Books for Christmas: For children

Published on Friday 18 December 2009 19:00

BABIES AND TODDLERS CAMILLA Reid and Ailie Busby return with another tale of Lulu. This time it's Lulu's Christmas (Bloomsbury, £6.99). Lulu is very excited about Christmas. There is the tree to decorate, the cake to ice and then presents to open.

And small children can join in with flaps to lift, tabs to pull and a variety of textures to feel. The colours are bright, cheerful and warm and this book is sturdy enough to withstand young hands. Altogether, a very merry interactive book.

There are more presents to uncover in Dear Santa by Rod Campbell (Macmillan, 4.99). In this compact board book Santa is trying to decide on a special present. Some things are too small, others too bouncy or too noisy. But finally he finds something that is just right. The limited text and clear illustrations make this a perfect book to share with a young child. The presents are all hidden under flaps, allowing a guessing game to ensue. Perhaps the book itself is the best present of all.

What is Christmas? Well, Karen Sapp offers some suggestions in Christmas is… (HarperCollins, 4.99). A selection of animals have their own thoughts. The rabbits think it's time to party but the koalas would rather chill out, while the penguins want to get together with friends and family. The bold, strong colours change from page to page and each illustration has just enough detail to make it necessary to have another look.

From Carl Norac and Kristin Oftedal comes Big Bear Little Brother (Macmillan, 10.99). Set in the Arctic, it is the story of an unlikely and extraordinary friendship between a boy and a polar bear. They meet by accident and play in the snow. Minik asks the bear to be his big brother and protect him even though they are very different. And the bear does just that in a sudden storm. But it is Minik who protects the bear from an even greater danger. The beautifully balanced, heart-warming story is accompanied by exquisitely evocative illustrations. Together they bring light to the Arctic winter and joy to readers of any age.

4 TO 6 YEARS

JOYCE Lankester Brisley created her nearly 85 years ago and she is still delighting children. The Big Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook (Kingfisher, 16.99) has new illustrations by Clara Vulliamy and two accompanying CDs. The little girl with the very long name is just as loveable as ever in this collection of eight stories. Clara Vulliamy's illustrations are very much in keeping with the style and period of the stories and Joyce Lankester Brisley's plan of the village is retained, allowing children to plot the action. This is a delightful, heart-warming collection, ideal for reading aloud.

Not at all heart-warming is The Santa Trap by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene (Macmillan, 10.99). Bradley Bartelby is the bad son of rich, terrified parents. Every Christmas he asks Santa for a long list of presents but every year Santa gives him the same thing: a pair of socks. Bradley has had enough and decides to build a Santa trap. He works on it all year and what happens next is a hilarious adventure. The stylised illustrations complement the story brilliantly, creating a wonderful darkly funny atmosphere.

A much nicer boy is Prince Pom, hero of Knee-High to a Knight by Hilda Offen (Catnip, 4.99). When his father, the King, breaks his leg, Pom has to take part in the Royal Tournament and fight Sir Wilbert the Weedy in his father's place. Wilbert isn't as weedy as his name and Pom is terrified. But with the help of his friend Laura and in spite of help from Little Twittleberg's grumpy wizard, Prince Pom wins the day. Hilda Offen's illustrations are amusing and full of action and add to the humour and enjoyment of the story.

Henry's Holiday, written by Gillian Shields and illustrated by Rosie Reeve (Macmillan, 10.99), tells of Henry the baby penguin. He is cold and fed up with the snow, so one day when a ship arrives Henry decides to go aboard. He sails far away from the ice and snow until he arrives at a tropical island. But the sunshine turns out to be very hot indeed and Henry realises that maybe his home in the snow is where he wants to be after all. This is a warm and gentle story with atmospheric illustrations of two very different landscapes. The words and pictures together create a safe and loving environment, making it perfect for sharing.

7 TO 10 YEARS

STREAKER is back, causing more mayhem with his owner Trevor, in Christmas Chaos for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong (Puffin, 7.99). Before they can be sold, Streaker's puppies are stolen and, along with Trevor and his friend Tina, Streaker sets out to recover them. Naturally, things don't go entirely to plan (who could have foreseen the chaos at the switching on of the Christmas lights?) but in the end all is well. This is another fast and funny story from Jeremy Strong, sure to be enjoyed by young readers.

Stephen Law has the answers to some Really Really Big Questions (Kingfisher, 12.99). In this fascinating and fun introduction to philosophy he explores some of life's big questions. Where did the Big Bang come from? What is it like to be a bat? How important is happiness? And, of course, do fairies exist? For these and other questions Dr Law has an answer even if it is inconclusive, thus encouraging children to think for themselves. Nishant Choksi's quirky illustrations are eye-catching and complementary.

There's more information in The Comic Strip History of Space by Sally Kindberg and Tracey Turner (Bloomsbury, 6.99). As the title suggests, it's presented in cartoon style and tells the story from the beginning of time through the present and into an imagined future. It's funny and clever and full of genuine information, occasionally doing a spot of time-travelling to show how ideas once thought of as daft or dangerous were proved true hundreds of years later. Anyone interested in space is sure to love it.

Alice in Wonderland is beautifully retold by Emma Chichester Clark (HarperCollins, 12.99). Her characters' features are expressive and individual. The court scene at the end of the book is particularly well done, as the nervous Mad Hatter, the recalcitrant cook and the self-important White Rabbit take the stand watched by the pack of cards and assorted animals. The pictures of Alice are also extremely good as she grows bigger and smaller. Emma Chichester Clark cleverly uses the space of the page to give a brilliant idea of Alice's discomfort and fear. Children who know the story will be entranced by the illustrations and for those to whom it is new this book is an excellent introduction.

9 TO 12 YEARS

ROBERT Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island appears in a new edition illustrated by John Lawrence (Walker Books, 20). Stevenson's story is unabridged and as full of action-packed adventure as when it was first published 126 years ago. Jim Hawkins sets sail on the trail of buried treasure little knowing what awaits him. John Lawrence's woodcut illustrations are bold and dynamic, capturing the mood and movement of the story perfectly. A beautifully produced volume, this is a book to keep and treasure. Limpy is a cane toad living in Queensland, Australia. He has a mission in life: to bring safety and happiness to cane toads and understanding between them and humans – who usually try to squash them with their vehicles. A chance meeting with a man in a red suit is the starting point for some unlikely adventures for Limpy and his friend Goliath. Things get a bit mixed up but at the end of the story Limpy realises something very important. Toad Surprise by Morris Gleitzman (Puffin, 5.99) is another humorous but thought- provoking story from a creative and talented storyteller.

Hero.com and Villain.net are parallel series of books, although each title can quite happily be read alone. Andy Briggs's premise for these books is that superpowers, either for good or evil, can temporarily be downloaded from the Internet. In Crisis Point (OUP, 6.99), the latest of the Hero.com series, Toby and his friends are battling for time itself as the evil Lord Eon tries to steal it. The badly weakened Hero Foundation team criss-cross time where, it appears, few people are who – or what – they seem. Can they save time before it runs out? This ever-moving all-action story has the answers.

As a special Christmas treat, why not read (or re-read) Anne of the Island by LM Montgomery (Puffin, 6.99)? This new edition comes with an introduction by LM Montgomery expert Budge Wilson as well as further information about the author and setting. The third story about Anne Shirley, one of the world's most famous red-haired orphans, sees her leave Prince Edward Island to go to college. She enjoys life in Kingsport, studying and making new friends including, she thinks, the man of her dreams. But her heart always remains on the Island – and so, it turns out, do her dreams. A book that has stood the test of time, this is LM Montgomery at her very best.