Tessa bickers

Which childhood book sparked your love of reading? The Shoe Shop Bears by Margaret J Baker, now sadly out of print. It was the first book I bought with my own money. I was bored by picture books and w

Which childhood book sparked your love of reading? The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier made me dream of epic childhood adventures while being the first book to make me cry. A few years ago, I read it

As a child, Camilla was captivated by Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. She says, "I have to admit, I ended up probably being a pony-mad child with Black Beauty. which I howled over, night after night after

The Irish author, 62, on escaping the news through writing, staying sober and scrolling the internet for pretty things

The comedian, author and Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong shares his favourite reading

Here are our recommendations – and yours – of what to enjoy reading this fortnight