This month we have come over all child-like so are focusing on all the books that switched us onto reading when we were little. Come join in let us know what your favourite books were when you were just starting out on your reading adventure.

Continuing on from our ‘Literary Awards Part one' selection, this week we turn our attention to some of the smaller prizes out there.  Those that that may come with somewhat less impressive pay cheques and publicity but carry just as much importance to readers, writers and publishers alike.  Dear friends, keep your eyes peeled for some of these wonderful awards this year…

Here at Book Exchange HQ we love a literary award, not only do they bring to our attention authors and titles we might have otherwise missed but also because anything that raises the profile of reading across the country is alright by us!  So we thought we would create a little compendium of dates for a handful of the book awards coming your way during 2013. This week a selection of the big hitters...

Last week I succumbed to the dreaded 72 hour lurgy and ended up spending much of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday between the bed and the sofa.  Not fun especially as I’m not a particularly patient patient, I should also confess that when I’m under the weather reading is low on my list of recuperative tools and I turn to light telly to pass the time instead.  There is however only so much day-time TV that this girl can take so I started scouring the book-shelves for a good sick-bed read.

With the camera's about to start rolling on the film adaptation of SJ Watson's debut novel Before I Go to Sleep we got to thinking about some of the other hugely successful debut novels that have been re-worked to celluloid.  In no particular order here are our tip-top picks for books that have been as popular on film as they are in print. 

January 18 marks the birth-date of A.A. Milne one of the world’s greatest children's story tellers.  Born in 1882 in Kilburn, North West London Alan Alexander went on to write for Granta and Punch magazines as well as publishing and producing a number of plays, poems and novels.

Would you believe it’s only four-and-a-half weeks to Christmas?  To alleviate the terrible shopping panic we’ve done all the hard work for you and have compiled a little list of treats for the book-lover in your life.  Be it a lovely literary object, a gorgeous new book or a readers subscription hopefully you’ll find some inspiration for family and friends, or maybe as your little treat-to-self!

Release your inner child and celebrate 25 years of Rob Reiner's adaptation of William Goldman’s fabulously witty novel The Princess Bride.

Inspired by my love of autumn, the season where it's ok to become a hermit and curl up under my favourite blanket to enjoy hours of uninterrupted reading.  I'm exploring books that are somehow heightened by autumn – you know the type, those that for a myriad of reasons are a perfect fit with the dark, chilly nights…

Like the majority of you we have been enjoying the coverage of the Olympics from the comfort of our sofas here at Book Exchange HQ.  We have cheered, cried and celebrated with all the sporting prowess on show since 27 July 2012 so thought it would be apt to start compiling a list of some of the top sporting fiction & biographies on our shelves at the moment.