Every year Hatchards produces a Christmas catalogue. This year I’ve written the entries for my favourite sections (Children’s, Cookery Gardening) and a few others. As we always say, this is a particularly good year for books. The photo is hopelessly unrepresentative of the selection as a whole – it is simply the books I have at home, either from writing their reviews or because I want to read them.
This year is special as we also have a children’s catalogue, which I have written and Lydia Porter has beautifully designed. It covers everything from picture books up to adult with new and old, fiction and reference.
When John Hatchard opened his bookshop in 1797 the children’s section would have been very small – perhaps a few improving books and moral tales. Much has changed and the choice can be bewildering so I hope the catalogue will be useful for everyone. The books are divided loosely by age and grouped in themes, providing stepping stones from old favourites to new discoveries. There are also myths, legends, poetry and a collection of wonderful reference books which make the subjects enticing rather than intimidating. Not all the classics are here; there simply wasn’t room for everything and we wanted to include some more recent books – the classics of the future. I had a great time writing it, rereading my old favourites and also making new discoveries.
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