Our wise bookseller Agatha answers all your tricky questions. If you have a question for Agatha please email [email protected].

Readings recently suggested The Scarecrow’s Wedding as a cute gift for a couple getting married (see here). I like the idea but think scarecrows are quite creepy. Do you know of any other kids books that would work just as well?

Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver are the brains behind Baby Lit – a stylish series that recreate classic stories as cute counting books. Their interpretation of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy’s romance in Pride & Prejudice is my favourite (naturally) though there’s also Romeo & Juliet and Wuthering Heights among the mix.

Another cute pick is Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley by Aaron Blabey. This one is a tear-jerker: Pearl is really loud and courageous and Charlie is quiet and thoughtful, and the story is about how they complement each other perfectly. I’d also recommend The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate which chucks stereotypes out of the window in its telling of a feisty romance.

Are these Ottolo-whosie cookbooks actually as good as everyone says?

I must admit I’m not much one for cooking by other people’s rules – I like to let my creative juices flow in the kitchen – and I’ve never actually followed an Ottolenghi recipe. However, I have eaten many of his dishes as he seems to have earned himself a reputation as the go-to guy for dinner parties among my social circles and I can tell you they have all been undeniably delicious. In particular, I remember one dish which involved Brussels sprouts of all things that I couldn’t stop thinking about for days…

So if you’re someone who enjoys cooking it’s worth at least trying one of his recipes as I sincerely doubt you’ll be disappointed. And looking at the great reviews appearing, his new cookbook, Plenty More, seems to be living up to the expectations of his die-hard fans.

What’s the best show on TV right now?

I love how wonderfully straightforward this question is. So I am going to answer it in an equally straightforward way, with no caveats or ‘I couldn’t possibly choose just one’ avoidance tactics.

The best show on TV right now is The Good Wife. Alicia Florrick is the most interesting, complicated, fascinating lead character we have on our screens. The fifth season of the show successfully blew it apart – twice – in ways other shows wouldn’t dare to risk or be able to pull off. It is smart, funny, heartbreaking and challenging. I have wept, I have cackled with glee and I have clapped my hands with delight while watching this show. If you aren’t watching it, you should be.

(Here’s a great primer on how to catch up.)

If you already watch The Good Wife, it’s worth noting that the wonderful Alan Cumming (who plays Eli) is releasing a memoir in November called Not My Father’s Son. Advance praise indicates it’s a gripping, rather tragic true story and definitely one to look out for.

We’ll be publishing Agatha’s next column on Tuesday 14 October. All questions answered on our blog will be kept anonymous and questions will be chosen at Agatha’s discretion.