Here is a summary of each of the short-listed books.

Paula used to live in Africa. After university, she taught for five years. Then she worked in the area of human rights in South Africa.

THE FIRST SNOW by M Christina Butler and Frank Endersby (Little Tiger; €13.03) is a big, colourful book that tells of a young deer’s first encounter with snow.

THE Beatles’ psychedelic cartoon, The Yellow Submarine, is being made into a children’s book.

The Beatles’ psychedelic cartoon The Yellow Submarine is being made into a children’s book.