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!

Living in Interesting Times: Buy Dad A Real Book for Father's Day 2016

This year's 'Buy Dad A Real Book' campaign might be slightly overshadowed by "events, dear boy, events" but that still doesn't mean, amongst the swirling chaos and uncertainty of the next few weeks (and that's just the football) we still can't carve out a moment of calmness and sanity, and treat Dad to a special book.

Yes, if ever there was a moment to pull the plug on the 24/7 world of news, punditry, opinions, trolling, tweets and status updates, Sunday June 19 might just be that day...

As has become customary over the past few years, here's our selection of books for you to choose from. We have many more recommends for you to pick in the shop, so why not come in and ask for a special recommendation for the Dad in your life.

And - as has also become customary, and with inclusion uppermost in our minds - we offer this piece of wonderful wisdom told us in the shop by a lady who remembers her Dad every year by reading a book she knows he would have enjoyed. Kudos.

Abingdon's ATOM Science Festival kicks off at the end of June, and ‘Atoms under the Floorboards’ is a light-hearted science read that gets down to the things around us and looks at them at an atomic level. Chris Woodford takes us on a fun and fascinating journey that will answer questions such as 'why dust never blows away' and 'why ice is slippery', to 'how you can split an atom in your living room'. Focusing on our daily lives, yet choosing imaginative subject matter, this will interest those curious about the scientific underpinnings of the modern world.

‘Anatomy of a Soldier’ is the riveting story of the everyday life of a soldier and coming to terms with a life-changing injury. Harry Parker tells the brave tale in an unusual but effective style, using objects around the soldier to demonstrate and explore the extremes both of boredom and danger. How does a solder deal with the ever-present threat, yet have to face and try to understand the enemy? How does he or she cope with the thoughts of those at home? A thought-provoking, at times chaotic book that looks set to become one of the must-reads of 2016.

A whole plethora of picture books has been published aimed at little ones, and celebrating the father-child relationship (bizarrely, many of them seem to feature animals - go figure). We appreciate that a title that seems unbearably cute to one chap might represent the epitome of saccharine queasiness to another - so our bookseller Imogen has hunted through the titles for the best of the bunch.

In ‘School for Dads’ the talented writing partnership of Adam and Charlotte Guillain (who wrote the brilliant 'Socks for Santa' and 'Treats for T-Rex') come up trumps with a great, inclusive celebration and an imaginative and respectful twist on the 'clueless Dad' character who seems to crop up a lot in contemporary culture.

All the dads that are late to pick up their children are sent to school for the day, where the children teach them everything from play time to ‘being fair’. The dads are made to do P.E. and are not allowed sweets for lunch, and the children begin to realise that it might be pretty difficult to be an adult sometimes. A sweet, funny story perfect for dad that will remind them of their own days at school, and the cold floor they had to sit on in assembly...

Little Monster can’t wait to grow up like his dad in ‘When I’m a Monster like you, Dad’ by David O'Connell. Little Monster can be big and scary, but Dad knows there is also fun in staying small and young, and playing games.


Thanks to big, bold illustration by illustrator Francesca Gambatesa, this is a really fun story about how dads and their little monsters can mess around like children and enjoy their time together.

If that dose of cutesiness has got you gasping for something a bit more in the way of good old British sarcastic humour (!), then look no further than 'How It Works: The Dad'. Another in the genius 'Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups' series, it's another brilliantly funny gem, featuring genuine artwork from the original Ladybird books.

It's a fine celebration of the institution of fatherhood. So if your Dad has superpowers (such as the ability to turn invisible whilst picking his nose in traffic) then we reckon he'd love to get a copy of this book...

There's no denying the boom in lycra-clad men on bikes in recent years, but cycling is most definitely booming, and we're extremely lucky in Abingdon to have arguably one of the country's most dynamic and exciting cycle shops, Outdoor Traders (they even have their own race team who won the Oxfordshire Road Race League in 2015).

So if you know someone who dreams of doing legendary Tour de France climbs but perhaps needs a bit of motivation to get there, we reckon they will love 'Tour de France Legendary Climbs on Google Earth' by Richard Abraham. They feature 20 notorious 'Hors Categorie' Tour de France Climbs, which you can follow through the power of Google Earth. From the dizzying heights of the 2,715-metre ascent of Col de la Bonette to the historic Great St Bernard Pass, this is a book to inspire (albeit from the safety of the living room and a laptop).

One of our favourite bike books of the last ten years was Robert Penn's 'It's All About the Bike' - about as infectious and inspirational exhortation of a life on two wheels as it's possible to get. But in the course of writing that book - partly from meeting artisan bike builders in California - Robert's latest book is 'The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees'.

With his trademark passion and enthusiasm, he travels across Europe and the USA looking at people who still use ancient techniques with the tree that has been used the most over thousands of years to make everything from wheels and arrows to furniture and baseball bats. With ash trees facing extinction on both sides of the Atlantic, this is also a poignant cri de coeur about keeping our connections with our environment.

As well as bike books, we're currently living through a golden age of sublime 'football literature'. Nick Hornby's 'Fever Pitch' and David Peace's 'The Damned United' come to mind, but also Jonathan Wilson's history of football tactics 'Inverting the Pyramid' (so gripping and readable, it's like a thriller) and Lynne Truss' 'Get Her Off The Pitch' (about how sport in general can take over your life).

Football arouses such passion amongst the British (from a hatred of football culture right the way through to a kind of religious passion) and right at the top of the pile sits 1966. We thoroughly recommend Peter Chapman's tour-de-force look at the wider context of England's last major football triumph in 'Out of Time: 1966 and the End of Old-Fashioned Britain'. It's a highly personal - and unflinching - look at both the exciting opportunities and grim realities of a country on the cusp of social change over the Summer of the 1966 World Cup. From cruel teachers, low expectations, industrial disasters and the London music scene, it's our big recommend for anyone who wants a corrective to the myth behind *that* football match and *that* legendary piece of commentary...

Moving from 1966 to 1666, we've loved introducing readers to Andrew Taylor's 'The Ashes of London'. An historical thriller, set in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, it involves the son of a Cromwell supporter, jailed for treason, who is investigating a murder victim discovered in the ashes of the fire. Anyone looking for a new 'Matthew Shardlake' are not going to be disappointed, with Taylor pulling off CJ Sansom's trick of a cracking mystery with excellent period detail. We're already looking forward to a sequel.

Just out in paperback, one of Julia's favourite books of last year, 'Arcadia' by Iain Pears. It's a story of three worlds: One present (1970's), one future and the third an invention from the mind of a writer called Henry Lytten. When these worlds collide a whole heap of trouble occurs. A schoolgirl from the nineteen seventies is mistaken for a fairy. Security officers from the future are arrested as Soviet spies and Lytten enters his own story and is worshipped as a deity. This is an eclectic mix of fantasy, history, science fiction and dystopian future which together make an engrossing - and brilliantly original - read.

The 1966 players became rock stars in their day, and Neil Gaiman is the closest thing to a literary rock star (a 'ledge' as the kids might say). Whilst the author of 'American Gods' is viewed as a God by most of his fans, this collection of the best of his non-fiction writing allows you to get inside the head (and heart) of one of our most celebrated writers.

Read 'The View from the Cheap Seats' cover to cover or dip in, you'll find essays on everything from 'How to make good art' to working with Terry Pratchett, from the comic creations of Jack Kirby to the songs of Lou Reed. And if you fancy a treat on how good Gaiman's writing can be, take a look at possibly the finest advice ever offered to authors on how to write. Seriously, utter genius...

We reckon Neil Gaiman likes a drink (although perhaps he's teetotal. Or perhaps he just *says* he's teetotal to gullible journalists?). Anyway, if he *does* drink, we reckon he'd love 'Craft Spirits' by Eric Grossman.

Whilst the 'Craft Beer' movement has taken the world by storm, Craft Spirits is the next big thing, and Grossman is an enthusiastic guide through the international range of craft spirits, with the names to watch and spirits to try with new recipes for cocktails and the stories behind the spirits.

There we go - a dozen recommends for Father's Day inspiration. But don't forget that we are all about recommending for anyone you are buying for. Why not pop into the shop and we can put together your very own shortlist of titles to choose the perfect gift!

Books for Christmas Part 3: Swish-capes, Mistakes, Misfits - Favourite Fiction for Younger Readers

We've had plenty of gift ideas for grown ups over the past few weeks (history and biography and some special editions) so this week is given over almost exclusively for children (although we have a sneaky suspicion that several of these books will end up in bigger people's stockings).

Some might argue we're living in a golden age of children's books at the moment, and this selection of our favourite books for younger readers aged 7-9 can only strengthen that argument. Here we go...

The Sleeper and The Spindle - Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell - £10.99

A thrillingly re-imagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of two of our absolute favourites, author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell - weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish. Lavishly produced, packed with glorious Chris Riddell illustrations enhanced with metallic ink, this is a spectacular and magical gift. This is one of those books you have to come in and pick up to truly appreciate - so please do!

Dragons at Crumbling Castle: And Other Stories -Terry Pratchett - £12.99     

This collection of quirky, funny, delightful stories were started when Pratchett was just 17 years old, and give us an insight into the mind which went on to create the Discworld universe. With more than a hint of Roald Dahl about them, we learn the philosophy of the Joke Monks of Ben Drumlin, what happened when a very lazy Father Christmas goes to the job centre (on his days off), and the selfie-obsession of the Abominable Snowman. Great little stories for children, and a special treat for gown-up fans!

Goth Girl and The Fete Worse Than Death - Chris Riddell - £10.99

It's a Chris Riddell Christmas, with his second entry on our list. Preparations for the Ghastly-Gorm Garden Party and bake-off are under way. Celebrity cooks are arriving at the hall for the big event and, true to form, Maltravers, the indoor gamekeeper, is acting suspiciously. Elsewhere at Ghastly-Gorm Ada's wardrobe-dwelling lady's maid Marylebone has received a marriage proposal. Ada vows to aid the course of true love and find out what Maltravers is up to, but amidst all this activity, everyone, including her father, appears to have forgotten her birthday! The sequel to Goth Girl, and if anything even more witty, feisty and intelligent than the first book... 

Archie Greene and the Magician's Instruction - DD Everest - £9.99       

When Archie travels to Oxford to return a book to the Museum of Magical Miscellany, he meets family that he never knew he had - and discovers the world of the Flame Keepers, a community devoted to finding and preserving magical books. But the magical book under Archie's protection is extremely dangerous, and dark spirits hunt it out. With the help of his cousins, Archie must do everything he can to uncover the book's hidden powers and save the Flame Keepers from evil.

This is the first book in a thrilling fantasy adventure - and one of the most exciting debuts of the year. Find out much more about the author and book here when we took DD Everest to schools in Abingdon a few weeks ago...

Jet the Rescue Dog - David Long - £9.99       

Dogs, horses, cats (even birds, camels and elephants) have saved thousands of lives through instinct, intelligence, courage and devotion. Engaging, uplifting and deeply moving, these stories tell of these brave, silent heroes with sensitivity and gentle humour for readers age 8+. With black and white illustrations throughout.

Mysteries of Ravenstorm Island: The Lost Children - Gillian Philip - £5.99       

Molly and her brother Jack visit rich relatives on Ravenstorm Island, where eerie statues of children are dotted around the island. She's expected to be friends with her moody cousin, Arthur. But things become much worse when Jack disappears - and no one else on the island remembers he ever existed! Molly and Arthur must work together to save Jack.

Stinky & Jinks: My Hamster Is A Detective - Dave Lowe and Mark Chambers - £5.99

This is the sixth (and final) installment of the adventures of Ben and his hamster Jasper Stinkybottom (a creation of comic genius, trust us). This time Bruiser, Ben's neighbour's cat, goes missing, and at first Stinky the genius hamster is all ready to celebrate. But when Ben's sister's kitten, Delilah, disappears too, things start to look suspicious. It's time for tenacious twosome Stinky and Jinks to spring into action once more.

With sly literary references, nail-biting adventures and the world's most intelligent hamster, will appeal to even the most reluctant young reader (and you can learn more about author Dave Lowe when he flew halfway round the world to visit school children in Abingdon earlier this year!)

The Secrets of Flamant Castle: The Complete Adventures of Sword Girl and Friends - Frances Watts - £8.99

Fun and fantasy combine in this collection of six amusing stories about Tommy, a kitchen girl at Flamant Castle, who dreams of becoming a knight. When she is made the Keeper of the Blades, caring for all the swords in the castle armoury, it seems like her dream might come true. But trouble is never far away from Flamant Castle and the Keeper of the Blades is often in the thick of it. Luckily Tommy is both daring and curious, and has a cast of friends ready to help, including Lil the talking cat, the friendly Crocodiddle who lives in the castle moat and her best friend Jasper, the ghost of a young squire who inhabits one of the old swords.

Charlie Merrick's Misfits In Fouls Friends and Football - Dave Cousins - £5.99
Dave Cousins is a seriously funny author ('15 Days Without a Head' is a comic masterpiece for older readers) but this book for younger readers is the first in a new - and very funny - series about a football team (the inappropriately-named 'North Star Galaxy'). Charlie Merrick is the hapless team captain, and his long-suffering efforts to turn things around makes for a funny, gripping and surprisingly poignant story that appeals not just to football fans.