ReadItDaddy's First Book of the Week - Week Ending 17th October 2014 - "The Usborne Official Detective Handbook" by Various Authors, illustrated by Colin King (Usborne Books)

Usborne's "Spy Handbook" was essential reading when I was a wee whippersnapper dreaming of being James Bond. We recently re-read the updated and reprinted version, and it's still an absolute classic, full of awesome detail and packed with facts.

"The Usborne Official Detective Handbook" sets out its stall in a similar way to the Spy Handbook, in a handy pocket-sized format so that amateur detectives can flick through it while out on important cases.

It's a little-known fact that Charlotte quite fancies herself as a detective, and loves children's detective stories like The Famous Five and Hermelin - The Detective Mouse. The genre is seeing something of a resurgence so having a more fact-based handbook like this is a real boon.

Each section encourages would-be gumshoes to delve into the sometimes dark and often quite seedy world of detecting. Honing your observation skills, and encouraging kids to scope out a scene and pick points of interest, it's really smartly produced and illustrated (we expect nothing less from Usborne).

It's also one of those books that has Charlotte running up to me every five minutes to point out something new and cool.

Utterly essential stuff for your own little sleuths!

Charlotte's best bit: Reading body language and how nefarious types will change their hair or beards to disguise their appearance

Daddy's Favourite bit: I really really wish I'd had this as well as the spy book as a kid. Utterly fantastic stuff from Usborne!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Usborne Books)