The Late Late Toy Show

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This year's Late Late Toy Show on RTE attracted the highest viewer audience in well over a decade with an estimated 1.4 million viewers tuning in to Ryan Tubridy and his guests in order to view what's hot and what's not for this Christmas. The great thing about this show is always the kids.... they let you know exactly what they're actually thinking on the toys... and (especially what we're concerned with here) the books. Books got a fantastic showing with year, including some of my favourites. A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton is wonderful, humorous... a pure delight. (My further thoughts are on the Picture Books page.) Also, from our dear friends at Walker books, and equally wonderful, were There's Going To Be A Baby by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury and, an oldie, but definitely a goody (making a surprise return) Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems. Another not to be missed picture book featured is Up And Down by Oliver Jeffers. For the older readers among us, don't forget Rick Riordan's return of Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero, Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil by Derek Landy, Eva's Journey by the wonderful Judi Curtin (a great story for austere times!) and a new offering by an old friend, The Longest Whale Song by Jacqueline Wilson. A marvellous addition to this year's lineup is Willy Wonka's Whipplescrumptious Annual 2011 by Roald Dahl. (Now I'm not normally one for annuals, but I may buy this one for myself!) The list goes on and on. These are just my highlights.

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