Linda Hall: Read all about it

I have a great word book this week in Read All About it. I also have a book to help you sort out your email overload, and of course, something for the children.

We start with The Right Word, by Elizabeth Morrison. The cover says 'The Write', with a line through 'Write', then 'right' - so you get the picture?

The English language can be downright confusing with so many words sounding the same but meaning something totally different and of course spelt differently as well, for example, cent (a decimal coin), scent (a perfume), sent (to forward or dispatch). .

The book is divided into three sections, covering homophones (words that sound the same but are spelt differently), confusing words such as all ready (being prepared) and already (time beforehand), and words that are often misspelled.

It's a very handy reference book for students, crossword fans... actually, every household should have one.

The Right Word is published by Exisle and retails for $29.99.

I remember when getting an email was a novelty.

Now it seems we spend a good part of every day sorting through and replying to emails and, if you are anything like me, trying to make space in your inbox so the system will allow you to send an email.

Well, help is at hand for those of us who find managing our emails is becoming a nightmare.

Conquer Your Email Overload by Debbie Mayo-Smith will teach you how to stop junk and spam emails, utilise contacts and calendars better, find lost emails and add personality to your emails. Actually, this book is full of practical information that will help anyone with a computer.

It doesn't matter if you are a whiz kid or a learner, I'm sure you will find something useful in this handy book of tips and tricks.

Conquer Your Email Overload is published by Penguin and retails for $34.99.

Now for the children. First we have a "finger trail". All Aboard The Ark by Elena Pasquali is a very cool book with cut-in-finger trails on every page so the little ones can follow the story with their fingers.

It's a great way to get the early learners to stay focused.

Little fingers can follow footsteps into the ark, trace the raindrops, the rocky water, the path of a dove and the bright colourful rainbow.

Brightly illustrated by Barbara Vagnozzi, the 10-page board book is aimed at three-to-five-year-olds. Published by Lion Hudson and distributed in New Zealand by New Holland Publishers, All Aboard the Ark retails for $12.99.

And last, but by no means least, is the superb Farmer John's Tractor by Sally Sutton, an adventure story about a mum, dad and two little girls who get stuck in a flood. All kinds of people and machinery try to rescue them while farmer John's tractor, rusty yet trusty and orangey red, lies locked in the shed. The tale is told in a jaunty rhyme - children will love it and soon learn to join in.

With detailed illustrations by Robyn Belton that help tell the story, this lovely book has a happy ending that will send the children off to sleep with a smile on their face. A great book. Farmer John's Tractor is published by Walker Books and retails for $29.99 (hardcover).