Pick of the picture books

Since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall retired his suped-up camper van and turned his attention to the plight of Britain's chickens, there has been a sad lack of foraging in the public consciousness. This could be the book to rectify that. Seaweed and Eat It, by Fiona Houston and Xa Milne (Virgin Books, £10.99), starts with the assumption that wild food is fun for all the family, and offers directions and recipes for everything from seafood (first, catch your lobster, using thick gloves and a sharp stick) to sweet cicely (which cola companies are investigating as a sugar substitute). Only a disclaimer that the publisher "cannot be held responsible for..." anything that happens as a result of relying on this book makes chapters such as the one on wild mushrooms any less enjoyable.