Last Christmas we looked at where you might find some more unusual presents, and the article shown in the Related links section might still give you some handy ideas (one warning - Daniels and Festival have now closed, but the other shops are still going strong). This year however we are taking a closer look at those old classics - books and jewellery.

If you're looking to inspire children you know with a love of books, we are even better off this year with the opening of two new bookshops; the Owl and the Pussycat in Northfields and Corbett's Children's Bookshop in the Ealing Broadway Centre. The Owl and the Pussycat is owned by the same people that run the excellent Pitshanger Book shop, although there is more emphasis on children's books in the Northfields shop. Although it is small and doesn't hold huge amounts of stock, what they have is carefully chosen, beautifully displayed and you can get books delivered very quickly. They also have some lovely Christmas toys. The staff love reading and are good at getting children engaged in discussion about their favourite stories and authors. Corbett's is centrally located and has an excellent choice of all the children's favourite authors, plus some attractive gift anthologies of fairy tales, poetry and myths.

At the opposite end of the market is the discounted book shop in the Broadway Centre, which offers a narrow range at bargain basement prices, but you can still pick up some well-known authors there, and it is good for hobby books, e.g. art, for biographies and for children's puzzle/activity books. Waterstones and W.H.Smiths need no introduction, are centrally located and both contain a wide range. Last but not least the Oxfam Bookshop on Ealing Green deserves a mention for its large stock, and it has some appealing hard backs in excellent condition in its window.