buy a good read

A compelling and sometimes painfully honest true story that spans four generations with Hazel at the centre. It is an intimate tale that confronts some universal truths about the human spirit and our common strengths and weaknesses. It vividly brings to life the perplexities of growing up, the deep need for love and to be understood, and the trust we put in authority.  This true story glows with a love of life and a deep appreciation of nature and our wonderful world. More on www.hazellakeland.co.uk

Richard Glass has proven to be a natural storyteller in this book full of human interest that reflects the essential nature of its author: generous, interested in his fellow human beings, ready to appreciate the funny side of life and to take its hard knocks without losing his integrity – a gift he learnt early in life. Dick wanted to write this book as a memento for his family but then discovered that there was widespread interest among his old army acquaintances. Family and friends alike will find much to enjoy as memories are stirred and perhaps new facets of his life are revealed in these pages.

Stephen Murray’s autobiography is a raw, inspirational story. Following a harrowing accident in 2007 Stephen was paralysed from the neck down and is still confined to a wheelchair. It deals with some very dark moments, the challenges faced every day as a father going through a divorce, a custody battle and whether he will ever ride a bike again — Stephen may have lost the use of his body but he has never lost his love or passion for BMX. It’s this passion that pushes him through every day. His determination teaches us all that you are more than your disability and that although he has been taken to some dark places since his accident they are also mixed with some of the best days of his life.

A compelling ten-year journey through the highs and lows in the life of a racing fan entwined with the exploits of Kauto Star, one of National Hunt Racing’s stars who was compared to the great Arkle. Andrew Walker’s book is a rollercoaster of emotion with Kauto Star as the central figure. This book will appeal to racing supporter, sports fan and general public alike, since it paints a delightful picture of almost a decade of life-changing experiences: children being born, moving house, the 2012 Olympic Games – and the ups and downs on the racecourse that come from following a racing legend.

Polly Hale’s no-nonsense, back to basics approach to weight loss and balanced, normal, healthy eating, contains affordable, achievable tips on: nutrition basics; cooking at home; eating out and social occasions; satisfying, delicious recipes for family meals. Suitable for all ages and dietary requirements. Visit Polly’s website

The complete diet and lifestyle plan created exclusively for mums. Fed up of complicated meal plans, time-consuming recipes and inflexible exercise plans that just don’t fit into a busy life? Here’s a weight-loss plan that takes into account the unique challenges of a busy and stressful Mum-life (that most trainers don’t understand)? All Polly’s secrets on how she manages to stay slim, healthy, strong and have tonnes of energy (most of the time!). There’s absolutely no ‘fluff’, just scientifically backed systems. They’re not hard. They’re not time consuming. But they DO work. Visit Polly’s website

Create fun times and magical moments with your child making up your own stories from scratch. By giving you the basic building blocks of storytelling and starting you off with some fun suggestions and examples, this booklet will stir your imagination and give you the confidence to start making up your own stories. Order direct from the author.

Children benefit greatly from being read to by the adults in their lives. However, many adults don’t feel confident in their ability to read expressively to children so don’t enjoy the activity as much as they could. How to Enjoy Reading Aloud to Young Children illustrates techniques, advice and practice on how to read aloud better – with obvious benefits for the child and greater enjoyment for the adult. Order direct from the author.

Tracey Bryant is a children’s author who lives with her two cats in rural Worcestershire. Her garden is full of fairies and the hedgerows nearby are very tidy. She overcame her dyslexia to write this entertaining story about the increasing number of dog poo bags that litter our environment. Tracey hopes you will find this a fun way to pass on an important message about cleaning up after ourselves and caring for our beautiful countryside. Join Tracey on Facebook

A story of driverless cars evading capture, enjoying freedom and just having fun. It is the first in a series of Cabby and Co’s road trip adventures from Brooky Brookland; all part of his ambition to change car journeys from “Are we there yet?” to “Can we go again?” Brooky is a car enthusiast and within these pages you will meet his club of classic old friends. This charming tale for children of all ages is beautifully illustrated by Lois McKie’s atmospheric watercolours. cabbyandco.com

A metaphysical pseudo-biography. Half documentary, half novel about the Hippie phenomenon, full of humour and anarchy, told by someone who was there, and still is! A read for those who lived through that unique era and those who want to discover the roots of the music they listen to now. A unique story because very few will have experienced anything like it and, even if they had, not many will be able to remember in such psychedelic intensity.

A visceral, highly-charged, emotional read. In the early 1980s a naive young English miner uproots himself and his new wife from the Nottingham coalmines to unearth his fortune in the South African goldmines. His dreams are shattered as our eyes are opened to a culture that reveals humanity’s deepest flaws. Keith Brown draws upon his personal experiences of apartheid-driven South Africa on the brink of a new political order to bring us a deeply moving tale of man’s inhumanity to man. In a world where greed and historical resentments drive the agenda is apartheid really just a black versus white issue?