I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it is just so hard not to. When I saw a 50% off paperback fiction sign a few months I couldn’t resist. It’s a once a year indulgence. In hindsight, I was having a very aqua and orange day.

I had to have Going West by Maurice Gee. I’d read it years ago and still some of the images haunt me, the homesick Auckland wife in Wellington, the steep steps that deliver everyone to everyplace, and maybe from every evil, in Wellington and there is a certain boating accident too. I was delighted to hear it had been republished as a penguin classic. I adore the simple graphic language of the orange and cream covers with clear bold fonts. It’s a pity the inside isn’t quite so clear. I’m going to have to save rereading this one for wide awake, daylight eyes.

I’ve just finished The Hand that First Held Mine and have to admit I bought it because it had some nice fabric on the cover. I’m always a floosie for nice fabric and now I am pining for 1950’s London too. It sounds like somewhere I’d like to visit, full of dynamic artists and unconventional mothers.

The mermaid on the fairy tales caught my attention. At the time I was busy searching for non-disney mermaids and this beautiful, wistful one by Jan Pienkowski fits that bill. Actually, I could have quite happily escorted any of the new Penguin Children’s classics home. I am slowly reacquainting myself with the ugly duckling, nightingale, and of course the little mermaid.

I’d love to tell you more about The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoot, but I will have to wait patiently, while my dearest finishes with it.