Full of the joys of reading - Spring and Easter at Mostly Books

The recent warm weather has put a literal spring in our step, and we're all about getting everyone outdoors to enjoy the arrival of Spring (and because we know these things never last in the UK!).

So here is a few recommendations taken from our 'get outdoors' displays on the front table and in the children's room.

'The Nature Explorer's Scrapbook' is described as both an album and a handbook for exploration and adventure from Caz Buckingham and Andrea Pinnington. It encourages children to observe the changes in weather and season, pick up feathers and shells, take pictures, study bugs - and change the way we perceive the nature around us, even in the middle of a town.

Also, check out our bug-friendly bug-hunting kit, and a a young person's guide to British Birds...

At the end of May, on BBC4, Clare Balding embarks on a pedal-powered odyssey across Britain to rediscover the magical world of 1950s cycling. 

It's inspired by Jane Eastoe's 'Britain By Bike' and to celebrate, Batsford have published a new edition with a hugely enjoyable collection of cycle routes, advice and local history to get you exploring on two wheels.

(And discover more about the upcoming TV series here)

The Ridgeway is one of the oldest trackways in Britain, originally running from Salisbury Plain to East Anglia. Walking it today is a journey not just across breathtaking countryside - but back through time and Cicerone Press have recently updated their 'Walking The Ridgeway' National Trail Guide.

It's pocket-sized, waterproof, and skillfully put together to be packed with information and totally practical. And if you want to know more about this ancient way, take a look at the National Trail guide. 

It's the 90th anniversary of the National Garden Scheme, and the annual 'Garden Visitor's Handbook' for 2017 has just been published.

Having raised over £50 million for nursing charities since its inception, there is a record number of gardens in this year's handbook - several of which are local, many within a short car (or bike) ride. Look for the yellow cover on the table.

For Easter, we are running a 'guess the eggs in the jar' competition - but also we have a selection of Easter activity books for children.

Nosy Crow have again produced some imaginative and interactive titles for very young children, including 'Press Out and Colour Easter Eggs' which comes with 20 beautiful Easter decorations. It's a gorgeous book as well as inspiring lots of Easter activities.

Come in and take a look at our selection - and as with everything, ask us for some special recommmends!

3 4 Friday: Out and About with buggies, children and Flora Thompson's younger sister...

As well as books for cycling around this beautiful part of the world, we do a fairly mean collection of local walking books. So today's Friday selections include two fabulous new walking guides for families - and one book deeply rooted in the heritage of Oxfordshire.

All this week, we have been working Kate, our work-experience student, extremely hard in the heat - and here are her reviews of the first two new titles:

Kiddiwalks in Oxfordshire, Ruth Paley (Countryside Books, £9.99, PB)
"Kiddiwalks has come up with an amazing guide to the best child friendly places in Oxfordshire. All 20 of the walks are simple, short and stimulating; like all walks should be. Each walk will help you see what a beautiful place the Oxfordshire countryside is."

Buggy Friendly Walks in the Thames Valley, Catharine Gregory
(Countryside Books, £7.95, PB)
"Catharine Gregory has come up with 20 breathtakingly beautiful places in the Thames Valley that vary from lovely riverside walks to delightful ones along country lanes. These walks are most suited for new parents and their children in mind, investigated and tested by the writer and her family."

If you are out and about in the Oxfordshire countryside, a new publication from Wychwood Press 'More Tales from Lark Rise' brings into publication for the first time the childhood memoirs of Betty Timms - younger sister of Flora Thompson. Including a beautiful account of (appropriately enough) Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897, the early success of her writing likely influenced Flora in later year. Read more here...

And finally, if you are interested in book local to Abingdon, you may want to take a look at our curated Mostly Books Abingdon Collection.

Have a lovely weekend!

3 4 Friday: On Two Wheels...and Two Shelves

We've done a bit of 'rearranging' in the shop - and for today's Friday picks we selected three local titles forming part of our walking, cycling and local books. Never mind the weather - just get out there!

Simon Warren's '100 Greatest Cycling Climbs' has been a favourite in the shop since it was of our big Christmas picks at the end of 2010. And now he's back with more! With the publisher's cry of "Longer! Higher! Steeper!" this sequel comes with more ridiculously steep hills that only a cyclist would understand why you would even consider them.


There are monsters hills from the tip of Cornwall to the Highlands of Scotland via East Anglia and the Isle of Man. Roads include Asterton Bank, Gospel Pass, Millook, and the mighty Great Dun Fell...get your lycra on...

If you are getting out with the family, and are looking for some inspirational places to cycle away from the traffic 'Cycling Traffic-free Home Counties' by Nick Cotton contains lots of inspirational places in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and beyond.


It's particularly good value for our neck of the woods as it looks at paths around Oxford and along the Kennet and Avon Canal.

And finally, if you you just want to get out, with or without the bike, and enjoy the rather special place we live in, we heartily recommend "52 Things To Do far from the madding beaches". Produced locally and confirming what delights lie on our own doorstep, we've got a special review of this book on its own page here...