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There's no better Christmas present than a book, no matter what your age. It's easy to wrap, and if well chosen, guaranteed to last longer than anything which depends on a battery or motor. Here's a selection of what's available, divided into age-groups.
PICTURE books without words are just right for very small children, and Hug, by Jez Alborough (Walker Books, GBP 9.99) will provide lots of opportunities for a good cuddle. The story of a monkey who sees other creatures hugging and wants to be hugged himself is very endearing, and just right for bedtime. It's the kind of book which teaches all sorts of things ... names of the animals, numbers, relationships, and so on, but mainly it shows that everyone gets a hug from someone. A happy and hopeful book.
When your infant is feeling more wide-awake, try reading (or even better, singing) rhymes from the Oxford Nursery Treasury illustrated by Ian Beck (OUP, GBP 12.99). The pictures are full of light and movement and your offspring will soon know all the poems by heart and join in with your rendition. Many children reach their first school without knowing a single nursery rhyme, and this book is bound to put your little darling on the fast track to poetic know-how. Finally, try How Big is a Pig? by Clare Beaton (Barefoot Books, GBP 9.99) which uses felt collages to teach such concepts as size and colour in a truly delightful way. As you turn the pages, you can talk about the way the book is illustrated as well as relishing the text. A smashing book.
THIS age group is perhaps the hardest of all for which to make choices, because children of this age will enjoy being read stories that are much too hard for them to decipher themselves, such as those books in the "family" section. But A Christmas Star Called Hannah by Vivian French and...