Maths, mystery and magic cast a spell at Christmas by various authors - book reviews -

Age 8 plus:

Molly and the Mathematical Mystery

Eugenia Cheng and Aleksandra Artymowska

Take a mystery tour of the marvellous world of mathematics in this stunning interactive book from top team Eugenia Cheng and Aleksandra Artymowska.

Youngsters are invited to find the clues and lift the flaps as they join curious explorer Molly on an adventure into a strange world where nothing is quite as it seems.

A trail of mysterious clues leads from scene to scene, presenting Molly with a number of ideas and challenges. But who is leaving the clues and where will they lead?

This brilliantly created book shows maths isn’t just about numbers and sums… it’s also about using your imagination, making sense of the world, and making seemingly impossible things possible!

Cheng, a mathematician who is passionate about overcoming maths phobia, works wonders as she takes an explorative and creative approach to the sometimes daunting topic of maths, and turns it into an exciting adventure.

Youngsters will love reading letters, finding clues, lifting flaps, and turning wheels, and discovering fascinating mathematical facts as they journey through a series of intriguing scenes and challenges.

Add on Polish illustrator, graphic designer and painter Artymowska’s stunning artwork, which puts the maths ‘lessons’ into a visual perspective, and you have maths made not just understandable, but exciting and entertaining.

Prefect for use both at home and at school… and the ideal gift for number-loving youngsters.

(Templar Publishing, hardback, £16.99)

Age 9 plus:

The Night I Met Father Christmas

Ben Miller and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini

Immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas in Ben Miller’s classic twist on one of Charles Dickens’s best-loved books.

The magic and morals of A Christmas Carol prove a delight for both children and adults in this retelling which comes beautifully illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, and with Christmas bonus content and a special gold foil cover.

Jackson knows all about the flying reindeer, he knows about the elves and the secret North Pole workshop, he knows about the magic that allows Father Christmas to deliver presents around the world in just one night, but there’s one thing he doesn't know ... how did Father Christmas become Father Christmas?

That all changes when, one Christmas Eve, Jackson meets Father Christmas and hears his incredible story. So begins an enchanting fairy tale into a magical snowy landscape, where Torvil, a mean-spirited and miserly elf, is about to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

This might not have been the story Jackson was expecting but, as Father Christmas tells him, no good story ever is...

This gorgeous Christmas gift book, with its stunning illustrations, warm heart, and enchanting snow-filled adventures – laced throughout with Miller’s irrepressible wit – is guaranteed to bring a smile to readers young and old.

(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £6.99)

Age nine to ninety:

Little Women

Louisa May Alcott

What better time to read Little Women, Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic novel starring four sisters navigating hardship and adventure in Massachusetts during the American Civil War.

This gorgeous new paperback edition is illustrated throughout with black and white movie stills from Greta Gerwig’s 2019 star-studded, award-winning film adaptation starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen, and features eight fabulous, full-colour, pull-out mini-posters.

Alcott was a writer and early feminist, best known for her groundbreaking Little Women which was first published as a serial in the 1860s, and is the semi-autobiographical story of her own years spent with her sisters in Concord, Massachusetts.

As fresh and meaningful today as it was when it was first written, the book’s undoubted stars are the four young March sisters… Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Despite the girls possessing very different personalities, they are all still totally devoted to each other and support their beloved mother, Marmee, while Father is away, serving as an army chaplain in the Civil War.

In the Sony Pictures’ movie, director Gerwig draws on both the novel and the writings of Alcott as Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the story of the four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.

Through friendships, romance and tragedy, and despite having little in the way of wealth, the family overflows with love, compassion, resilience and imagination to see them through the toughest and darkest of times.

The ideal gift for a new generation of readers… and a must-have for fans of the new film.

(Amulet Paperbacks, paperback, £8.99)

Age 9 plus:

Be Your Own Football Hero: Ronaldo

Matt & Tom Oldfield

Become your own football hero in this super ‘pick your own path’ spin-off series from the much-loved Ultimate Football Heroes books which tells the life stories of the best footballers in the world.

From the playground to the pitch, youngsters can step into the shoes of one of the greatest footballers in the world and follow their incredible journeys from childhood fan to superstar professional player.

In this first book in the new series, youngsters are on the trail of star Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo in an action-packed, footballing journey. With many possible endings, you must try to navigate your way through the world of professional football and make the right choices at every turn. Will you follow the path of fame and glory, or will you struggle to keep up with the competition?

Written by sports writer brothers Matt and Tom Oldfield, and with lots of exciting scenarios endings to experience and new discoveries every time you open the book, Be Your Own Football Hero is guaranteed to be bang on goal with all aspiring young footballers.

(Dino Books, paperback, £5.99)

Age 5 plus:

Football Superstars: Rashford Rules and Van Dijk Rules

Simon Mugford and Dan Green

And don’t miss out on more footballing fun with an enthralling new series of highly visual first football biographies featuring some of the world’s most famous faces.

Collect your favourites and build your knowhow with stats and expert tips about today’s biggest global football heroes with the Football Superstars books specially created by Ipswich Town fans Simon Mugford and illustrator Dan Green to engage reluctant young readers.

With a simple narrative text that has been graded and approved by an educational expert, and easy-to-digest facts and figures, youngsters can find out about each player’s rise to glory, top scoring moments and club transfers.

Is Marcus Rashford your ultimate football hero? His path to the top has already seen him win the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League for Manchester United as well as become a semi-finalist at the FIFA 2018 World Cup.

Discover how the local kid got into Manchester United’s famous academy and worked hard to become part of its star-studded first team as well as an England international, plus the amazing way he campaigned to end child poverty during this year’s pandemic.

And if Van Dijk is your favourite football superstar, then this second book is the one for you. Discover how he went from playing football in cages and in the streets in the Netherlands to being named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in 2019. And learn how Van Dijk came to captain the Netherlands national team and become one of the strongest defenders in the world, currently playing for Liverpool.

Each book is filled with fun quizzes, stats and little known facts, and features a supporting cast of players, managers, TV pundits – and even the authors themselves – chipping in with quotes, jokes and comments to add to the playful and informative fun.

Add on cartoons and visual jokes, presented with an energetic, graphic look, a glossary of top words young fans need to know, whether that is the Ballon d’Or or the Copa Rey, and you have reading heaven for your own little soccer stars.

(Welbeck Publishing, paperback, £5.99 each)

Age 7 plus:

A Christmas in Time

Sally Nicholls

Head back in time with a daring brother and sister duo for a fun-filled, action-packed Christmas adventure from best-selling, award-winning author Sally Nicholls.

With the atmospheric black-and-white illustrations of Rachael Dean to bring the story to life, A Christmas in Time is perfect for youngsters who love travelling back through time for stories brimming with humour, thrills and history.

A Christmas in Time follows on from A Chase in Time and again stars Alex and Ruby Pilgrim who have discovered that when they fall through the magic mirror at their Aunt Joanna’s Applecott House, they find themselves in a different historical period, each time with a different task to perform before they can return to the present.