FICTION

Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo (Penguin £8.99)

This has been our bestselling book of the year. It is a snapshot of Modern Britain through the lives of twelve interconnected women. The diverse voices weave a story of how a nation has developed. It is hopeful, as we see acceptance and opportunity and past wrongs addressed and prejudices challenged. Each woman has her own individual voice. It is definitely a novel for our times and has been a reading group favourite all year.

Silver By Chris Hammer (Headline £8.99)

Last year I discovered Chris Hammer’s Scrublands and raved about it on these very pages. So I am excited to announce he has a new book out: Silver. Martin Scarsden, who we met in the first book, is returning to his home town to start a new life. But the past soon starts to catch up with him and he has a lot of mysteries to unravel if he is ever going to be able to settle down. Full of twists, turns and great Australian characters it will have you double guessing yourself to the end.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (Cornerstone £9.99)

Sometimes only a tale of fantastical beasts and enchanted peril will do. Arden is a brilliant storyteller who has you gasping at the danger she puts her characters in. You travel their journey. This is an atmospheric and magical read, part Russian fairy tale, full of ghosts and mythology.

York Press:

NATURE

A Bird a Day by Dominic Couzens (Batsford £18)

As this book states, birds are with us everywhere, “ubiquitous and global”. The format of A Bird A Day is exceedingly satisfying, little bite-sized introductions to birds we may be familiar with, like the Dunnock and the barn owl, and many we are not, like the screaming Piha (known for a pain inducing cry) or the Greater honeyguide (a bird known to African hunters as it leads them to bees’ nests). It is packed with facts about birds from literature and different cultures. Each bird is accompanied by a picture or photograph. The nature photography is stunning, for instance the Great Crested Grebe caught during its ‘weed dance’ and the Shoebill which looks like a throwback to the dinosaurs. It features illustrations from a huge variety of sources, from Aubudon to Dale. So whether you are looking for a new bird book for yourself or a great present for a birding friend this is one to choose.

The Book of Pebbles by Christopher Stocks and Angela Lewin (Thames and Hudson £9.99)

I have long been a fan of Angela Lewin’s art work so was immediately drawn to this book. The pictures are stunning and it takes you on a real journey. Stocks’ essays are meditations on pebbles and their meaning to us. We are also given a rundown of the most likely pebbles to find and we are encouraged to go out and start a collection of our own.

York Press:

The Wild Remedy by Emma Mitchell – How nature mends us – a diary (Michael O’Mara 14.99)

This year has seen a huge rise in people’s appreciation of nature and the pleasure and calm they can get from observing the natural world. Emma Mitchell’s book helps to articulate some of that. She herself suffered from depression for many years and has chronicled a year of observing nature which can be read as diary and also gives hints to what to look out for at each cycle of the year. The book is interspersed with her own photographs, and detailed drawings of flora and fauna. Most uplifting.

CHILDREN

Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan (Chicken House, £6.99)

This is a great adventure story for 8+ readers. It is refreshing to read a story set in a different culture with an insight and acceptance of other faiths and practices. Asha is a feisty heroine, who along with her best friend, has to make an epic journey across India to bring back her father and save the family farm. The journey is perilous and they meet lots of interesting people along the way, guided and protected throughout by the spirit bird of Asha’s grandmother.

The Girl and the Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes, illustrated by Sarah Massini (Bloomsbury, £6.99)

This is a wonderful book about a child’s imagination. When a child is on the beach, she is digging for dinosaurs. Later as she drifts off to sleep, the dinosaur she found comes to visit and takes her on a magical ride. Along the way they meet lots of others dinosaurs and other sleeping children who have all come together.

York Press:

GREAT TO GIVE

A Guinea Pig Night Before Christmas (Bloomsbury £8.99)

For the past few years, the highlight of our season has been the arrival of the new Guinea Pig Book. Having Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol in previous years this time round the stellar cast has put together a wonderful Christmas classic. This Christmas poem is given a new lease of life with fabulously detailed tableaux from our favourite stars (full cast listing at the back of the book). The sets and costumes are exquisitely detailed and the magic of the original poem is maintained. I defy anyone not to have a smile on their face if they unwrap this at Christmas.

Word Perfect By Susie Dent (John Murray £14.99)

There is always one member of a family who can be a bit tricky to buy for and Susie Dent’s new book Word Perfect is ideal as it has that glorious “dip in” quality. You can pick it up and be absorbed for hours or just limit yourself to a daily sample. It has a different word for each day and a chatty explanation of its use and relevance. I particularly liked the fact it starts the year off with an old Yorkshire Dialect word “crambazzled”, meaning to be prematurely aged by excessive drink. (Signed copies available)

A Cheese-monger’s History of the British Isles by Ned Palmer (Profile £9.99)

One thing I love about Christmas is the cheeseboard. So this is ideal to browse after a lovely feast. It is actually a history of the British Isles through the history of cheese. So it starts with Neolithic Feasting and moves through Roman times and Spenwood cheese, progressing to a chapter on “from farmhouse to factory” featuring Wensleydale and finishing off with a directory of favourite cheeses. “Oh, Gromit!”

Anything is Possible by Gareth Southgate with Matt Whyman (Century) £18

If you are looking for a book for a teenager who needs a little extra boost then this is the book for you. It is all about being the best possible person you can be. It acknowledges the need for hard work and determination, and explains that setbacks are ok and we can learn from them. Southgate uses lots of celebrity examples to show how life might seem easy but some people have come through a lot to get where they are. It gives practical exercises and advice to follow. And yes he does talk about his 1996 penalty miss. (signed copies now available)

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