Rosemary Wells introduces a new character this week, Sophie, a little mouse who can’t resist trouble. Older kids will be cheering for the return of the middle grade Genius Files and the YA Kiki Strike series…

Picture Book

Time-Out for Sophie, Written and Illus. by Rosemary Wells, (Penguin/Viking)

Rosemary Wells has an ear for early childhood. Max and Ruby are the staples of the preschool set, their stories reflecting child life issues. Here Well’s does it again with a knowing smile and a light touch as we witness the child who faces the consequences of her willful misbehavior.

Middle Grade

The Worm Whisperer, Betty Hicks, (Macmillan/Roaring Brook)

New YA books arrive each week, but it’s often difficult to find chapter books that reflect the lives of younger kids. This one arrives with reviews that make it sound like it hits that sweet spot. Booklist says of this story about a boy trying to rescue his family by winning the $1,000 prize in North Carolina’s annual Woolly Worm Race (there really is one), “Hicks’ story provides plenty of local color as well as humor.”  

The Genius Files #3: You Only Die Twice by Dan Gutman (HarperCollins)

Worried that guys don’t? Dan Gutman MAKES them want to read. In this, the third in the Genius Files series, he introduces a new villain, masked impersonator Evil Elvis.

Young Adult

Kiki Strike: The Darkness Dwellers Kirsten Miller, (Macmillan/Bloomsbury USA)

It’s been five long years, but Kiki is finally back. The many pre-teen fans who have now turned teen will be fighting over this one.  Here, Kiki and the Irregulars’ efforts to solve a WWII mystery, take them from New York’s Upper East Side to the catacombs of Paris, where the Darkness Dwellers reside.

If you weren’t a member of the sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall for John Green and brother Hank’s appearance Tuesday night, you can watch it here (take the advice to “Skip to the beginning of the show,” which is about 3 minutes in to the video):

The New York Times reviewed the show, saying it  “…had the polish of a really good high school talent night, but the audience members…lapped up every minute.”

The ALA Youth Media Awards will be announced in less than two weeks and the listservs are buzzing.

Below are the titles that people are talking about and my own “dream world” picks.

Caldecott

The major buzz is around Jon Klassen’s deceptively simple but slyly twisted, This is Not My Hat (Candlewick), which appeared on the majority of this year’s Best Books lists.

It follows his huge hit, 2011’s I Want My Hat Back, his first effort as both author and illustrator. This spring, he collaborates with Lemony Snicket on The Dark, (Hachette/Little, Brown, April).

Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole, (Scholastic)

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seegerm, (Macmillan/ Roaring Brook)

Heroes of the Surf  by Elisa Carbone, illus by Nancy Carpenter, (Penguin/ Viking)

Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, Photos by Rick Lieder, (Candlewick)

In my dream world, the winner would be:

Looking at Lincoln, written and illustrated by Maira Kalman, (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen)

A book that is so fresh and surprising that I discover something new every time I open the pages. Kalman weaves together facts and reflection as processed through a young girl discovering Lincoln, the man as well as Lincoln the president. Her gouache paintings with ink lines draw the reader in to the historic scenes, noticing tiny details like the dog accompanying Lincoln as he reads by the fire.  The art can be witty as well as emotionally moving as we join the narrator in mourning Lincoln’s death.

Newbery

The following are buzz titles — all received best books nods:

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead, (RH/Wendy Lamb Books)

Wonder, R.J. Palacio, (RH/ Knopf Young Readers; Brilliance Audio)

The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, Patricia Castelao, (HarperCollins)

The Wild Book by Margarita Engle, (Harcourt)

In my dream world (and it is MY dream world, so we can have a tie):

Almost Home by Joan Bauer (Penguin/Viking)

What is it about Joan Bauer that she captures the real? Her characters are all real to me. At no time do I experience disbelief as I feel I have entered another human being’s thoughts and feelings. I know the narrator Sugar, a kid with too much responsibility. In this book we see trauma, but we also see hope. We see that things can change in a story that speaks perfectly to the Newbery age group, allows children to live a life unlike their own, and gives us an opportunity to flex empathy muscles as well as enjoy a satisfying story.

Wonder, R.J. Palacio, (RH/ Knopf Young Readers; Brilliance Audio)

This one is on both the buzz list and my dream list. It has appeared on more best books lists than any other title for its age group and was one of my picks as a Best Book to Give Kids You Don’t Know Very Well:

“This stunning debut novel about a home-schooled boy with a facial disfigurement who attends school for the first time has hit the bestsellers lists. I suspect it is grownups, teachers and librarians that are making that happen. I am hoping that this book with its multiple points-of-view finds itself in the hands of middle-school children who desperately need permission to make mistakes, make amends, and begin again.”

After the jump, picks for the Sibert and the Printz.

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The cover for The Eye of Minds, by James Dashner (RH/Delacorte YR; Listening Library) is revealed as an “exclusive” (thus, we are not showing it here) on Entertainment Weekly‘s “Shelf Life” blog. The book is the first in a new series for ages 12 and up, The Mortality Doctrine.

The publisher’s description is below:

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific-the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.

And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.

But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom-and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

There’s been no news on whether Dashner’s best selling title, The Maze Runner  (RH/Delacorte YR, 2009) will make it to the big screen. It was optioned by 20th C. Fox in January of 2011, with plans for Catherine Hardwicke (who directed the first Twilight movie and Red Riding Hood) to direct. In August of 2012, it was announced that Wes Ball will direct (Deadline, 8/23/12), but the movie is still listed as in “pre-production.”

The new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which arrives on stands tomorrow, features Catching Fire‘s Jennifer Lawrence on the cover, along with newcomer to the group, Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman) as Finnick Odair. The EW site also posts three shots from the movie.

Some online reactions already object to the choice of Claflin for the role of Finnick,  (meanwhile, the crowd that originally objected to Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss has fallen silent; Hunger Games swept the People’s Choice Awards last night).

Director Francis Lawrence, also a newcomer to the group, having taken over from Hunger Games’ Gary Ross, is interviewed about his vision for the film in the issue.

Catching Fire will be released on Nov. 21.

It’s that time of year again, with the sound of children whining “I’m booored!”

Coming to the rescue is Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun By Elizabeth Foy Larsen, Joshua Glenn, illustrated by Heather Kasunick and Mister Reusch, (Macmillan/Bloomsbury).

This compendium of activities and facts is a great way to get the kids out of their parents’ hair for a few hours. It’s the title that I’ve been waiting for after rolling my eyes at The Dangerous Book for Boys. It’s an essential purchase for the children’s librarian looking for fresh programming ideas for the afterschool crowds.

The film adaptation of Veronica Roth’s popular Divergent (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, 2011) is scheduled for release on March 21, 2014. The female lead has been cast (Shailene Woodley, who received acclaim for her supporting role as one of George Clooney’s daughters in The Descendants and starred in the TV series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and the director has been named (Neil Burger), but the male lead, which Variety says is currently “considered one of the more sought-after roles for a young actor” has not yet been decided.

The three leading contenders, according to Variety are Alex Pettyfer, Jeremy Irvine and Lucas Till. Shooting begins this March in Chicago

Meanwhile, Roth is hard at work on the final novel in the trilogy, which will be released sometime in the fall of 2013 but does not yet have a title (Roth insists on her blog that it will NOT be Detergent). The second book in the series, Insurgent, came out in May, 2012.

Weekend Edition went kid crazy yesterday, featuring an interview with Jerry Spinelli about his new book Hokey Pokey, (Random House; Listening Library), coming out this week, as well as one with Bob Dorough, the composer of Schoolhouse Rock‘s classic tunes.

I have Dorough to thank for getting me  through American Government finals with his “I’m Just a Bill.” It’s the the 40th anniversary of those Saturday morning shorts and classics like “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here” and “Three Is A Magic Number” stand the test of time. Fortunately, they are still available on DVD (Walt Disney Video; B00005JKTY).

The New York Times asked several authors, teachers and librarians (including Fuse 8′s Betsy Byrd and me) to weigh in on “What’s ‘Just Right’ for the Young Reader? — How do you know the age at which to introduce children to certain books that might have ‘big kid’ themes?”

My view is “Let Them Read What They Want”

Please tell us what you think; post your comments here.

Picked as a best book by both the NYT Book Review and Publishers Weekly, Jennifer A. Nielsen’s The False Prince (Scholastic, April), is being adapted as a film by Paramount.

The book is the first in the projected Ascendance trilogy. The second title, The Runaway King, is scheduled for release in March.

Adding some glitz to the announcement is the news that the executive story editor for HBO’s Game of Thrones, Bryan Cogman, has been hired to write the screenplay.

A year ago nearly to the date, it was announced that Universal had acquired the rights to Laini Taylor’s award winning YA novel, Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Hachette/LBYR).

The studio has now signaled that they “see the project as a priority,” according to Deadline.com, by signing Joe Roth (Snow White and The Huntsman) to produce it.

The second in the planned trilogy, Days Of Blood & Starlight, (Hachette/LBYR), came out last month.

The next in my series of BEST BOOKS TO GIVE KIDS YOU DON’T KNOW VERY WELL, my picks in nonfiction, below.

Stay tuned for poetry picks.

For The Kid Who Is Nuts About Dogs

Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs, by Michaela Muntean, photos by K.C. Bailey and Stephen Kazmierski, Scholastic, ages 5 and up

Circus performer, Luciano Anastasini rescues unwanted dogs and uses their talents in his Big Apple Circus act. The full-color photographs and close-up portraits telegraph the joy of these working partners, as does the following video.

For The Kid Who Is Always Picking Up Stuff At The Beach

Life in the Ocean: the Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle, written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola, (Macmillan/FSG), ages 6 and up

Nivoli has captured the adventuresome inventiveness of a pioneering scientist in this picture book biography.  We discover a mysterious richly populated underwater world as Earle finds new ways to observe and interact with multiple species.

Great for the Whole Family to Share

 

Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth’s Strangest Animals, by Michael Hearst, Diagrams, artwork and other visuals by Arjen Noordeman, Christie Wright and Jelmer Noordeman, (Chronicle), ages 5 and up

From the platypus entering the first end papers to the moment he swims off the final ones, we are enthralled by the information and sheer artistry in bookmaking of this compendium of odd living things from around the globe. Hearst’s Web site continues the story, with news about new discoveries.

For The Kid Who Has To KNOW And You Don’t Have The Answers

A Black Hole Is Not A Hole, written by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano, illustrated by Michael Carroll, Charlebridge (Charlesbridge), ages 10 and up

DeCristafano takes a complicated topic and teases it apart, exploring discoveries and theories with a light but not silly humor assisted by Carroll’s diagrams and illustrations. The book tells you everything you wanted to know about black holes but were afraid to ask.

For The Kid Who Picks Up Every Insect And Brings It Home

Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard, by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz, (Macmillan/Henry Holt), ages 7 and up

No matter how old we are and no matter where we live we can participate in the community of scientific discovery. As we observe and record information about the world around us, we become part of the grand tradition of everyday people supporting working scientists in their quest for knowledge.

No Crystal Stair, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, artwork by R. Gregory Christie, (Lerner/LAB), YA and adult crossover

Although classified as fiction, the author used archival materials, extensive bibliographic resources and interviews to create a “documentary novel of the life and work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem bookseller.” She describes the impact that one man had on an entire community as “just a book bookstore owner.” Christie’s  paintings evoke a time, a place and a people. A splendid volume to give adults as well as teens.

Continuing my series of BEST BOOKS TO GIVE KIDS YOU DON’T KNOW VERY WELL, which began with my picks of books to give younger kids and continued with easy-to-read titles, here are my picks for older kids and young adults.

Fiction Ages 9 and up

Wonder, R.J. Palacio, (RH/ Knopf Young Readers; Brilliance Audio), ages 9 and up

This stunning debut novel about a home-schooled boy with a facial disfigurement who attends school for the first time has hit the bestsellers lists. I suspect it is grownups, teachers and librarians that are making that happen. I am hoping that this book with its multiple points-of-view finds itself in the hands of middle-school children who desperately need permission to make mistakes, make amends, and begin again.

Almost Home, by Joan Bauer, (Penguin/Viking), ages 9 and up

For the kid that has read all of Katherine Paterson, Patricia Reilly Giff, and loved Because of Winn Dixie.

Full disclosure – I will read anything Joan Bauer writes. She had me at Rules of the Road.  Each novel is a gem. If there is a theme to her books it is resilience, defined as the process of learning to cope with stress and adversity. Bauer’s storytelling gift is her ability to paint her fictional world in the spectrum of colors, the good and the bad, the surprising and the disappointing. Sugar Mae Cole copes with an unpredictably absentee father, a mother with mental health issues and the stress, sadness, discomfort of homelessness. This isn’t a sad book (although there a weepy bits), it is one that makes the reader cheer when Sugar is discovering moments of joy and putting together a stack of “best days.”

The False Prince, by Jennifer Nielson, (Scholastic; Scholastic Audio), ages 11 and up

Looking for a few quiet moments during the holidays? After handing this page-turner to a kid, it is a good bet that we won’t hear from them for hours. This is a book for readers who ate up Harry Potter, tore through Rick Riordan, and are just discovering the entire backlist of Diana Wynne Jones. The story begins predictably enough, Sage is surviving in an orphanage, wretched and unloved when his life takes an unexpected and dangerous turn. He is to be presented to the court as the missing heir of the King. Fast-paced plotting, plenty of twists make this a worthy gift to the Rowling/Riordan fans. The second title in this projected trilogy, The Runaway King, is scheduled for release in March.

Jepp Who Defied the Stars, by Katherine Marsh, (Hyperion; Blackstone Audio), ages 12 and up

Marsh’s stunning debut The Night Tourist featuring Greek mythology set in New York City’s Grand Central Station captured the 8^th graders who had aged out of Riordan’s Lightning Thief series. Here she presents a meaty read for historic fiction readers. Set in 16^th century Europe, we follow the coming of age journey of Jepp, a dwarf who becomes a court jester, a transformative story of compassion and forgiveness, immersed in a world of faith, fate and scientific discovery.

Young Adult

Devine Intervention, by Martha Brockenbrough, (Scholastic), ages 12 and up

In a new twist to the “dead girl genre” (Thirteen Reasons Why, The Lovely Bones, If I Stay) we have the dead boy teen. Imagine that a barely literate stoner dude, who dies in an incredibly stupid accident, is appointed a guardian angel to help a living soul. Only he doesn’t read much of the manual or comprehend what little he does read.  Laugh out-loud funny.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer, (Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends), ages 12 and up

That middle school speculative fiction fan who has read everything may have overlooked this not-really fairytale retelling of Cinderella set in a dystopic future of indentured servitude, class warfare and overt prejudice, subjugation and persecution of economic and geographic classes. A resourceful independent heroine compels the readers’ empathy and cheers as she battles forces beyond her (and our) understanding. The second in the series, Scarlet, which plays on the Red Riding Hood story, arrives in February.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, (Random House; Listening Library)

Turning the trope of a fantasy novel with sentient dragons on its ear, Hartman’s debut features a race of dragons who are alien beings capable of transforming to “fit in” yet not quite being able to grasp the norms of social graces. Seraphina discovers that all that she was sure of in life is not true, yet she has been graced with love and loyalty. The second in this two-part series is planned for fall 2013.

Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, by Robin LaFevers, (HMH; Recorded Books audio), ages 14 and up

Move over vampires, werewolves and zombies, there is a new original fantasy genre, assassin nuns. What if there was a society where young women were educated in a convent-like atmosphere and trained to murder for a “higher-cause”? With all of the intrigue of The Thief, this is a compelling read that I couldn’t put down. The sequel, Dark Triumph, arrives in April.

Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein, (Disney/Hyperion; Brilliance Audio), ages 14 and up

Did you know that the Royal Air Force employed women as pilots and couriers to serve in occupied France during World War II?  This historic novel weaves the stories of young women who risked their lives to save others during the darkest days of the war. Wein begins this heart-wrenching story with the memoir-like writings of a captured British spy. This is more than a “war story,” It is a tale of friendship and love, of courage and endurance. So suspenseful, I could barely catch my breath to turn the page.

Continuing my series of BEST BOOKS TO GIVE KIDS YOU DON’T KNOW VERY WELL, which began with my picks of books to give younger kids…

Is there a four or five-year-old in the house that you are visiting? You cannot go wrong by bringing along some easy-to-read books. Series books are the key for this group. As kids get more fluent, they tear through books with favorite characters like popcorn. You may want to bring an entire series (we’ve given you links to information on each of them).

Let’s Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book), Mo Willems (Disney/Hyperion)

Deapan humor featuring the best friends Elephant and Piggie in this newest of the series.

Katie Woo Rules the School written by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Tammie Lyon, (Capstone/Picture Window Books)

This series stars a little girl in all of the very real awkward school and home situations confronting elementary students.  First and second graders with new reading skills beg for these books.

Penny and Her Song, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, (HarperCollins/Greenwillow Books)

Caldecott award winner, Henkes gives us the present of a new character in this first in anearly chapter book series about a big sister mouse who sings a new song.

Bink and Gollie: Two for One, Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile,(Candlewick)

This newest installment of a series about two best friends – one tall, neat and reserved, one petite, rambunctious with a thatch of spiky blonde hair – take us to the exciting, sometimes overwhelming experiences of the State Fair.

Welcome to part one of my sixth annual answer to the burning question: “How do I choose a book as a gift for a kid I don’t know very well?” [Links to the previous five years answers are available here].

Books may seem under threat these days, but we know that readers still have a competitive edge over non-readers and that children who hear a wide range of vocabulary at home do better in school than kids who don’t. Who wouldn’t want to give this priceless gift?

A great example of the benefits of a lifetime of book sharing is Will Schwalbe’s The End of Your Life Book Club (RH/Knopf; BOT Audio; RH Audio), a book I will be giving to all the memoir junkies on my list this year. Schwalbe, who also co-wrote my favorite gift for new grads and recent hires, SEND: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better, creates a portrait of his mother, Mary Anne Schwalbe within the framework of the books that they loved and shared while she endured treatment for pancreatic cancer. For bibliophiles and fans of Ex Libris by Ann Fadiman, the book discussions are like a scrapbook of “Oh, yes, I loved that book, too” and “I never did get around to that one, it’s around the house somewhere” and “I need to get that one right away.” Through this memoir about family and spirituality we grow to love, admire and respect Mary Anne Schwalbe not only as a person, but also as a parent who raised an empathetic, compassionate, and well-read son.

Your gift may spark a similar lifetime of reading. So, how do we select a book for a child we don’t know very well or see very often?

For young children, we want picture books with writing that sings, outstanding art that expands on the words, and stories or information that are developmentally appropriate. Below are this year’s picks from your librarian, for the family with the new baby, the grandchildren who live across the country, the godchildren who have arrived for the weekend and to amaze your nieces and nephews with your superior intuitive abilities, chosen from the thousands of children’s books published this year — sorted by age group, and with some notes to help you spot just the right book for that young reader. Since kids are likely to already know the latest Rick Riordan, James Patterson or Ivy and Bean book, the ones I have selected are mostly sleepers.

PICTURE BOOKS

For the family with the new or newish baby

Baby Animals: In the Sea and Baby Animals : At the Zoo (Board Books, Macmillan/Kingfisher), ages 6 months and up

This series of board books are are the perfect introduction to language for the very young. Sharp photographs paired with a just-right text are a delightful first read-aloud.

Sniff! Matthew Van Fleet (S&S/Paula Wiseman), ages 6 months and up

Matthew Van Fleet has invented a way to delight toddlers with a sturdy board book containing interactive parts, building on the success of his earlier Tails (HMH, 2003), Sniff! is an exploration of noses and smell. We can touch the bear’s squishy tactile shiny embedded nose, feel the twitchy whiskers attached to the mouse’s nose and move the elephant’s trunk up and down.

Two- and Three-Year-Olds

Two of the best read-alouds for this group have bold graphic illustrations:

Mice by Rose Fyleman illustrated by Lois Ehlert, (S&S/ Beach Lane Books), ages 3 and up

Lois Ehlert explores Mice the classic poem by Rose Fyleman, (which begins, “I think mice are rather nice”) often found in children’s poetry collections. Ehlert (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Growing Vegetable Soup and others) has created charming rodents from geometric shapes with cut paper collage.

Robot Zombie Frankenstein! by Annette Simon, (Candlewick), ages 3 and up

The title most likely to reap the shout, “read it again!” is Robot Zombie Frankenstein!  Here, Annette Simon crosses the outrageousness of Shark Vs Train with the sly humor of Mo Willem’s Pigeon series. Shapes play a significant role in the digitally rendered, sharp-edged, boldly colored graphic illustrations. Simon layers the shapes to create mashed up transformations from fairly benign robot antagonist to frighteningly fun disguises.

Concepts

When preparing preschoolers for school, there are certain concepts parents need to teach their children. Most early childhood concepts are obvious; colors, numbers, and recognizing the alphabet.

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, (Macmillan/Roaring Brook) ages 3 and up

Laura Vaccarro Seeger demonstrates that she is one of the most inventive picture book artists of our time with Green, exploring the varieties of shades with acrylic paint, from lush brushstrokes of forest green to delicate dots of the glowing tails of fireflies. The simple rhyming text lulls the reader as the pages with their cut-outs for new colors foreshadow the next surprising twist:

Ages 4 and up

Z is for Moose by Kelley Bingham illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky (HarperCollins/Greenwillow), ages 4 and up

Just when a reviewer may sigh, “Oh no, not ANOTHER alphabet book” arrives Kelly Bingham’s Z is for Moose illustrated by Caldecott winner Paul O. Zelinsky. The premise is that all of the objects and animals are lining up to present an alphabet play. Zebra is directing the action that begins quite orderly until Moose busts into the action impatient to have his turn. Zelinsky’s renderings of Moose’s wide-ranging emotions perfectly capture a young child’s big feelings when anxious and angry, exploding off the page in an uncontrollable tantrum.

Dinosaur Thunder by Marian Dane Bauer, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Scholastic), ages 4 and up

Learning to handle big feelings like fear are essential for a child’s development. Marian Dane Bauer, hits one out of the park with Dinosaur Thunder,  illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Brannon is afraid of thunder and runs for safety as the sound booms from above. The adults try to help with familiar tropes like “It’s just angels bowling” or “It’s just a big cat purring.” But it’s only when his big brother likens the sound to dinosaurs roaring that Brannon’s imagination overcomes his fear.

Charley’s First Night, by Amy Hest, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Candlewick), ages 4 and up

Aren’t we always looking for the perfect bedtime book? They don’t get any better than this one. The action centers on Henry and his new puppy. The setting is predictable; what happens on that first evening? It is Henry’s empathy that engages the reader as he repeatedly reassures Charley, “Don’t cry, don’t cry … I showed him my room again and my bed. I showed him my mother and father asleep in their bed, and I held Charley close in my strong arms” Oxenbury’s watercolor paintings perfectly capture the gentle relationship of a boy and his dog.

Spike the Mixed up Monster, by Susan Hood, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, (Simon and Schuster), ages 4 and up

Spike is an axolotl (pronounced Ack-suh-Lah-tul),  a special kind of salamander that lives in Mexico. This little reptile has been having trouble scaring the other species that live near him. Cook Prize winner (Balloons over Broadway), Sweet has created a biologically accurate environment as Spike ventures out swooshing his tail, shaking his spikes and baring his sharp pointy teeth.

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel & Emily Haynes, (Chronicle), ages 5 and up

Ganesha, the elephant-headed god has a weakness for sweets and a magical mouse companion. Patel and Hanes have created an easily accessible picture book based on one of the most popular legends in Hindi mythology. Clean lines, bold graphics with contrasting colors of hot pink and navy blue, cream and teal animate the story. The wordless two-page spreads retelling the ancient epic Sanskrit poem, Mahabharata is a masterpiece.

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman, (RH/Schwartz and Wade), ages 4 and up

A ferocious tiger is chasing the animals of the jungle. Kids who got a kick out of I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen will be enthralled with the limited language of the rhyming couplets in this suspenseful tale. Fair warning…the ending is not “nice.”

The Town Mouse and Country Mouse, Helen Ward, (Candlewick), ages 5 and up

This lusciously illustrated retelling of Aesop’s fable of two mice who find that there really is no place like home is set in 1930’s New York on Christmas Eve. It is a perfect read aloud for the Christmas holiday.