancy a bit of Belinda Carlisle). The full list of books discussed can be found here.

On World Book Day itself we did an event with Frances Hardinge at Chandlings School - here are some of the children with copies of Frances' books:

Click to listen here and fast forward to approximately 2 hours 9 minutes. It's a fascinating interview with an author who was shaped by books, was addicted to books and stories from an early age, and can't imagine a life not writing...

Our Favourite Books of 2012 Part 1: Ellie's Picks

At the beginning of last year, we pulled together our favourite books of the previous twelve months - and this year we're doing it again. All the staff are choosing their favourite titles, and first up is Ellie with her picks of 2012...

A Face Like Glass – Frances Hardinge

"Before last year I hadn’t read any Frances Hardinge and now I can’t believe how much I had been missing out! Twilight Robbery came out in paperback early in 2012 and I picked it up thinking it looked interesting, not realising that it was a sequel . . . luckily this didn’t really matter and I was very quickly hooked, so much so that several books later I’m now eagerly awaiting the next Hardinge book.

A Face Like Glass is a typical Frances Hardinge book and has everything I would expect from her previous books: a gripping narrative, great characters and fantastic writing – in fact her writing style is something that I love the most and I think makes her stand out from the rest of children’s fiction – it’s tight, imaginative prose with a good amount of humour coming through. She doesn't write down to her audience and her books are perfect for the more advanced 9+ reader and suitable for up to 12+.

When 5-year-old Neverfell turns up in Grandible’s cheese tunnels he's surprised that someone has been able to evade the very extensive defences that he’s been working on for years - and even more shocked by her face. But he takes her under his wing and starts teaching her his skills and protects her from the world outside his tunnels. For seven years Neverfell lives with Grandible, working on his cheeses and wearing a mask whenever she answers the front door or gives the cheeses to the delivery boys, convinced that her face is so horrible no-one will be able to stand to look at it.

Then one day she suddenly finds herself in the 'outside' world of Caverna - a mass of tunnels extending up, down, and back on itself, where plots and assassinations are part of everyday life. Here she finds that her face is more dangerous than she could have imagined. For, in this world, everyone must learn their expressions; happy, sad, angry . . . they must all be taught by the Facesmiths. But Neverfell’s face is like nothing in Caverna – it’s a face like glass that needs no taught expression for it shows her thoughts and emotions clearly for everyone to read. It is more dangerous than she could possibly realise and, in a world where people covet the best and latest in fashions, Neverfell becomes the next desirable commodity to acquire . . . 

A Face Like Glass is a riveting read and Frances Hardinge creates a truly imaginative, exciting and quirky world. Whilst her books are fantasy books, I think they would appeal to a much wider audience – anyone who’s read Kate O’Hearn, Philip Reeve, Maile Meloy’s The Apothecary or other adventure stories would be sure to enjoy these. I wouldn’t compare them to these books, but I think anyone who likes exciting adventures will get a lot out of Frances Hardinge.!

(At the moment we still have a couple of signed copies left if you would like a very special gift for someone.) 

Gods and Warriors – Michelle Paver

"I’m a big fan of Michelle Paver – years ago my younger sister really got into the Chronicles of Darkness Trilogy and I was one of the last in my family to borrow the books and be completely captivated by her stories. I was quite excited that she had started a new series and eager to find out if it was as good as the tales of Renn, Torak and his pack-brother Wolf. I am pleased to say it lived up to everything I had hoped.

Set in the Mycenean Bronze Age, the story takes place a few thousand years later than Wolf Brother. As with Wolf Brother, there is a little bit of magic involved in the book, but it is a magic evoked from the old ways and is in keeping with the prehistoric and superstitious nature of the society – a society that is still close to nature and believes in gods who control different aspects of life and the elements. The magic in it doesn’t get in the way of the story and certainly doesn’t make it overly a fantasy novel, but gives it an otherworldly quality of ancient worlds.

The story is based around three children – Hylas, an Outsider and poor goatherd, his friend, Telamon, a wealthy chieftain’s son and Pirra, the daughter of a high priestess destined for an arranged marriage but longing for the freedom she thought was promised to her when she reached the age of 12. This first book centres around Hylas who is caught up in the chase to recover a sacred dagger that The Crows – so named because of their dark skin and armour - believe make them invincible. Believing an outsider to have stolen it, they are hunting them all down and in the ensuing chaos Hylas and his little sister are separated. Concerned that she will never survive on her own, Hylas sets out to find her but must also protect himself as the Crows continue to search for him and the dagger.

These three characters are all quite different and the conflicts that inevitably arise add to the believability and reality of the story. Hylas is tough and self-reliant because as an orphan looking after his younger sister he’s always had to be. He knows little of the world beyond the mountains in which he tends the locals’ goats except what he’s heard from stories. Telamon, an unlikely friend, is the complete opposite and is caught between loyalties – to Hylas, to his father and to his clan and honour. Then there is Pirra, a girl who is used to a world of luxury but would prefer her own freedom to all the trinkets in the world, and she will do anything to get it. Their different characters means there is often conflict between them and Hylas and Pirra especially must learn to trust one another if they are to escape. Finally, there is Spirit – a dolphin that rescues and befriends Hylas and whose voice really adds to the story.

Paver’s books are brilliant for children 9+, with fantastic writing and her amazing research shows through, adding seamlessly to the story without being forced or unnecessarily included. What is especially nice is that Paver writes a book unequivocally for and about children and whilst parts of the story are told from the point of view of animals, it’s never cheesy or out of place and works really well. All her characters are wonderful and vibrant, showing their courage and strength in different ways. I would strongly recommend reading any of her books."

Bellwether Revivals – Benjamin Wood

"Up for the Costa this year, it definitely deserved some recognition. I read this at the beginning of last year when it came out in hardback and absolutely loved it. When I had to think of my top books from last year, I really struggled, as is inevitable when you read a lot, it can be difficult to remember everything and pick out the especially good ones from all the generally enjoyable ones!

This book really did linger with me afterwards and was one I repeatedly recommended to friends and family so qualifies perfectly for my favourite books of the year. It had the feel of some of the old classics, Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead or Fitzgerald, the doomed upper class family etc, exploring some interesting themes including education and class, sanity and madness and science and faith. It is a powerful read that explores the vulnerabilities of genius and the naivity of young, bright minds and centres around the Bellwether family and Oscar Lowe.

Oscar, a bookish young care assistant, is on his way home one day when he is drawn into a church by the music drifting out of its doors. In this way he happens to meet the beautiful Iris Bellwether, a medical student, and her idiosyncratic brother, Eden, an organist whose music it was that so attracted Oscar that fateful night. Falling in love with Iris he is drawn into her privileged and educated world amid the Cambridge colleges and finds himself caught up in the strange machinations of the brilliant but troubled Eden. A music prodigy, he believes in the healing power of music and the theories of a forgotten Baroque composer, Johann Mattheson. He’s so adamant in these theories that he undertakes a series of disturbing experiments with his friends to prove himself right – sometimes without their consent.

Iris is concerned that her brother might suffer from delusions of grandeur and asks Oscar to help her find proof of Eden’s illness so she can get him psychiatric help. So enters Herbert Crest, an elderly psychologist who is researching alternative medicine and the healing power of faith. The question of Eden’s sanity soon becomes obvious as things begin spiraling out of control, with conflicts rising to the surface and only Oscar seems to recognise the danger.

It is with a wonderful languid pace and compelling opening scene that Wood grips you immediately, increasing to an intense climax but all written with a beautifully deft and light touch. This is a gripping and skillful debut novel with richly drawn character and I look forward to more from Benjamin Wood."

Raven Black – Ann Cleaves

"I only discovered Ann Cleeves earlier last year when we did an event with her. Her Shetland series has now become one of my favourite crime literature books. Set in the Shetland Isles, they have a wonderful atmosphere to them and I really love the characters, particularly the laid back Inspector Jimmy Perez. This book won the Crime Writers’ Association Duncan Lawrie Dagger for 2006, and definitely deserved to.

What I particularly love about Ann Cleeves’ books are the sense of place she creates – the cold and the isolation of these islands is almost tangible, along with the dominant, clawing tight knit community where nothing is able to be kept secret for long and where all appear united but tensions lie just below the surface. There is a slight Nordic quality to the place (but not to the plot line!). I really like Ann Cleaves’ writing which is light crime and, I feel, more like crime literature than crime thrillers or dramas as they are very much about solving the crime and the mystery rather than being overly dramatic.

After dropping her daughter off at school one morning, shortly after New Year, Fran Hunter finds her eye drawn to a violent slash of red across the snow. As a painter, she draws closer thinking solely of the colours and composition, only to discover the body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. The locals soon focus their attention on one man – a loner and simpleton who has once before been accused of the abduction and murder of a young girl eight years previously, Magnus Tate. The community is soon consumed by an atmosphere of suspicion and fear as outside officers are called in to help and Inspector Jimmy Perez must try to stop the investigation becoming too narrow. Slowly but surely, using his own methods which rely more on talking and observing, he uncovers the hidden secrets and relationships under pressure that lead him to the killer.

It is a neatly plotted book with a good pace and is beautifully written, combining perfectly the old-fashioned mystery whodunnit with the psychological crime. All the characters have their own voice and are depicted really well, and there are enough of them for there to be plenty of suspects, clues and red-herrings to keep you guessing. It builds to a great climax and conclusion and after reading this I have now read the following two in the series and see them as a real treat to read. If you’re not so much of a crime thriller reader, but enjoy the odd mystery then you might like this too."

The Other Half of Me - Morgan McCarthy

"The Other Half of Me is a darkly gothic and memorable debut about two siblings growing up in a rather grand but neglected Welsh manor house. Whilst not a fast-paced book, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and what I particularly found gripping was the dark undertone conveyed through the undercurrent of conflict within the family and put under further strain by their deeply buried secrets. McCarthy has a beautiful writing style with elegant and evocative descriptive prose.

The book predominantly focuses on the lives of Jonathan and his little sister Theo as they grow up in the large house and wild gardens of their ancestral home, Evendon, in Wales. They run wild most of the time, living a free and languid life filled with Theo’s extravagant fantasies and games exploring the mysteries and hidden parts of the garden. With few friends at school the two are understandably very close, an inevitable result of their mother’s neglect and are only partially governed by the cook, cleaner and nanny, and presided over by the dominating portrait in the dining room of their grandmother Eve.

After their mother, Alicia, attempts suicide and is sent away for help, the mysterious and grand Eve comes home to look after them. Whilst Jonathan comes to idolize Eve, Theo’s odd-behaviour becomes more apparent in contrast to Eve’s cultured and dominant matriarchal character.

Theo continues to grow more ethereal and vacant, living in her own world and on the occasions that she seems more lucid and tangible she is disturbed by odd ideas and whisperings of the family’s dark secrets behind closed doors. In contrast, Jonathan is ambitious and works hard to impress Eve and emulate her business success as he trains to become an architect. Whilst he moves on and leaves Evendon, he becomes more distant with Theo and misunderstands her own-preoccupations and behaviour as a result of drug use. The growing gap between Jonathon and Theo is echoed with his relationship with his childhood friend and neighbour, Maria, a girl he is in love with but who finds his ambition is making him increasingly callous and cold.

Whilst Jonathan thrives in his new environment, encouraged by Eve and his own success, Theo does not, constantly dropping out of college courses and Eve-arranged jobs. Unreliable and flaky, her behaviour irritates Eve beyond endurance as she becomes increasingly obsessed with their long-lost father and is convinced that all the stories they have been told about his disappearance are lies. Soon the mysteries of Evendon and the fates of all the people surrounding Eve bring tragedy to this haunted family.

This was a beautiful but brooding story of these two children and the sad glamour in which they are constantly surrounded. It was the kind of book that grips you without overly relying on drama and focused more on the psychological effects brought about by family secrets. McCarthy is a master at crafting this tragic tale of damaged souls in a way that enthralls the reader. Certainly it is a story of lies and sadness, mystery and loneliness but it is also one of love."

Going underground: Frances Hardinge at St Nicolas School

One of the lures of becoming a full-time writer is that it gives you certain freedoms in terms of how you work, and what you do from week to week. Children's author Frances Hardinge is no exception, although her ability to claim dangerous speleological activities and volcano hiking trips against tax seems to indicate an particularly devious, creative and resourceful mind.

We suspected as much, because - as far as we are concerned - Frances possesses a fearsome imagination which has produced some of the best books for confident readers that we sell in the shop.

By a huge slice of luck, Frances spends a large chunk of time in Oxford, so it was a delight to welcome her to Abingdon and take her into one of its best primary school's: St Nicolas.

The school had certainly prepared well for Frances' visit, with the day structured around a talk given by Frances followed by some very creative workshops which inspired the children to come up with their own weird and wonderful characters.

The teachers and children made her feel very welcome as Frances told them about her books - and how she writes. Frances talked about her latest book 'A Face Like Glass' (which we have absolutely loved - read our review here - it deserves to be on every children's book award shortlist going, in our honest opinion).

The book tells the story of Neverfell, who arrives - dramatically - by falling (literally) into the life of Grandible (or rather, his cheese vat). Grandible is an artisan cheesemaker who lives apart from the rest of his underground society, the world of Caverna.

Frances read from the book, as well as describing the wonderful world of Caverna, where artifacts are made to such a high standard, they possess remarkable and almost magical qualities, but where children are born without the ability to show emotions. They have to be taught facial expressions, and this means that everyone (or nearly everyone) is perfect at lying, and the world of Caverna is one of courtly intrigue and subterfuge.

There were some really imaginative questions from the children - no "where do you get you ideas from"-type questions here; seduced by Frances' wonderful storytelling style, we had some of the most imaginative questions I think I've ever heard from an author event:

• Do you write each individual book, or are they photocopied?
• Do you create a world inside your head which you can then enter? (what a great question!).
• Is writing books fun?
• and (my absolute favourite): What makes a great book?

The children were then set a specific writing task by Frances: to create a character. Given some guidance as to those elements most important in creating a character, the children went back to their classrooms and a formidable creative effort followed.

Frances joined in, ostensibly to help, but more often to marvel at the creativity and imagination of the children.

Here were some of the guidelines to think about:

There were some great creations. Amid all the evil super-villains ('Dylan The Villain' being a favourite, although 'The Annihilator' ran a close second) Frances was keen to emphasise that characters must have a weakness - characters without any weaknesses become very dull in a book...

The children regrouped in the hall to read out some of their creations. We had characters who burst into flames when they got angry, goblins masquerading as parents and trying to poison the children, slaves leading revolts - and all kinds of monsters, robots and regular folk with unusual powers. Sea serpents bursting out on demand and under command, that sort of thing. People who couldn't deal with loud noises, bright lights - or indeed, bad music (I think we can all relate to that, maybe not so much to the sea serpents?).

Frances shared other writing tips - and, put on the spot, left us with a few of the writers that had inspired her as a young child: Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, Leon Garfield, lots of detective fiction and a favourite book: 'Watership Down'.

Unusually for June, it was hot and sunny outside, so we quickly decamped to the playground where Frances signed copies of her books:

It was an inspiring visit, just what we hoped for, and the St Nicolas teachers deserve huge credit for the amount of work and preparation that went into the event. Thanks very much to them, and also to Frances. I really hope we get to another event with her (and St Nicolas!) soon.

In the meantime, we were keen to catch up with Frances and her writing life, so she was put on the spot and asked the inevitable five questions...

Five Questions with...Frances Hardinge's Writing Life

1.    What are you working on at the moment?
I'm working on two books at the moment. The first is a changling story from the 1920s, but the second is altogether weirder. It’s a pirate story, but set on an otherworldly sea in a parallel world in which memories from our world take physical form in this world.


2.    What is the best writing tip you’ve ever been given?

When sending your work out, treat your rejections as triumphs, your rejection slips as trophies. Getting rejected means you are getting out there, it means you are making progress. Listening to criticism and making revisions is all part of the craft. It's a toughening up process, and you need a thick skin for when your books gets published!


3.    What’s the best thing and the worst thing about being a children’s writer?

The best thing is the freedom – being able to set your own schedule, working when you like, getting up when you like. But the worst thing is: the freedom! Having the freedom to do anything means you need iron discipline to sit and write, sometimes deadlines seem far into the future. To counter this, I belong to two writing groups. One group meets weekly, and if I haven’t produced anything new by the time I go, I get laughed at. It's a great way of enforcing discipline.

4.    Do you have a writer’s survival kit, eg a place, thing of snack essential before you can start work?

Well, I split my time between Oxford and Isleworth. I have a room in which I write in Isleworth (well, it's sort of used as a storage room) but I have a desk in Oxford and most of the writing gets done here. But there are other activities which I consider to be just as essential to the writing process. Every Thursday, for example, I do a 10 mile hike and this allows me time away from the screen and to think.

5.    What was your biggest breakthrough?

Obviously the moment I landed a contract was a big breakthrough, but creatively it was my first ever reading in front of a bookgroup. I had written a short story, and we were all sitting around in a student sitting room. I was absolutely terrified, but started to read - and there was this absolute silence. Then about halfway through someone knocked at the door, and there was a collective groan because the story had been interrupted. At that point I realised that the silence was because everyone had been listening intently to the story, and at that point it dawned on me that perhaps people might be interested in what I might write. This was my real creative breakthrough.