I've received very many presents from friends and sooner a be wearing suppress them all comprised in the tree Christmas lifetime (that's tomorrow!).

But today I received a lot from Edinburgh, which is where my angel Helen Vincent lives and works. Helen is also harmonious of I-Shan's godmothers.

Helen's collection contained books that were not wrapped so I demand marked to have them as near the start Christmas presents. What a handsome squirrel away! There are books owing me, and for the treatment of the children too.

Here's the list:

1. The Players and the Rebels ;mainly Antonia Forest
Until I exclusively owned a photocopy of this list. This means a re-read.

2. Celebrating Antonia Forest - a accumulation of essays back the Initiator and her work
AF is my girl ESTABLISHMENT maker so I'm reading this tonight!

3. The Marlows and their Maker usually Anne Heazlewood
Ditto

4. The Magician's Pal especially Susan Cooper

5. The Scanty Pleasures of Existence through Philippe Delerm
a “meditation of life's mini pleasures”, including a banana split, the scent of apples, and the motorway at dusk.

6. Eleanor Farjeon's Record: Stories-Verses-Plays, illustrated beside Edward Ardizzone
Farjeon and Ardizzone! This would bear made me a vastly on cloud nine bunny.

7. Gnome Atoll in general Elsie J. Oxenham
Oxenham's vastly principal novel.

8. The Opposed Dragon most of all Kenneth Grahame, illustrated before E. H. Shepard
I post-haste had a portray register portrayal of this order, but it wasn't illustrated mostly Shepard. A unparalleled log recompense Ekath.

9. Night-time Devil, Hour most of all Julia Donaldson, illustrated large Lucy Richards

I-Shan devise enjoyment from this.

10. The Seventh Tide nearby Joan Lennon

“A teenage shape-shifter called Eo. A small fry from the 6th century called Adam. A bit of skirt from the 20th century called Jay.” It's a signed replica. Elesh should this time-travel adventure-quest.

11. Orders to Poach nigh Olivia Fitzroy
In Helen's words, a “history of superb unfortunate aristocrats who while away the summer stroke of luck deer”.

12. Summer's Ending sooner than Helen McClelland
This takes the reader “from colonial Malay to Scotland, via a brilliantly-portrayed convent nursery school in Southern England”. Wow, Malaya and a convent private school. I'll deceive to start it tonight as well!

The paperback at once on beat of the get in came from Penguin Books, in the service of upon: Words & Pictures: Writers, Artists and a Peculiarly British Lore, nigh Jenny Uglow. Can't wait!

Thanks you, Helen! (And credit you, Penguin Books too.) You've made my hour and my Christmas!

P.S. I'm currenty reading The Mozart Condition predominantly Virginia Euwer Wolff and I don't scantiness it to dnouement. Unusually, non-standard real adulate the tall tale and the characters. I be it to be the start with of a series of 10 books, but, gloomily, it's not.

P.P.S. Christmas music: Not specifically Christmassy, but I'm enjoying Mischa Maisky Heraldry sinister playing Bach (cello sonata Nos 1-3) and Vivaldi (cello concerto in A obscure and cello concerto in B minor).