GIFTS TO GIVE TO A FAMILY

Alphabet Explosion! John Nickle. Random House, $16.95.   Surreal paintings of subjects from A-Z, each captioned with the number of objects (22 A’s) to be found.

The Amazing World of Sports. Sports Illustrated for Kids, $18.95.  “The ultimate sports photography book.”

The American Story, Jennifer Armstrong. Knopf, $34.95.  100 true tales, in chronological order, bring American people and history alive.

Can You Hear It? Metropolitan Museum of Art. Abrams, $18.95.  A novel approach:  works of art paired with evocative music – cd and guided questions included.

Castle, Kyle Olmon. Scholastic, $19.99.  A Robert Sabuda pop-up book about medieval days and knights.

The Enchanted Dolls’ House, Robyn Johnson. Handprint Books, $24.95.  Detailed and 3-D, this adventure leads you in and out of four beautifully decorated dollhouses representing Tudor through Victorian styles.

Paths To Peace, Jane Zalben. Penguin $18.99. Inspirational profiles of 16 people who had the courage to try to make the world a better place.

Pick Me Up, DK Publishing.  $29.99.  An inventive browsing book, in which the information on any one page will lead you back and forth to related topics.

Quiz Quest 1, Kingfisher. $11.95.  More than 1,000 questions (and answers) on popular topics – from science to sports.

 Move Over, Rover! Karen Beaumont. Harcourt, $16.  Jane Dyer’s cozy watercolors of animals crowding into a doghouse on a rainy day accompany this backyard version   of the folktale “The Mitten”.

One Ted Falls Out Of Bed, Julia Donaldson. Holt, $15.95. A night-time counting adventure unfolds as bedroom toys help get teddy back under the covers.

Tugga- Tugga Tugboat, Kevin Lewis. Hyperion, $15.99. Boats are at work and play in this bold and bouncy book.

Augustine, Melanie Watt. Kids Can Press, $16.95.  An artistic penguin copes with her move to the North Pole, in this delightful romp with illustrations slyly imitating well-known paintings.

A Beautiful Girl, Amy Schwartz. Roaring Brook, $16.95. A plucky little girl questions the animals she meets in this humorous cumulative tale.

The Birdman, Veronika Charles. Tundra, $17.95.  This moving true story, set in India, reminds us that showing kindness to others can help heal our own sorrows.

Brave Bitsy and the Bear, Angela McAllister.  HM, $16.  Soft watercolors lend charm to this tale of a toy rabbit and a large bear who come to each other’s rescue one winter.

The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside, Cynthia Von Buhler. HM, $16.  Photographs of clay figures in a dollhouse bring a quirky vitality to this tale of the wooing of a stray cat.

Cookies, Amy Rosenthal.  Harper, $12.99.  Lighthearted “bite-size life lessons” about fairness, honesty, courage and more.

The Gingerbread Girl, Lisa Ernst. Penguin, $16.99. This humorous version of the runaway cookie story, with repetitive chants and a licorice-haired heroine, is a joy to read aloud.  

Library Lion, Michelle Knudsen. Candlewick, $15.99.  A lion fits surprising well into the daily routines at the library – until the day he breaks the rule against roaring.

One Potato, Two Potato, Cynthia DeFelice. FSG, $16.  This story of an old man and his wife, who find a magic pot that doubles whatever they put in it, mixes its folktale elements with stylish wit, and delivers a laugh-aloud ending.

Probuditi!, Chris Van Allsburg. HM, $18.95.  Calvin thinks it is funny to hypnotize his little sister, but in trademark Van Allsburg style it is uncertain who will get the last laugh.

Take Care, Good Knight, Shelley Thomas.  Penguin, $15.99.  Three little dragons run into trouble when they cat-sit for a wizard.

The Adventures Of Vin Fiz, Clive Cussler. Penguin $15.99.  A toy plane grows in size and takes a brother and sister on an adventure packed cross-country trip.

The Beasts Of Clawstone Castle, Eva Ibbotson. Penguin, $16.99.  Ghostly help is needed to save an ancestral castle and a mysterious herd of cattle.

Best Shorts, selected by Avi. HM, $16.95.  A collection of short stories by favorite children’s authors, including humor, fantasy, historical fiction and more.

Miracle On 49^th Street, Mike Lupica.  Penguin $17.99. The author of Travel Team has spun another story about the intensity of emotion in sports and families, in this involving tale of a girl who finds out the father she has never met is a Boston Celtics star.

The Racketty-Packetty House, Frances Burnett.  S & S, $17.95. Illustrator Wendy Halperin brings new life to Burnett’s 1906 tale of a high-spirited doll family.

Toys Go Out, Emily Jenkins.  RH, $16.95.   Three toys get into all sorts of mischief when they venture beyond the bedroom.

Two Hot Dogs With Everything, Paul Haven. RH, $15.95.  Superstitious 11 year old Danny believes he has uncovered a secret that will help his baseball team keep winning.

Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole, Wong Herbert Yee. HM, $15. A little gem of a beginning reader, reminiscent of Frog and Toad, about woodland friends.

Winnie-The-Pooh, A.A. Milne. Penguin, $19.99. This 80^th anniversary edition is lushly designed, with Ernest Shepard’s classic illustrations in full color; a beautiful choice to share as a read aloud.

The Best Christmas, Lee Kingman.  Twin Lights, $15.95.  In Gloucester in the early 1900’s, young Erkki tries to keep the holiday spirit for his Finnish family when his older brother is missing at sea.

Christmas Tree Farm, Ann Purmell.  Holiday House, $16.95.  From seedling to “For Sale”, a boy helps his grandpa grow, prune and cut the trees.

A Clever Beatrice Christmas, Atheneum, $16.95.  Beatrice tries to outsmart Pere Noel in this French-Canadian inspired tale set in a snowy far north village.

The First Christmas Stocking, Elizabeth Winthrop. RH, $15.95.  Claire is looking forward to selling the stockings she knit, until she meets someone who needs them more than she needs the money.

I Have A Little Dreidel, Maxie Baum. Scholastic, $9.99.  An extended story version of the traditional song.

The Night Before Christmas, Will Moses.  Penguin, $16.99. Moses’ trademark detailed illustrations set this classic poem in a cozy world of old New England barns and houses.

Sally’s Snow Adventure, Stephen Huneck.  Abrams, $15.95.  The famous fun-loving black lab returns for an adventure with rescue dogs at the ski lodge.

The Snow Globe Family, Jane O’Connor. Penguin, $16.99. Do you ever wonder what is going on in those self-contained little worlds? An imaginative romp!

The Story Of Holly & Ivy, Rumer Godden. Penguin, $17.99.  The beloved story of a doll and a little girl, each longing for a home, with illustrations by Barbara Cooney.

Winter Is The Warmest Season, Lauren Stringer. Harcourt, $16.  A joyously illustrated ode to the sensations and sounds of winter.

Firebears: The Rescue Team, Rhonda Greene.  Holt, $15.95.  Fire truck fans will love this day-in-the-life rhyming story, and the cuddly bears keep the drama low-key enough for the preschool set.

In The Fiddle Is A Song, Durga Bernhard. Chronicle, $10.95.  This clever lift the flap book points out hidden potential (in the acorn is a tree) all around us.

The Little Red Hen, Heather Forest. August House, $16.95. Bright acrylic pictures, and a rhythmic text, make this version a good one for reading aloud.

Moon Plane, Peter McCarty. Holt, $16.95.  Silvery illustrations set a dreamlike tone as a little boy imagines flying an airplane.

Wind-Wild Dog, Barbara Joosse. Holt, $16.95.  Trained as a sled dog, Ziva is still tempted to run free, in this beautifully illustrated book about the bond between dogs and people.

The Adventures Of Marco Polo, Russell Freedman.  Scholastic, $17.99.  The Italian explorer’s description of the Middle East and Asia seemed so fantastic to 13^th century Europeans that some doubted his tales.

Everybody’s Revolution, Thomas Fleming. Scholastic, $19.99. A social history that focuses on men and women from a variety of backgrounds who played leading roles in the American Revolution. 

Great Estimations, Bruce Goldstone. Holt, $16.95.  Practice training your mind on these eye-catching photos in this fun book of math skills.

Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas, Cheryl Bardoe. Abrams, $18.95.  This beautifully illustrated book brings science to life as it examines how Mendel’s curiosity led to a study of heredity.

John Madden’s Heroes Of Football, John Madden.  Penguin, $18.99.  An engaging look at how the game of football and its players have transformed through the last century.

Just For Elephants, Carol Buckley. Tilbury House, $16.95. The true story of a retired circus elephant who finds happiness on an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.

The Kingfisher First Animal Picture Atlas. HM, $10.95. Learn geography as you find where in the world different animals live; poster included.

Oh, Rats! Albert Marrin. Penguin, $16.99.  The “revolting, revealing and riveting” story of rats and their interactions with people throughout history.

Our Seasons, Grace Lin.  Charlesbridge, $15.95.  Questions and answers about the seasons, with cheerful illustrations and seasonal haiku.

The Story Of Salt, Mark Kurlansky.  Penguin., $16.99. The scientific and historical ways salt has shaped the world, told through witty illustrations, maps and timelines.

Endymion Spring, Matthew Skelton. Delacorte, $17.95.  An ancient book draws Blake into a dangerous quest.

Fairest, Gail Carson Levine. Harper, $16.99.When young Aza comes to court she, and her enchanting voice, fall under the control of vain Queen Ivi.

Hattie Big Sky, Kirby Larson. RH, $15.95.  During WW I, Hattie inherits her uncle’s homesteading claim in Montana, and throws all her spirit into pioneering on the harsh prairie.

Here, There Be Dragons, James Owen.  S & S, $17.95. An atlas of imaginary places brings 3 strangers together on a journey to lands they thought only existed in legend.

Knights Of The Hill Country, Tim Tharp.  Knopf, $16.95.  Hampton, a football star in a town that asks nothing more of him, begins to question what he really wants out of life, in this moving and entertaining coming of age novel.

Leonardo’s Shadow, Christopher Grey.  S & S, $16.95.  Giacomo, feisty servant to Leonardo da Vinci, has secrets in his past that may interfere with his master’s painting career.

London Calling, Edward Bloor. Knopf, $16.95.  An antique radio opens a dream portal to WW II London, and teenage Martin, in rising to the challenge to right a wrong from the past, may just redeem his present life as well.

The Murder Of Bindy MacKenzie, Jaclyn Moriarty.  Scholastic, $16.99.   Bindy is so busy being a know-it-all that she is clueless in social situations. Her unintentionally funny diary entries contain clues to what is really going on as her school life unravels.  

Rash, Pete Hautman. S & S, $15.95. In this funny satirical look at a future society obsessed with safety, Bo ends up as prison labor at a pizza factory where the illegal game of football is played for punishment.

A True And Faithful Narrative. Katherine Sturtevant. FSG, $17.  In 1680 London, Meg’s desire to be an author places her in contact, and conflict, with two young men who each hope to marry her.

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer. Little Brown, $8.99. A spellbinding blend of romance and suspense ensues when new girl in town Bella falls hard for alluring classmate Edward, a tormented teenage vampire.  Sequel New Moon ($17.99) is another page-turner, and every bit as enjoyable.

Wind Rider, Susan Williams.  Harper, $16.99.  Exceptionally well-written, this haunting novel transports readers back to the prehistoric Asian steppes, and imagines what chain of events could have occurred to enable a girl to be one of the first to think of domesticating wild horses.

The Adventures of Odysseus, retold by Hugh Lupton.  Barefoot, $19.99.  A very readable retelling of Homer’s epic, sumptuously illustrated.

The Barefoot Book Of Classic Poems, compiled by Jackie Morris. $19.99.  Arranged to loosely follow experiences from childhood through maturity, this anthology is exceptional both in its quality of illustration and choice of poems.

Beauty And The Beast, retold by Max Eilenberg. Candlewick, $17.99.  Eilenberg sets the tale in the 19^th century, and adds some interesting touches. Hauntingly illustrated by Angela Barrett.

Behold The Bold Umbrellaphant, Jack Prelutsky.  Harper, $16.99. What do you get when you cross a toaster with a toad? A pen with a penguin? Answer: A book full of clever poems about fanciful animals.  

Butterfly Eyes And Other Secrets Of The Meadow, Joyce Sidman.  HM, $16.  A stunning combination of poetry and science with outstanding detailed nature illustrations.

The Fairy Tales, Jan Pienkowski.  Penguin, $19.99. Lavishly designed with artistic text and black and white silhouettes – an edition to treasure.

Jack And The Beanstalk, E. Nesbit. Candlewick,$16.99.  Nesbit’s retelling (written in 1908) fleshes the folktale into a fuller story. Illustrations by Maine artist Matt Tavares.

Little Red Riding Hood, retold and ill. by Andrea Wisnewski. Godine, $18.95.  The artist’s primary colored woodcuts set the story in a Sturbridge Village winter.

The McElderry Book Of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, Saviour Pirotta. S & S. $19.95. Illustrator Emma Clarks’s inviting friendly style makes this collection of 10 tales a good choice as an introduction to fairy tales.