This beautifully designed volume includes eight complete picture book texts, with a poetic pause separating each selection.

The stars include classic children's book heroes such as Curious George, Lyle the Crocodile and Mike Mulligan's steam shovel, along with newer favorites such as Tacky the Penguin and the lovable canine hero of Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh. Ample white space preserves the reading experience of the original picture books, and well-chosen poems act as palate cleansers between the selections. They include such standouts as Douglas Florian's "The Cheetah"; Nikki Grimes's "Caterpillar," with artwork by Javaka Steptoe; and the haiku "Lying on the Lawn" from Guyku by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Peter Reynolds. At under $20, this makes a gorgeous and substantial family holiday or new baby gift. A CD of the eight stories is tucked into a transparent pocket sewn into the inside front cover. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Fans of this duo's award-winning Toys Go Out (2006) and Toy Dance Party (2008) will revel in this maybe-even-better stand-alone prequel that reveals how three toys--StingRay, Lumphy (the buffalo) and Plastic (a ball)--came to live with the Girl. StingRay knows a lot, right out of the box: "It's practically like magic, the knowledge I have. I hope the rest of the world isn't too jealous of me." She can see right away that the bright-eyed, delicate-stomached Lumphy is "a deeply excellent person," and that Plastic just needs to figure out who he is and to understand the eternal question "And why are we here?" Caldecott Medalist Paul O. Zelinsky depicts Plastic atop a book, as if searching for the answer. His delicately etched pencil illustrations endow the characters with human qualities.

This isn't your typical toys-come-alive-when-no one's-looking story. It's quirky, fresh and funny, and you'll never look at a toy the same way again. --Karin Snelson, freelance writer and children's book editor

This elegant volume feels like a family album, brimming with stunning, full-color portraits that launch an abundance of stories told by a kindly grandmother.

"Most folks my age and complexion don't speak much about the past," the book begins. "Many of us are getting up in age and feel it's time to make some things known before they are gone for good." As with his history of the Negro Leagues, We Are the Ship, author and Caldecott Honor artist Kadir Nelson uses personal stories to make a sweeping history feel intimate. Pap, the narrator's African-born grandfather, achieves the heroic status of Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. Members of the narrator's family were soldiers in the Civil War and World War II but did not enjoy the freedoms of the people for whom they fought. The book ends with optimism, as the narrator casts her vote in 2008 for Barack Obama. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Though it may seem to adults that a child going to Paris is a lucky child indeed, some children, feeling trapped in an endless hall of old paintings, may not see what the fuss is all about.

Enter Lonely Planet's new series, meant to make sense of all those paintings and buildings. Aimed at children 8-12, this is a great basic guide to contemporary and historical Paris, full of pictures and simple explanations that help make the city come alive. It also includes things about Paris that you probably won't find in your grown-up guide, such as an explanation of the sewers and the background of Asterix. Whether it's read on the plane ride over or the benches of the Louvre, this guide will make Paris more than one croque monsieur after another. Oh, and if you've never understood what the big deal is about Impressionism, you might want to skim it first before you hand it over. Also available for Rome (9781742208183), London (9781742208169) and New York (9781742208152). --Stephanie Anderson (aka Bookavore), manager of WORD bookstore

Jon Scieszka (Guys Read: Funny Business) rounds up a star-studded group of children's and teen authors who have produced what he calls "the wildest mix of detectives, spooks, cryptids, snakes, pirates, smugglers, a body on the tracks, and one terribly powerful serving of fried pudding." He is not kidding. When his friend Jeremy disappears, "Nate Macavoy, Monster Hunter" sets off to rescue him from monstrous cryptids in a fantastic tale that only the irrepressible Bruce Hale could carry off. In Gennifer Choldenko's noir story "The Snake Mafia," two boys search for their missing father who left a note saying, "Don't Call the Police. Dad." And that's just two of 10 in an all-star cast of authors. Brett Helquist's goosepimply pictures enhance the stories' appeal in this handsome book, with comfortingly large text and plenty of white space to bolster even newly independent readers' confidence. --Ellen Loughran, adjunct professor, Pratt Institute

Laurel Snyder (Penny Dreadful) is a must-read author of middle-grade fiction.

Twelve-year-old Rebecca heads to her grandmother's house in Atlanta with her mother and baby brother, leaving her father behind in Baltimore. Her parents might be separating, she has to start a new school mid-year, and she has no idea when she'll see her friends and her home again. Then Rebecca finds an old bread box in her grandmother's attic--a bread box that grants wishes. If it's a real thing and will fit inside the box, it's hers! She tries to use her wishes to make her life in Atlanta easier, fit in with the cool crowd, get her parents back together--but then everything catches up with her. Where exactly does the bread box get stuff? Are her attempts to get back to Baltimore only making things worse? --Jenn Northington, events manager at WORD bookstore

For those who loved War Horse (Spielberg's film based on it will be out this Christmas), Michael Morpurgo presents another unforgettable story, inspired by historical facts, about the bond between the human and animal world.

In a Canadian nursing home, elderly Lizzie tells nine-year-old Karl and his mother, a nurse, about the elephant she kept in her garden as a girl: "I did not know it at the time,... but this elephant... was going to change my life forever, change all our lives in my family.  And you might say she was going to save our lives also." And so the elephant Marlene does, in Morpurgo's elegant, elegaic story-within-a-story that flashes back to World War II Germany. Lizzie, her mother and her younger brother, Karli--and Marlene, too--are so real that readers will feel the fear, the hunger and the cold they experience on their prodigious trek. Morpurgo balances the characters' anxiety and sadness with acts of human kindness, Karli's funny ways and a deeply satisfying ending. --Ellen Loughran, adjunct professor, Pratt Institute

In this newfound era of Words with Friends, we've moved to experiencing Scrabble as fingerswipes on touch screens rather than a bag of wooden tiles and a scratch pad. Wolitzer returns the game to its table-top roots with this fantastic middle grade novel that follows three kids on their path to and through the Youth Scrabble Tournament.

All three have very good reasons to want to win, but as they meet each other, they find other things they want even more. With realistic, thoughtful writing, a solid dose of magic and just the right amount of Scrabble factoids, Duncan is the perfect gift for any young nerds in your life. Note: Best given alongside a Scrabble board, if you want to extend the game's spell after the last page and have a new Words with Friends competitor someday. --Stephanie Anderson (aka Bookavore), manager of WORD bookstore

In 1887, the Cranston family, in despair of ever finding a husband for their awkward eldest daughter, decides to set sail from New York to England in hopes of finding a socially acceptable peer in want of a wife with money.  What they don't realize is that they are accompanied on their sea voyage by the Downstairs Cranstons, a family of four mice, who bravely stow away in search of their own dreams.

The award-winning author of A Year Down Yonder and The Teacher's Funeral has created an absolutely charming seafaring adventure for the younger set.  Winsome illustrations by Kelly Murphy enhance a delightful story. This family-friendly adventure will be a sure-fire hit with that special girl on your shopping list and would make a wonderful read-aloud during the holiday season. --Jane Henriksen Baird, public librarian in Alaska

Donna Jo Napoli (The Magic Circle) has proven time and again her empathy for "supporting characters." Here she examines both the leading players from ancient Greece as well as lesser-known figures such as Selene, goddess of the Moon, and Hestia, goddess of the Hearth.

In 25 brief two- to four-page chapters, Napoli focuses on major events from the lives of gods or mortals, such as Helen of Troy (in a chapter wittily titled "The Lethal Beauty"). Each builds on previous events and opens with a sumptuous two-page full-color portrait, such as one of Gaia, Mother Earth, in a dress of leaves and tendrils, and Zeus gripping his signature thunderbolt. Her lyrical narrative lends these figures human qualities (of Uranus she writes, "His fear became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Cruelty is the snake that bites its own tail"). This is a book kids can dip in and out of, but will be most enjoyed cover to cover. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Eighth-grader Travis--who was called "Bluefish" at his old school--begins a tenuous friendship with classmate Velveeta in a novel about breaking molds and making your own future.

Short alternating chapters from Travis's and Velveeta's points of view will quickly hook even kids who think of themselves as nonreaders. Travis prefers the quiet of the woods, but he finds Velveeta, with her rapid-fire quips, appealing as an easy conversationalist. Velveeta notices Travis's strengths in ways perhaps no one else has--such as his innate sense of justice. And when she discovers his secret, she accepts him just as he is. This inspiring novel demonstrates how two teens with survivor instincts and a little guidance from a couple of perceptive adults choose a different path than the one they were born into. Schmatz keeps their situation realistic while also emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities when they present themselves. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Printz Honor recipient A.S. King (The Dust of 100 Dogs; Please Ignore Vera Dietz) has a singular talent for shining bright light into the dark corners of teenage life.

The somewhat ironically named Lucky Linderman, surrounded by adults too buried in their own troubles to see how much pain--both physical and emotional--he is in, has endured years of bullying by one of his town's favored sons. In his dreams, Lucky escapes the torture of his own life to search the Vietnamese jungle for his MIA grandfather. Balancing an absolute refusal to pull punches, King's inspired use of magical realism adds occasional bursts of light and levity to an otherwise dark story. The result is a timely and engaging meditation on courage and self-respect.

This book is a lifeline for any teen who has suffered bullying, in school or out of it, and a must-read for families, teachers and librarians. --Jenn Northington, events manager at WORD bookstore

This chilling debut novel imagines a near-future world in which no one is truly safe. Plague devastates the poverty-stricken classes. Only the military and the wealthy receive inoculations against the ever-evolving disease. But even the privileged fear the Patriots' attempts to overthrow the government.

An examination determines the fate of every 10-year-old in the Republic. If children test well enough, they enter the military, and if not, to the labor camps they go. Only one child has been known to receive a perfect score: June Iparis. She is one of two 15-year-olds who narrate this tale. The other, Day, was told he had failed his exam but escaped his fate. He now roams the streets as "the Republic's most-wanted criminal." How these two born enemies meet makes for riveting reading.

This suspenseful book comes to a satisfying close, but leaves enough unanswered questions to bring readers back for the next installment. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Fantasy readers in search of the romance of Kristin Cashore's Fire and the political intrigue of Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief will be spellbound by this debut novel. 

Ella, the second-born princess of a small but influential kingdom, has always known that she was "the chosen one." But chosen for what? Marked at birth with a magical jewel embedded in her navel, she gains no apparent benefit from it.  Ella's older sister is beautiful, intelligent and beloved by all, while 16-year-old Ella--timid, ill-mannered and overweight--manages her anxiety by compulsively eating. Ella's saving grace is that she is bright and well read. When her family marries her off to a handsome, emotionally distant king for a political alliance, Ella begins a transformative adventure. The plot twists and turns, and nothing is as it seems. Apparent enemies become allies as Ella grows in confidence in her own power and abilities. Carson creates a well-constructed fantasy world with an empathetic protagonist. --Lisa Von Drasek, librarian at Bank Street College of Education's School for Children

When we met the heroines of Bright Young Things (now out in a $9.99 paperback, 9780061962677), Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur had just arrived in New York City in the summer of 1929 from Ohio, and Astrid Donal, aimless and bored with the predictable society in Long Island, delighted in gaining two fascinating new friends.

It's still the summer of 1929 in Beautiful Days. Cordelia struggles with the loss of her father so soon after their reunion; Astrid is dismayed to find that being engaged to a bootlegger is no easier than dating one; and Letty tries to summon the courage for another go at the Broadway scene. In the meantime, the war between the Greys and Hales heats up, and the girls become players in a deadly game of brinksmanship. For readers who enjoy glamour, glitz and gangland, Godbersen's series offers a Boardwalk Empire meets The Great Gatsby for the younger set.  --Jenn Northington, events manager at WORD bookstore

For the socially conscious and/or artistic-minded teen in your life, Dan Eldon's story serves as proof that individuals can make an impact no matter how young they are.

London-born, African-raised Eldon, who was stoned to death at age 22 while covering Somalia as a photojournalist, has become an iconic figure, inspiring a line of Toms Shoes and a film produced by Julia Roberts. His interest in tribal customs, artwork and language caused him to cross color and racial lines, and deeply influenced his aesthetic sense. This exquisitely designed paper-over-board volume presents facsimiles of his journal pages and interactive elements such as an invitation he created for a fundraiser to help a friend in need of heart surgery. Don't expect a linear reading experience. Rather, think of these pages as a collage of moments, much like Dan's own artwork in his journal entries, capturing the highlights of an extraordinary life. -- Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness