Books for children

STAR Friends by Tracey Corderoy, illustrated by Alison Edgson (Little tiger; €7.10) will surely capture the interest of imaginative youngsters.

It tells the story of Oogle, a nervous little creature who lives on a distant planet, too terrified of Scaries to venture beyond his garden gate. When he meets the little yellow Boogle, he runs scared. But the latter wins his friendship and the two become buddies. The Boogle gradually introduces Oogle to a life of fun beyond the gate. An inspiring bedtime book for age three to five years.

Quentin Blake’s latest book, Angelica Sprocket’s Pockets (Red Fox; €7.10) is a laugh-aloud delight. The offbeat rhymes — “There’s a pocket for skateboards/Just look at those skaters/And another pocket for alligators” — combined with Blake’s unique cartoon-style characters, romp energetically through the pages. The jaunty, simple rhymes will inspire young readers to try out their own poetic efforts.

The Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin (Corgi; €8.35) begins by highlighting the stark differences between rich and poor in the Spain of 1492. Zarita, pampered daughter of the powerful magistrate, is horrified when a beggar touches her for money on her way into a church. Her screams result in the man being publicly hanged. His young son, Saulo, swears to avenge his father’s death.

When Father Besian and his priests come to rid the town of non-Christians the area becomes a hotbed of intrigue, neighbourly suspicion and death. Saulo is sent as a slave aboard ship, while Zarita’s life changes drastically when her father marries Lorena, a calculating lady with eyes only for high living using her new husband’s fortune. Atmosphere, tension and well-rounded characters make this an unputdownable story. Suitable for age 14 to adult.