Non-fiction is always a hit with all ages. Boys particularly seem to love the encyclopedic books filled with facts, wildlife or sticker activity books.

A Zeal of Zebras (£11.99, Chronicle Books) is FANTASTIC and appeals to children and adults alike. A quirky alphabet of animal collective nouns. The illustrations are beautiful works of art in their own right.

We love Zoo-ology - Joelle Jolivet. It is giant size, beautifully illustrated and has pictures of every animal, reptiles, mammal, bug and beastie under the sun and beneath the waves. A sure hit.

Newly published, The Big Book of Words and Pictures (9.74 Gecko Press) is a wonderfully large format cardboard book. Covering the whole world of childhood, words and pictures lead you through everyday basics such as household objects and the seasons.

What family hasn't got a box of Lego just itching to be built. The Lego Ideas Book (£16.99 DK) brings new life to those pieces of Lego with some whacky ideas.

The Monstrous Book of Monsters (Templar £12.99) is teeming with foul facts and gross gags. This book is a monstrous adventure that kids will love. Full of goo, poo and oggling eyeballs, it is not for the faint hearted.

Favourites for Babies

Q Pootle 5 - Nick Butterworth is adorable.

Avocado Baby - John Burningham, I somehow had bypassed it with my 2 older boys, it is now a firm favourite.

Eric Carle cannot go wrong in my eyes, Dream Snow is wonderful, but it is tricky to get hold of a copy. All his other books make lovely presents. Obviously The Hungry Caterpillar, but try his new one The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. It is fab.

Dear Santa - Rod Campbell - a perfect lift the flap Christmas book, a stocking filler that will delight.

The Snowy Day - Ezra Jack Keats is a timeless classic and thankfully still available. Get a copy for yourselves if you haven't read it and buy it for anyone else who you can think of. Enchanting.

Favourite Picture Books

The Tiger Skin Rug (£10.99, Bloomsbury) Gerald Rose - this reissued classic is an absolute joy. 

Stuck - Oliver Jeffers is a lovely simple, laugh-out-loud story of chaos. We love everything he does.

The Highway Rat - Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler - is a heartwarming tale from the inimitable duo.

Clara Button and the Magical Hat Day - Amy de la Haye and Emily Sutton. Beautifully illustrated this first chlldren's book from the V&A is a real treat.

Madeline's Christmas - Ludwig Bemelman - We are all mad about Madeline, never more so at Christmas. Every home should have one.

Older Reads:

The Secret Garden - Francis Hodgson-Burnett illustrated by Lauren Child. This celebratory editon marks the centenary of the classic. Perfect godchild material.

Letters from Father Christmas - JRR Tolkien - did you know that Tolkien has 4 kids, who he wrote and illustrated stories to, particularly these Letters from Father Christmas, with polar bears, elves and goblins. They are enchanting, for grown ups too.

The Noel Streatfield Books for 8 + girls. Ballet Shoes, White Boots, they are all wonderful and seem to get better and better with age.

The new David Walliams book for 8+, Gangsta Granny is on the wish list of lots of boys I know. Walliams is being hailed as the successor to Roald Dahl and it is that crazy humour that appeals so much to children. His latest is no exception.

The Bippolo Seed and other lost stories by Dr Seuss - is a collection of new stories previously published in newspapers and magazines and is a hit for any Seuss fan.

The Windvale Sprites - Mackenzie Crook. This man is almost too talented. This quirky and slightly unsettling story about fairies and wild moors is gripping and with illustrations by the author aswell. Enviable.

Poetry

Poetry makes a great present as so often people forget to buy poetry for themselves. They should, but as they tend not to, you buy it for them.

The gorgeous RSPB Anthology of Wildlife Poetry selected by Celia Warren has a lovely selection and would make a great family book.

Mike Rosen's new collection, Even My Ears are Smiling is really fun.

The Imaginary Menagerie - Roger McGough. This A-Z of animal poems is Roger McGough at his most playful.  Kids love it.

Umpteen Pockets, David Mitchell - This volume is one to treasure. It introduces children to poetry as something fun, and interesting and something that is totally accessible. The rythms are so strong that they can be read and memorised again and again.