YORK’S Little Apple bookshop racks up its 100th ‘book of the week’ review for The Press today (see opposite page). The milestone has made bookshop bosses Philippa Morris and Tim Curtis reflect on how many books that they have reviewed have featured the city of York itself.

With Residents First weekend also under way this weekend celebrating all that is great about York, they thought this would be a good time to remind us of some favourites...

Adam Parker - The Archaeology of Roman York by (Amberley £14.99)

Living in York, it is easy to take for granted the layers of history that we trample over on a daily basis. That is why it is refreshing to read a book like this, which takes a part of our history and really looks at it in some detail. Adam Parker leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the sites that have revealed so much about our city’s Roman past. Many of the finds can be viewed at the Yorkshire Museum, including a marvellous mosaic that was uncovered at Toft Green. I like the way Parker tells us about where the objects were found, like the belt plate in Blake Street and the plaque in St Samson’s Square, as it helps us imagine the Romans that lived here.

Andrew Graham - York in 50 Buildings (Amberley, £14.99)

York’s great history comes in many layers and what better way to uncover those layers than to look at the buildings that we walk past every day? Andrew Graham takes us on a journey to discover how the buildings in our city reflect the changing dynamic of commercial and civilian life.

I enjoyed the fact that some of York’s less celebrated buildings find a home here: Stonebow may be a terrible Sixties eyesore to some, but it is so familiar and now it is changing. Number 27 in the list is the Dutch House on Ogleforth which I have passed many times but was interested to find out is reputedly the first building made entirely from bricks in York, dating from 1648.

The Mystery Cats of York by Stan Young (£5.99)

This makes you see York from a slightly different angle. You will doubtless have spotted a few of these cats on buildings over the years but this book explains why they are there and where you can find 24 of them. Many have been the brainchild of architect Tom Adams who then commissioned the sculptor Jonathan Newdick . Tom wanted to make sure people saw the fun in architecture and the cats became something of his signature. Sadly Tom Adams died in 2006 but he has left behind a legacy to be proud of. So you can have a good trek about the streets looking up and spotting these special features. The stalking cat, the ghostly cat, the climbing cat: which will be your favourite?

York Tour: A walk through the walled city by Alfred Hickling (YorkTour, £7.99)

The book begins with a potted 2000 year history in 360 degrees, which fully encapsulates York’s phenomenal offering as a place to explore. As you walk around York with the guide, you are fed a steady stream of really intriguing facts. Did you know that Romans introduced the first postal service to Britain, or that visiting judges to the assizes were given bunches of herbs to counteract the smell of felons? It even contains a beautiful fold-out map designed and illustrated by Dick Raines.

Means of Grace by Helen Jackson (York Publishing, £7.99)

The author went to York’s Grey Coat School in Monkgate from 1940-46. Under the pen-name Helen Jackson, she has written a book (Means of Grace) about her wartime years at the school. This is an insight into a world which was already anachronistic in 1946. The story follows Beryl and Eunice as their mother hands them over to the school. From the scratchy clothes and second hand boots to the daily “collect” religious teachings, we see behind the doors of the school. There are just a few copies left now but this proved a great hit and was our first press choice.

Philippa Morris and Tim Curtis