Style: January 13, 2021

Style | Read 55
The Witches
by Roald Dahl
Probably my favourite of all Roald Dahl’s classics.
Disturbing, frightening and, at times, hilarious. As a child,
it led me to wonder if any of my schoolteachers were
witches in disguise and what my world would look like
if I had to navigate it in the form of a mouse! It captured
my imagination then, and now, many years later, my
own children love it too.
– Rodney Grey, designer
Guess How Much
I Love You
by Sam McBratney, illustrated
by Anita Jeram
I love reading this book to my three-year-old at night, and
she enjoys it too. It follows the story of two Nutbrown hares,
Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare. She asks
questions about the hares and will also join me in saying “I
love you right up to the moon and back” at the end.
– Emma Rogers, designer
Up the Duff
by Kaz Cooke
As a woman who was in total denial about ever
reproducing, I felt I needed some version of
preparedness for what the %!#* was happening to my
body. So, instead of purchasing a very sensible factridden
book (which coincidentally all seem to contradict
each other), I was drawn to this wee gem. Penned as
the real guide to pregnancy, this was humour plus and
it gives all the tips for dealing with ‘do-gooders’ and
their endless unwelcome advice on pregnancy and
childrearing. It’s fun even if you aren’t going to breed.
– Janine Oldfield, advertising account executive
Juicy the Peach and the
Popcorn Palaver
by Anna Theed, illustrated
by Antony Elworthy
Another favourite in our household is Juicy the Peach. Juicy
is the babysitter that comes to look after the children for
the day. Mum is at work and dad is away. The kids are
shy at first; however, Juicy makes the day fun by filling the
house full of popcorn! With some magic and a powerful
fart, the popcorn turns into a whirlwind and heads out of
the house. A nice story telling children it’s okay to be left
with the sitter and to be brave – plus, you never know
what sort of fun other people will bring into your life.
– Emma Rogers, designer
The Tea Rose trilogy
by Jennifer Donnelly
The Tea Rose is a book I suggest to anyone looking for a
captivating read. Set in 1888’s East London, where Jack
the Ripper roamed, The Tea Rose follows tea worker
Fiona Finnegan as her family is torn apart and she loses
her sweetheart. She dreams of more than her family’s
poverty-stricken life, fleeing (for her life) to New York.
But East London and an unresolved murder draws her
back. The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose have different
main characters, but all deliver strong female leads and
entrancing relationships. If you like historical fiction,
prepare to be transported to mysterious and murderous
times via these dramatic storylines.
– Kate Preece, editor
The Secret History
by Donna Tartt
While a thriller that could be described as being about
a college campus murder may not sound that special on
paper, this riveting story of friendship, morality and the
limits of academic exploration goes far beyond a typical
whodunnit. The suspense doesn’t come from unveiling
a killer – it comes from the looming feeling of dread as
Tartt unravels a series of events that profoundly change
everything for a small group of quirky academics. Tartt’s gift
is that she weaves the reader so completely into the story
that you feel complicit in the outcome. I think I must have
bought half my friends a copy for a Christmas or birthday
present over the last 20 years – so it is a book I both
recommend and rhapsodise about whenever I can.
– Kerry Laundon, proofreader