ONCE UPON A BEDTIME

Lucy Mangan introduces Bedtime Stories for Stressed Out Adults

The world can sometimes feel like a whirlwind; a constant rush of home, family and work demands, where down time is scarce and stress is ever present.

So hurrah for a book that draws us away from the cold blue light of the smart phone and into the soothing glow of poems, short stories and extracts from longer books. Entries are chosen to evoke a sense of peace at the end of a long, hectic day, ready for bedtime.

There’s Heidi picnicking on smoked cheese with her granddad, a bit of digging in The Secret Garden, and a day out with

Anne of Green Gables. Then there are rhymes that read like lullabies and short stories from the likes of Saki, Oscar Wilde and Kate Chopin. (Hodder & Stoughton)