Children's books special from Books news, reviews and author interviews | guardian.co.uk by Kate Kellaway

The Story of the World's Greatest Paintings by Charlie Ayres (Thames & Hudson £9.99) is a picture book about pictures – 20 of the world's greatest masterpieces to be precise – and would make a great present. Ayres has approached the task with zest and the result is rich, interactive and engaging. The book is also marvellously informative – including curious details about the personal lives of artists. I did not know that Vermeer had 15 children and fretted about money, nor that Botticelli was uncompromisingly undomestic. He never married – the idea gave him nightmares (11+).

Read the full feature, story here. See also: The Story of the World's Greatest Paintings, Art: The World's Greatest Paintings Explored and Explained