Ten books which define me? perhaps not but certainly hold memories and give you a sense of who I am.

1.  Now We Are Six –  A. A. Milne
I loved this book as a child and still do. I know so many of the poems by heart and read them to my son when he was little. I was given the other copy by my husband as a wedding present, it was a complete surprise and meant more to me than anything else he could have bought me.

2.David Hockney – A Retrospective
This was a Christmas present from my brother in the late 80s – 1988 I think. Anyway, he knew Hockney is my favourite artist and inside the book was a note explaining this was only the first part of my present, the second was to take me to the exhibition.

3.Geoff Hamilton’s Cottage Gardens
I am a keen gardener and this was the book that started my passion for growing flowers and vegetables together, not to mention “making a really smashing compost heap from some old pallets” – what a legend.

4. Old Bear Stories
5. The Bears’s Picnic
6. Worried Arthur
All books which I shared many, many times with my son. We both have very fond memories of reading books together. But he helped me pick these three as our favourites (he’s now nearly 20).

7. Hen’s Dancing – Raffaella Barker
Just a lovely, funny story which I have read again and again.

8. Emma – Jane Austin
Well a classic obviously, but special to us because we used the last paragraph of the book as the reading at our wedding.

9. Bailey’s East End
A recent gift from my husband – another inspired gift!

10. Happiness is a warm puppy
Bought by a very good friend, this book just about sums it up really. If I am need of smile it does it every time!