Issue 723

July 12 - 18, 2010

Charlie and Lola
Writer Lauren Child reveals the twist in her new book about the famous siblings, and tells us how she overcame homelessness to become a huge success

Top 25 kids books
Top authors and celebs have their say on the must-read books for under-11s, but will you agree with their list? And where’s the boy wizard…? PLUS win two sets of all 25 books!

Loco hero
At 65, Thomas the Tank Engine is old enough to pick up his pension but he’s still one of the world’s top brands. How does he do it?

Sarra Elgan
Our domestic goddess crafts a fashionable lampshade on a shoestring budget