Book Reviews
One Christmas Wish - Katherine Rundell and Emily Sutton - Bloomsbury - ￡14.99It’s Christmas Eve and Theo is decorating his Christmas tree alone while the babysitter snoozes. When he sees a shooting star out of the window, he wishes with his whole body that he has a friend to be with. As he turns around, he sees the decorations he’s just put on the tree, climbing down to keep him company. And although traditionally, they ought to be doing anything Theo wants, it turns out that they all want something too…
This is a magical tale of love, luck, Christmas and a very rocking horse in a beautifully produced book, gorgeously illustrated by bookshop favourite, Emily Sutton. One to treasure.
Suitable for age 8+
Father Christmas and Me - Matt Haig - Canongate - ￡12.99
Having been rescued from a London workhouse by Father Christmas and the soon-to-be Mother Christmas, Amelia expects living in Elfhelm to be a joyous walk in the park, but she soon discovers that being one of three humans surrounded by elves, comes with its own problems. Going to school is tricky – in Maths the numbers don’t add up in the same way, Geography is crazy, Laughing When Times Are Tough is just too difficult, and Spickle Dancing and Practical Drimwickery are completely impossible! And then Amelia crashes someone else’s shiny new sleigh and the elves begin to turn against her…
This is the third book in Matt Haig’s charmingly inventive and funny Christmas series, which started with A Boy Named Christmas, and the magic is still very much there!
Suitable for age 7+
Matt Haig and Chris Riddell will be signing copies of their books at the Steyning Bookshop during Late Night Shopping on the 6th December.
Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony - Chris Riddell - Macmillan - ￡11.99
When her father decides to put on a music festival at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, Ada Goth is delighted. She can't wait for it all to start, but it's quite distracting when her grandmother is trying to marry off her father, there's a faun living in her wardrobe and there’s a spooky mystery to solve. Ada must make sure everything goes to plan, and luckily help is at hand from a very interesting house guest . . .
Another witty and beautiful book in the Goth Girl series from ex-Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell.
Age 7+
The Christmas Chronicles - Nigel Slater - Harper Collins, Hardback - £26
Part memoir, part cookbook, Nigel Slater has created a hymn to his favourite season, winter. Guiding us from 1st November through to the end of January, encompassing Bonfire Night, Christmas, New Year and Epiphany, this beautiful book is filled with Nigel’s recollections, folklore, ideas for decorations, and of course, glorious recipes, from quick fireside suppers to the festive feast itself. Beautiful and useful, this is a lovely book to curl up with, 'as well a fount of practical advice'
Christmas: A Biography - Judith Flanders -Macmillan - ￡14.99
Christmas seems to come earlier every year; the commercialisation and gluttony get worse and worse; no one remembers the religious kernel to the festival. These are familiar complaints about the festive season, and surprisingly, they have been familiar for a long time. From the very beginnings of the festival, it has been accompanied by what a medieval cleric termed ‘swilling and riot’ and indulgence in gluttony, drunkenness and impiety. This exhaustive and wonderfully colourful history of the myriad traditions, stories and rituals that have gone into the making of the celebration we know today.
Fascinating and surprising.
For information on books or events, please contact:
Steyning Bookshop - 01903 812062
info@steyningbookshop.co.uk