John Marsden: The boy you brought home

By MARGIE THOMSON

I rarely trust books of this format: pocket-sized, with page-long, soundbite answers to complex questions - lifestyle equivalent to packets of cake-mix. But this one, by popular children's author John Marsden, is so specifically sensible and practical that it's worth a mention, although I think aiming it at "single mothers" is rather patronising. The format is that each left-hand page makes a brief statement - "Don't tell him that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are true" - and the right-hand page explains it, offering practical advice in a couple of hundred words. He covers the range of issues, from teddy bears (a good idea) to improving gross and fine motor skills, lateral-thinking about encouraging your son to read, letting him sort out his own arguments with other children, and buying him a good book about sex. It's hands-on stuff, and jolly good.

Macmillan

$18.95