my DD's absolute faves are albums of The Beach Boys and John Denver, and she really likes Handel too. I think she'd probably pinch my Eagles album if I let it out of my sight (I got a DVD of a recent concert for my birthday from DH - the Farewell concert I didn't get to in Singapore a couple of years back - still makes me cry!). So music's easy here.

I usually read the kids' books slightly before they get to them, but thanks for the heads up on Princess Diaries. DD is very naive for a 10yr old and in many ways I'm happy for it to stay that way. She's not stupid though, just very different from the fashion victims in her school! When she tells people her favourite author is Enid Blyton she gets some very funny looks.

Michael Morpurgo books are HUGELY popular with kids over here - he also runs the charity that enabled DD to spend a week on a farm in September. I helped with the school library last year and the first thing most kids would ask would be about Michael Morpurgo books, from the 8yr olds and up.

DD is also into anything bug-related, so she'd probably go for those things where you can examine bugs with a built-in magnifier. I haven't bought them because we have a magnifying glass and a jam jar works for keeping things in one place! DS8-next-Friday is in the mood for joke books and factual books he can dip in and out of, so my parents have picked up a book called "Why don't penguins freeze" and I found an even better one called "How to avoid a wombat's bum". It should have him in stitches before he even opens it. I also found a set of Usborne books called "The Great XXX Search" (planet, dinosaur, city and... something else). It seems to be a bit of a Where's Wally but where you need to look for a varity of different things. They were flipping through some Where's Wally books a while back, so I'm hoping this will keep them occupied. Books are still the major part of Christmas or birthday giving from me, so I have to remind myself to give something a bit fun too. My parents never let me live down the year I gave DD (who was about 5) nothing but books and clothes, not a single toy! And she does like some babyish things at times, which drives me nuts.

the other thing might be things for the girls' room/s. DD will take anything with football or animals on it, so doing up her room isn't quite like making most girls' rooms nice! My mother chucked a mirror our way recently and DD has agreed to let me put it up. Fancy clocks are good too, and fun wall hooks. Places like... Pottery Barn Kids. I love looking at their website, but we don't have it here so it's strictly for inspiration. Mine also enjoy kits where they can make things to give to other people, like maybe paperweights or other giftie things - serious recycling!

I thought I was doing okay, but it's DS' birthday a week today and I am missing all sorts of things, including a card. DH can get that, since his work involves him being in a shop most of the day and I can't get out without the kids very easily between now and then.

Kerri.