Books for children

Because I Love You by Julia Hubery and Cee Biscoe (Little Tiger; €8.35 HB) is a sturdy little boardbook for toddlers.

Baby mouse and his mum set off on their walk, dancing through raindrops and splashing in puddles, then home for fairytales and cuddles. A combination of rhyme and charming, illustrations.

Marco Moonwalker by Gerry Boland, illustrated by Áine McGuinness (O’Brien; €7.99) tells the story of Marco, a bear who lives with Patrick and his mum. When Marco picks up Mum’s trombone and belts out a tune he becomes hooked on music. When he tries out the banjo with equal skill, Patrick is so impressed he organises a fab trio The three Ms — (Marco, Mum and Me). However, how long can you keep a large grizzly bear in disguise before someone rumbles? An imaginative funny read, despite losing its momentum in the last few pages. Suitable for age eight and upwards.

Seeking Eden by Ann Turnbull (Walker; €8.35) sixteen-year-old Josiah is not happy with the restrictions of his Quaker religion and the taunts that drive him to street fighting. But when the family sail to Pennsylvania to join a Quaker community, Josiah’s life changes. He gains an apprenticeship to wealthy businessman George Bainbrigg and meets Bainbrigg’s daughter, Katherine, who will become a major part of his life. Running parallel is the personal account of Topka who is dragged from his African settlement to be sold as a slave in Philadelphia. Josiah is horrified when he witnesses the distressing plight of these shackled, terrified creatures being treated like animals by his own supposedly gentle Quaker people, including his boss. Should he accept this evil practice or take a stance against it? Ann Turnbull has skilfully blends together historical research with credible fiction into a story that the reader will not want to put down until after the last page.