Open Sat-Thu 9am-7pm; closed Fri Credit Amex, MC,V.

You'll find an impressive selection of French language books here for children of all ages. As far as we know, it's the only one of its kind in this Emirate, so if you are a French expat or if your kid is simply a lover of the beautiful French language, then this is the place to bring them.

Open Sat-Thu 10am-8pm; closed Fri Credit Amex, MC,V.

From the Arabic-style reading tent to the vast and eclectic range of books on sale, this store is enough to turn any kid into a bookworm. Classic authors like Kenneth Graham and Dick King Smith share shelf space with today's favourites, like J K Rowling and Philip Pullman, while younger children and adults alike will enjoy books like Baby Einstein and My First Thomas. Meanwhile, the Mr Men collection is designed to bring out the kid in everyone.

Open Sat-Thu 9am-9pm; Fri 4.3opm-9pm Credit Amex, MC,V.

Magrudy's may have morphed into a multi-store company over its 30-year existence, but its spiritual home is still the cramped confines of the self-titled mall on Jumeirah Beach Road- For years, Dubaians have whiled away an afternoon flitting between the bookstore and the adjacent coffee shop, making this cosy little area a bona fide Dubai institution. There might be newer, shiny Magrudy's stores in the city's shopping malls but they are, frankly, not a patch on the original. Why? Because book lovers are inherently hoarders who like nothing more than to tuck themselves away in a corner, browsing through the clutter and jumble of books that no longer fit on the shelves built to hold them. A good bookstore, we would argue, should always look like an overstocked library. As usual with Magrudy's, the children section is very well catered for, and there's a good audio books section too. Let your child or teen invest some time here and they'll discover some life-long literary loves.

Other locations: BurJuman (04 359 3332);Deira City Centre (04 295 7744); 1bn Battuta Mall, (04 366 9770); Magrudy's Educational Resource Centre, Sharjah Road (04 297 9797).

Open Sat-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri 3pm-10pm Credit Amex, MC, V.

Stockists of all kinds of books, computer software, arts & crafts material, this is also the perfect place for teachers to find their supplies. From the educational Jump Start, ADI and Davidson series', you'll also find Microsoft products, computer games and the Disney and Barbie series' here.

Open daily 9am-11pm.Credit Amex, MC,V.

One of the world's biggest bookshop chains,Borders opened in Dubai with a bang,offering arguably the biggest selection of titles in town.The children's section is particularly impressive.Borders encourages its customers to take a seat and read,and there's even an in-house Starbucks to make the experience more relaxed.