I had to scratch The Root Cellar for my third title. After all what is a book club if not a chance to be inspired and awed by the gift great writers share.

Finding Violet Park, by Jenny Valentine, was first published in 2007. This book blew my socks off.

I started reading it on the sofa in the afternoon sun, and hours passed before I realized I could not put the book down. It had become connected to my hand, or at least it would be until I could finish it. So blocking out life for a few hours, I finished it and I have to say it’s the best book I’ve read for ages. It won the Guardian Children Fiction’s Prize which is frankly, not at all surprising.