This book won’t be for everyone. A Spanish novel (translated by Christina MacSweeney) it’s something of a fable and full of the trappings of fables, not least a mysterious forest in which a dog is lost. It’s narrated by 19-year-old Lea who is telling her …

‘Spirit of the North East’ is a very excellent retrospective currently showing at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery that showcases the paintings of Richard Hobson. Richard Hobson (1945-2004) was a painter who managed to capture the changing landscapes…

This EP features a clutch of songs apiece from local bands The Upside and Penguins Per Second. The Upside’s frothy ditties are upbeat bops that fuse ska and funk in very agreeable ways and when they belt out the words, “When you’re living in Bensham” they…