The joy of words and clean babies...

There is a real joy to bedtime at the moment. After scrubbing the mud off knees and cajoling warm pink bodies from the bath, I visit their rooms separately to read stories. He and she have developed different tastes; the five year old likes comedy - Horrid Henry and Capt. Underpants seem to rule at the moment while, at seven, she is completely hooked by Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Several months ago the five year old couldn't be separated from me, he would follow me into his sister's bedroom to listen to her story too. She was most unhappy with this arrangement, first because it meant he got two stories, second he was in her room uninvited and third she had to share me. Lately he has decided that Harry Potter is just too damn complicated so, sated after a bottle of milk and his private reading, he lets me depart.

I'm loving the fact that I can now share a story book like Harry Potter with my child. Until recently I read many books that they enjoyed but few stimulated me. Of the few, I did love the Dr Seuss books, Flip and Flop by Dawn Aperley, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Love is A Handful of Honey by Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban. These and others have become treasures which will always remain on the bookshelf.

A special mention must be made for The DK Star Wars Visual Dictionary without which I may not have been able to communicate with son during 2009!

I'm reading the Secret Scripture at the moment. Chosen for my book club, I'm finding it difficult to get into. I'll get there. I'm a bit anal like that, if I start it I'll finish it. Every time I struggle through another couple of pages I turn to the front cover; 'shortlisted for the Booker Prize' it declares and this encourages me to try harder.

I've written a book, one of my proudest achievements to date. It's about three girls, best friends, off to boarding school for the first time. I desperately hope my 9+ readers wont find my book a chore. I want them to be sucked into the story, oblivious to calls from mothers to set the table or put shoes and coats on. Keep your fingers crossed please.

If you have time, let me know the books you love or books you're enjoying. I'm off to the real world now to unpack the Tesco order, plan dinner and pay the Autoglass man who is on the drive replacing my windscreen.....see you soon....