Children’s books for Christmas | 9 December 2006

December, as far as children’s books are concerned, is the month of the hardback. For the rest of the year the young are fobbed off with soft covers, but the Christmas present book can be an altogether more substantial and permanent friend. This is true of picture books for the very young. Dimity Dumpty by Bob Graham (Walker Books, £10.99) is the story of Humpty Dumpty’s shy little sister, who saves his life when all the King’s horses and all the King’s men have failed, by taking off her T-shirt and bandaging what is delicately called ‘Humpty’s leakage’. The illustrations of the family’s life in the circus as ‘The Tumbling Dumpties’ are delightful.

Children of 5-7 will enjoy The Christmas Unicorn by Anna Currey (OUP, £10.99). Milly is staying with Grandpa for Christmas, far from her friends and feeling lonely until the magical visitation of Florian the unicorn. The illustrations, in the manner of Edward Ardizzone, are a delight, and the feel-good story makes this an ideal choice for bedtime.