The midnight library - Kazuno Kohara

When we are fast asleep in bed, the Midnight Library opens its doors to all the night-time animals. Inside the library the little librarian and her three assistant owls help each and every animal to find the perfect book. But with a noisy squirrel band, an upset wolf and a slow-reading tortoise to help, they could all be in for a very busy night . . .

A beautiful, big-hearted book about the joy of reading and the importance of libraries. Stylishly designed and produced, this is the perfect gift for anyone of any age that simply loves books.

Kazuno Kohara grew up in Japan and came to the UK as a student of illustration and print-making. Her first book, The Haunted House was published in 2008 to great acclaim both at home and abroad; selected by the New York Times as one of their Top Ten Illustrated Books of 2008, it has also been shortlisted for the Cambridgeshire Children's Picture Book Award and nominated for the 2010 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. Jack Frost also secured Kazuno a nomination for Best Emerging Illustrator at the Booktrust Early Years Awards. Kazuno has now returned to Japan, where she lives in Osaka.