All bookshops are magical places but the Travelling Bookshop takes magical to another level. Wherever it goes, enchantment follows, and usually it’s for a good reason: a problem to resolve or a situation that needs rectifying.

Mim, her dad and her younger brother travel the roads in a caravan that doubles as a bookshop pulled by Flossy the horse. Their lives are as unconventional as their shop. Flossy leads them to a Dutch village where the residents come by to seek out books, though Mim’s dad’s recommendations initially seem totally unsuited to their requirements. It is here that Mim befriends a sweet, gentle girl who is being bullied. Luckily, the bookshop and Mim’s dad can help.

This is such a lovely, happy book that approaches life’s dilemmas with humour and wisdom. Katrina Nannestad is a terrific author whose versatility and humanity shine in every one of her books, and Cheryl Orsini’s illustrations compliment the story perfectly. Highly recommended for ages 7+.

Alexa Dretzke is the assistant manager and children’s book buyer at Readings Hawthorn.