King Arthur, Arthur and the Popularity Test, Arthur and the Lost Diary, Arthur and the Stolen Bike, Who's in Love with Arthur? and Arthur Rocks with Binky, all by Marc Brown

(Red Fox, £2.99 each)

FROM the board books to the TV series, Arthur now seems to offer something for everyone.

Children can grow with Arthur, DW, Mr Ratburn, Binky and the gang. The books change as they change.

These latest "young readers" are designed for kids aged from about six to nine, and offer what the publisher calls "child-centred stories about real-life adventures" - whether it's a school competition or the hunt for a stolen bike, Marc Brown sets the tone just about right.

He seems to have a real empathy with children of this age and is able to write dialogue and proffer scenarios that are believable, not just for adults, but for the children themselves.

The stories may be everyday, but they are full of the excitements and worries that rule children's lives.

At £2.99 each, this new Arthur series is good value as well as good entertainment.

Jim Collins