As a first-time mum on maternity leave, I gained a new appreciation of how important it was to have good book recommendations for children at every stage of their development, and not just to help fire-up young imaginations, but to keep parents entertained too!

I realised quite quickly that going forward I would have far less time for my usual private reading selection, and that I was far more likely to have my head in a children’s book.  But where does a parent start in their book search?  How does a parent go about selecting books that are right for their child at the right time in their development?  Is there such a thing as a bad or wrong selection?

Storytelling comes naturally to human beings – it is in our DNA; these stories have profound impacts on the way that we think and behave, particularly those stories that we heard or read in our younger years. This means that as a parent you feel the pressure to get your child’s reading experience just right.

We all have our favourite childhood stories, the ones that reignite memories of sights, smells, and sounds that we thought we had long forgotten. Bewitched Reads is about recommending good books for parents to read and buy for their children, and highlighting the significance of various stories to young minds, particularly the magical stories that become part of us, and the ones that will be passed on to the next generation.

I hope that you will enjoy our recommendations and share with others, whether that is part of your own book club or with the young people in your family.