Brother in Ice has been a hit with the literary critics and won the English Pen Award this year. Published in 2018 and translated by Mara Faye Lethem from Spanish, the novel is centred around the author feelings and relationship with her brother who is autistic and her work as a researcher / artist on polar exploration. While both subjects seem at first like ‘polar’ opposites, the novel introduces the reader in the most subtle ways to the exploration of her thoughts and relationship with a brother who can barely communicate and a mother who has spent her life caring for him. The reader is

Wonder is about a boy called August. August was born with a genetic mutation which makes him look very different to other kids his own age; because of this he's often the butt of cruel jokes. This bold and engaging story illuminates August's rollercoaster journey through Middle School. Will August manage to make friends despite being different? Wonder emanates authenticity and teaches us about the importance of empathy.

Some people find this book a little slow but I was very taken with it. The poetry of the main narrative voice is a joy to read; sad and resigned but also very witty. The main story is an entertaining family saga that takes place over the course of about a century and the narrative flits between the present day and the past. It also features a book within the book which I enjoyed as a break from the main narrative and also served as an opportunity for Atwood to showcase her great imagination. 

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book, perfect for the run-up to Christmas. Told through simple rhyme, we follow a family as they buy and decorate their Christmas tree. Certain to get you into the Christmas spirit, each page evokes the magic of this annual tradition. A warm book for these cold days.

Well plotted and gripping like most of Robert Harris's books and, for the history lover, it also provides a new perspective on a major historical event to consider. Rather than being naively duped by Hitler at the Munich peace talks,was Neville Chamberlain instead quite wily in frustrating Hitler and buying Britain some essential extra time to build her forces before the war started?

Originally published in 1979, this recent translation has a distinctly contemporary feel - and sits somewhere between 'The Cost of Living' by Deborah Levy, and 'Pond' by Clare Louise Bennett. A young mother navigates work, divorce, childcare and her mental health following the breakdown of her marriage. This is no saccharine fairy-tale, our narrator moves in and out of depression and anger and her young daughter bears the brunt of this. However, their love is strong, and their bond intense. Territory of Light is the name given to the light filled studio apartment where mother and daughter now

Our protagonist is the brave eleven year old, Joe Grant who was born without an immune system and spends every day in an artificial bubble; a hospital room in London. Joe has never felt the sun on his skin or the rain on his face, and he longs to go outside to explore the real world. Can his new nurse, Amir, open up a whole new world to Joe and give him hope? This heart warming story is perfect for children aged 8+.

Written before WW2, this quasi-memoir of a Jewish Romanian student in Bucharest during a period of unrest and anti-semitism is a compelling read