Like the children we make books for, our writers and designers are a curious bunch, armed with scissors and glue and brimming with bright ideas. Behind the seemingly ordinary doors of Usborne Towers, they are beavering away creating books that are guaranteed to keep kids' hands and minds busy, and give their eyes a break from those pesky screens. A few of these on your bookshelf are the perfect prescription for boredom, and will get your kids practicing essential skills - from hand-eye coordination to spotting, counting and matching - without them even realising.