Books for Children

HIPPO In The House by Lisa Regan, illustrated by Kelly Byrne (Bloomsbury; €5.92) is one of the Wild Things series, which introduce the very young to zoo animals.

Informative and fun, the series presents short facts couched in humorous illustrations and storyline. If you invite a hippo into your house you must feed it, bathe it and bed it. Not easy! Excellent bedtime book for the young animal lover.

Animals also feature in The Leopard Boy by Julia Johnson (Frances Lincoln; €7.10), set in a remote, arid landscape. Young Khalid’s duty is to mind the family goats on the hillside. When a lame kid goes missing, he assumes it has been taken by a leopard. But his furious uncle sets out to kill the leopard. Deeply upset, Khalid befriends a lone elderly man living on the mountain, who teaches him the lore of wild creatures. Together they set out to thwart the uncle’s savagery and maintain the rights of wildlife. But Khalid’s uncle has deeper interests that will bring him fortune — at the cost of his own people. Can an old man and a young boy manage to outwit him and save the land and the leopards? An inspiring, atmospheric tale of gentleness overcoming greed.

Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (Bloomsbury; €15.40 HB). Eleven year-old Ben hates Fridays when his parents drop him off at Granny’s as they set off for their great passion — ballroom dancing. But when Ben discovers Granny’s alter ego as a jewel thief, he’s impressed. And when she suggests her next hoist is the Crown Jewels, Ben wants to be part of it, especially as his interest in plumbing may come in useful getting through sewerage systems. They set off for the Tower of London one night on Granny’s mobility scooter. This unique book skilfully mixes a surreal palette of adventure, laugh-aloud humour and subtly entwining complex family relationships. A vibrant, hilarious and thoughtful read for age 10 and upwards.