Matt Moran (Penguin Australia £25)

This has to be the most exciting cookbook of the season. For those of you who love the simple, ingredient-based dishes of Bill Granger or the River Café, these summery recipes will be ideal. In fact, if you can resist buying the book after one look at the raspberry nougatine tart on the cover then I salute you! Matt Moran is chef at ARIA, a restaurant with an enviable location next to Sydney Opera House, and is thought of by many as Australian food’s most important ambassador. In this, his first book, he takes the best possible produce as his starting point and creates food with an extraordinary depth of flavour. From canapés such as tuna pops with red curry dressing, through starters, main courses often based around fish, meat dishes like roast leg of lamb with preserved lemon and chargrilled vegetables, to his stunning puddings – these are dishes to really brighten up your springtime dinner table.

Real Fast Food by Gordon Ramsay (Quadrille £19.99)

From one of Australia’s most famous and exciting chefs to one of our own. You can’t escape Mr Ramsay these days, he is always either presenting a TV programme, writing for one of the weekend papers or appearing in an advert, but thankfully he still finds the time to write books, and here is his latest collection of recipes from "The F Word". With his unique style, high voltage energy and passion for good food, Gordon shows how to get a great meal on the table in less time than it would take to have a takeaway delivered. The book is arranged in a user-friendly manner, showing 5-minute snacks, 10-minute main courses and 30-minute menus for all occasions – great for the time-poor who still want to have a fantastic meal to sit down to at the end of the day. Fans should look out for the paperback of Gordon’s fascinating autobiography "Humble Pie", also published this month.

Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver (Penguin £14.99)

Another TV star, and another food writer whose books really live up to the hype – once you have tried a few dishes from "Jamie’s Italy", you’ll wonder how you lived without it. The paperback version of the big hit of Christmas 2005 follows Jamie on his trip around Italy, where he discovers classic recipes from each distinctive region, and tries to persuade the locals that sometimes his finishing touches can improve on something they assume is perfect. Follow his tips on barbecuing fish seasoned with orange and rosemary salt, or try his idea of adding cinnamon to tuna meatballs and you’ll see how Jamie’s irresistible zest for trying new ideas can revitalise your cooking. There are more than 120 recipes here, but the book also works as a travelogue and diary, bringing to life the people Jamie met on his journey and who inspired him to produce his best and most rewarding book yet.

Cooking with Daisy by Josie Klafkowska (Quercus £10)

There is such a sad story behind this cheerful and useful book: the author’s daughter Daisy, who loved her food and was a wonderful little cook, died suddenly at the age of 18 months, so this book is a tribute to the mother-daughter bond as well as a practical guidebook to inspiring your children to enjoy food and cooking as much as Daisy did. We sold masses of copies of "Cooking with Daisy" in hardback, and are hoping to repeat this success in the book’s new format, especially as the author’s royalties are being donated to a charity working to prevent medical error and promote patient safety. Many customers told us how user-friendly the recipes are, and how much their children had enjoyed trying dishes such as eggs in pots, kids’ kedgeree and even wiggly worm kebabs! Illustrated with sweet pictures of local kids and featuring recipes from a host of celebrities, this book is an essential addition to any family kitchen.

Daniel Webb works at Village Books, 6 Bellevue Road SW17 (020 8672 4413; wandsworth@villagebooks.uk.com)