Tom Hanks. If you don’t love him already then by the end of his collection of short stories, Uncommon Type, you definitely will! Each story is perfect to read in about 15 -20 minutes which means you get to enjoy delving into a slice of literary Americana in the same amount of time it takes for your kid’s attention span to lapse.

NB: Typewriter pictured is the Silverette II by Silver Reed, an entry level machine produced in the late 1970’s, fully working and definitely not to be used in the quiet of the midnight hours! This was J’s Christmas present 3 years ago when the fruits of his imagination were impatient for distribution (and the lack of a family computer led him to think outside the metal box for a cheaper alternative).