Readers Digest UK - December 2021

The answer, naturally, is quite a lot—
especially once a handsome Brazilian
bloke shows up. Yet, while there’s never
any huge doubt about where we’re
heading, Colgan provides enough
twists to make it a highly satisfying relief
when we get there.
Meanwhile, she gives us plenty of
other things to enjoy. The book has
much mischievous fun with Sofia’s
perky blonde New-Age nanny Skylar
(real name, Janet). It has even more
with a narcissistic self-help author
whose gleaming teeth reduce middle-
class mums to jelly, and whose
bestselling books have titles like Your
Child’s Calm Wellness in Five Minutes
a Day. As the chip falls from Carmen’s
shoulder, The Christmas Bookshop
also becomes a touching love letter
to Edinburgh.
Add in a large supporting cast—all
deftly portrayed, particularly Sofia’s
children—plus walk-on parts for some
much-loved characters from her
previous books, and Colgan’s mission
here is triumphantly accomplished.

Can you guess the writer from these
clues (the fewer you need the better)?

1. She was born on Christmas Eve 1973
   into a Mormon family.


2. The second and third books in her best-
   known series are New Moon and Eclipse.


3. The first is Twilight.

Answer on p126

Name the author

Time for Bed, Panda

by Jo Lodge (Campbell, £6.99.

Ages: baby to toddler). A charming,

playful, interactive introduction to

bedtime words.

10 Silly Children

by Jon Lander (Pavilion, £8.99. Ages

3-5). On the face of it, the children here

are behaving impeccably. Lift the flaps,

though, and it’s a very different story.

Lizzie and Lucky: The Mystery

of the Stolen Treasure

by Megan Rix (Puffin, £6.99. Ages

5-8). A deaf girl and her puppy join

forces to crack a case—and of course

outwit the grown-ups.

Grimwood

by Nadia Shireen (Simon & Schuster,

£12.99. Ages: 8-12). Very funny tale of

two urban fox cubs who find out how

strange the countryside can be.

All Our Hidden Gifts

by Caroline O’Donoghue (Walker,

£7.99. Ages: 12+). A socially isolated

girl discovers an apparently psychic

talent. But will it help to find her

vanished ex-best friend? Gripping

story, great teenage voice.

DECEMBER 2021 • 123

A Choice Of

2021’s Best Books

For Children