Kids' Corner

Books - the Perfect Gift

What could make a better gift this holiday season than a book?  Here are some recently published titles (available at local bookstores as well as online at Amazon.com).  Some of them are for all ages, and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

In the Town All Year ‘Round  by Rotraut Berner
Lively pictures show the changes in people and places through the four seasons in this wordless picture book.  For ages 2 u– 5   $16.99

The Rabbit and the Turtle:  Aesop’s Fables retold and illustrated by Eric Carle
A charming collection of 11 one page fables, each with a moral, including The Wolf and the Lamb, and The Grasshopper and the Ants.     For ages 4 – 8           $16.99

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes  by  Mem Fox
Lovely watercolor and pencil illustrations by Helen Oxenbury enhance this poem about babies all over the world.  This is perfect for parents with young children.  For ages 2 – 6       $16.00

How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly?  by Steve Jenkins
Filled with fascinating facts about the animal world, and breathtaking, detailed illustrations.  For ages 4 – 8    $16.00

The Way We Work:  Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body
by David Macaulay  and Richard Walker
This is a companion volume to Macaulay’s The Way Things Work.  Detailed (and often humorous) colorful illustrations accompany the descriptions of the “mechanical” side of humans.
For ages 9 – Adult                 $35.00

The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry  selected by Bill Martin
Nearly 200  poems by many well-known poets, with energetic illustrations by award-winning artists.  For ages 3 – 8  $21.00

Our White House:  Looking In, Looking Out
This fascinating collection of essays and illustrations by 108 of the best children’s book people (Kate DiCamillo, Peter Sis, Patricia MacLachlan and David Small, to name a few) brings the history of the White House to life.   It was compiled by the National Children’s Book and Literary Alliance, and has an introduction by David McCullough.    For ages 8 and up         $29.99

The 39 Clues (The Maze of Bones, book 1)  by Rick Riordan
Young orphans Amy and Dan Cahill compete with their relatives to solve puzzles and gather clues to find the source of the family’s power.  This is the first in a series of 10 books.  There’s also a website: the39clues.com  and cards to collect. Grades 4 – 8  $12.99

Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland  retold by Jon Scieszka
A simple, picture book retelling of the well-known Lewis Carroll tale.  The illustrations are by Mary Blair, who was the artist for the 1951 movie.    For ages 4 – 8          $16.99

Swing!  By Rufus Seder
Using the amazing technology of Scanimation, this actually shows various athletes in motion. It’s by the creator of last year’s Gallop!
For ages 3 and up                   $12.95

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!
Ellen Xydias
Children’s Librarian