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• Book of the Week: Can You Guess the Twist Ending?

  Let’s play a guessing game – I’m thinking of something that is round like a ball. Your guess is “ball,” right? You’re totally wrong. Round Like a Ball is an expanded version of this game, with each family member making a guess in response to clues, until the round object is revealed to be . . . (spoiler alert!) . . .  Read More... Posted Mar 14 2008, 10:00 AM by editors with | with no comments Filed under: children's books, books, books for children, earth day, book of the week, green, round like a ball

• Book of the Week: More Quirky Ducks for Your Kid's Library

  What is it with children’s book writers and quirky ducks? In the last few years, we’ve seen gay ducks, assembly-line ducks, political ducks, unwelcome-houseguest ducks, and feuding ducks, to name just a few. I suppose this tradition goes back as far as duck-in-drag Jemima Puddle-Duck and outsider-duck The Ugly Duckling, so we’ll probably be seeing those wacky ducks in our kids’ books for decades to come. With that in mind, here’s a brand new one that’s worth a look: The Duck Who Played Kazoo. Read More... Posted Feb 29 2008, 10:05 AM by editors with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: children's books, books, books for children, book of the week, quirky ducks, the duck who played the kazoo

• Turn the Page

  My brain goes on vapor lock whenever I step into the kids' book section of any bookstore. There are just too many choices. Usually, I gravitate to the books I loved as a kid -- but my offspring have made it clear that you can only read The Phantom Tollbooth so many times before you want to tell your mom to just stop telling you that it's "timeless," already. Read More... Posted Feb 21 2008, 02:00 PM by Adrienne Martini with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, Cybils, YA books, Smekday, The Phantom Tollbooth

• Book of the Week: Creepy in a Good Way

  The press materials for The Girl In the Castle Inside the Museum predictably describe the book as “whimsical.” But there’s a dark side to whimsy, a Roald Dahl/Neil Gaiman/Tim Burton side that kids and adults alike are drawn towards. That’s what The Girl Inside... so effectively captures, thanks to Nicole Ceccoli’s incredible illustrations. Ceccoli is an Italian painter whose work often depicts haunting, vaguely menacing childlike worlds. Read More... Posted Feb 15 2008, 12:16 PM by editors with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: children's books, books, books for children, book of the week, the girl in the castle inside the museum, nicoletta ceccoli

• Book of the Week: The "Zen Shorts" Sequel

  Zen Ties is Jon J. Muth’s eagerly awaited follow-up to Zen Shorts, the 2005 book about a giant panda who imparts Buddhist lessons to neighborhood children. Reading Zen Ties, I was happy to spend more time with Stillwater and meet his little panda nephew Koo. But I did find myself wishing that this second book was a little more like the first. Read More... Posted Feb 01 2008, 10:05 AM by editors with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: children's books, books, books for children, book of the week, zen shorts, zen ties

• Book of the Week: Now with Talking Fetus!

  Okay, generally I find children's books about pregnancy vaguely creepy, in a pro-life-propaganda sort of way. We've gotten a bunch in the office these past few months, most of which show frighteningly happy little fetuses doing adorable things in the womb and it just seems wrong. But then this week, Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here! showed up on my desk and I totally fell for it. Read More... Posted Jan 25 2008, 10:15 AM by editors with | with no comments Filed under: pregnancy, children's books, books, books for children, book of the week

• Who Killed Santa Claus?

  It's a classic scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Christmas morning, children in pajamas crouched in front of the tree bursting with anticipation. Their weary bath-robed parents smile in the background as the kids tear open a gift wrapped box containing a book describing in graphic detail the murder of Santa Claus. Read More... Posted Jan 20 2008, 03:26 PM by makeitadouble with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: santa, santa claus, Murder, books for children, david caruso, CSI, Whodunits

• Book of the Week: To-Do List by Maya Waldman

  Babble gets a lot of submissions of independently published children's books. Sadly, most of them are — how shall we put this delicately? — lacking.  So we were delighted when we received To-Do List (4N Publishing), an indie children's book that turns the tedious to-do list into something inspiring. Maya Waldman's ink drawings and simple text offer a clever twist on the counting book: she lists tasks for the reader, numbered 1-20, ranging from "make friends" to "speak pineapple" and "dance like an octopus." It's a fun, imaginative read, but as Levar Burton used to say, don't take our word for it — you can preview the whole book on the 4n website before you pick up a copy on Amazon. — Gwynne Watkins Posted Jan 10 2008, 02:15 PM by editors with | with no comments Filed under: books for children, childrens books, book of the week, book, 4N, to-do list, indie books, indie

• Book of the Week: Battle of the Princess Books

  It's practically a standard developmental phase for little girls: suddenly, she won't leave the house without a tiara and she insists on being addressed by her royal title. So this week, we'll look at two new books for your little princess: The Silk Princess by Charles Santore and Princess Baby by Karen Katz. We'll start with Princess Baby (Schwartz and Wade Books). Aimed at younger children —officially 4-8, we'd say 3-6 — this is a pink, sparkly ode to princessdom. It starts out well: the rosy-cheeked protagonist complains that no one ever calls her by her real name, then runs through an illustrated list of the names she doesn't like: buttercup, giggly goose, cupcake, little lamb, sweet gumdrop.  (The drawing of a disgruntled toddler dressed as a gumdrop? Priceless.)   Read More... Posted Jan 03 2008, 01:25 PM by editors with | with no comments Filed under: books for children, childrens books, book of the week, book, paper bag princess, princess baby, princess, silk princess

• Book of the Week Special: Books You Can Play With

  Yes, we skipped Book of the Week last week. (Although we do have lots of suggestions in the Holiday Guide -- check it out.)  But to make up for it, we're going to give you five this week. Here's a review round-up of new books your kid can play with, as played with by Babble editors.  My Mommy's Tote by P.H. Hanson (Workman) The gimmick: An 'interactive book' modeled after a suburban mom's totebag, it's full of two-dimensional objects that can be lifted, removed and played with, i.e. key rings, a flip phone, a hankerchief and a functional wipe board. Our verdict: We were hopeful when we discovered that the book contained a laptop, a phone and a day planner. Go multitasking mommy! But what website is the laptop open to? Perfectmom.com, featuring '10,000 great cookie recipes.' Baking cookies, in fact, is a recurring theme throughout My Mommy's Tote. And there's a joke about the mom having too many shoes. Sigh. We're holding out for My Mommy's Briefcase. Get it for: Kids ages 3 and up whose moms bake cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. Read More... Posted Dec 06 2007, 10:15 AM by Gwynne Watkins with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, book of the week, my penguin osbert, how to be a spy, sleeping beauty ballet theater, books you can play with, sam mcbratney, you're all my favorites, my mommy's tote, interactive books

• Kids Books You Can Stomach

  Some time in the past six months, my son really got into his books. We've been trying to foist them on him since he could sit up straight, but before he mostly cared about the ones that played music or had pictures of animals. Now he actually "reads" them; not following every word like you or I would (he's only three, I'm not that deluded), but poring over every single page like it matters. Occasionally he'll disappear into his room and get very quiet. Fearing the worst, I holler, "What are you doing up there?" and he'll say, "I'm just readin.'" It makes my nerdy senses tingle. The only drawback to this budding bookishness is that he also wants me to read to him all the time, and as encouraging as it may be for him to show an interest, I want to throw some of those books out the window. His favorites now are a couple books with pictures of all kinds of trucks, to which he points and asks, "What's that carry?" making me recite every single possible cargo. I feel horrible, but every time he requests one of those, I start setting arbitrary limits. "If you want me to read the truck books, that's it, no more. But if you want to read, say, this Richard Scarry book, I'll stay up here." Thankfully, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Working Dad blog is on the lookout for more books that won't have parents considering a bonfire. Read More... Posted Dec 05 2007, 07:20 AM by Matt Wood with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: books, books for children

• Book of the Week: How Many?

  Pop up books never stop being fun and when you have a paper engineer on the job, expect nothing less than a minor miracle in book architecture, or bookitecture as we like to call it here at Babble.  How Many? Spectacular Paper Sculptures (Random House, 2007) by Ron Van Der Meer is not only a visual delight, but the questions posed on each page are designed to challenge your youngster’s deductive skills as well. The circles are mirrored, the stars are transparent and the lines wave back and forth as if rustling in the wind. But what will occupy a good amount of the day (or plane trip to Grandma’s) come when the reader is asked: Read More... Posted Nov 15 2007, 10:12 AM by aprilpeveteaux with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, book of the week, How Many?, pop up books

• Because Gorging on Candy Isn't the Only Way to Celebrate

  It's just the best way. Still, the build-up to any holiday is half the fun. Whether you and your kids eagerly anticipate all the TV specials, or you’re just looking for something to do while your trick or treaters come down from the sugar high, Read More... Posted Oct 29 2007, 02:02 PM by aprilpeveteaux with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, Halloween, halloween specials, dvds for kids

• Book of the Week: "Do Unto Otters" by Laurie Keller

  "A Book About Manners" may sound like a preachy subtitle, but let's get one thing straight: kids love books about manners. Books like Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? and the Maurice Sendak-illustrated What Do You Say, Dear? allow readers to revel in the characters' outlandish, hilariously rude behavior, all under the guise of learning to say "excuse me." Now we can add a new book to the pantheon: Laurie Keller's silly, slightly grotesque Do Unto Otters. Read More... Posted Oct 11 2007, 01:08 PM by Gwynne Watkins with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, manners, book of the week, jane yolen, laurie keller, maurice sendak, do unto otters

• Book of the Week: George and Martha

  Like Bert and Ernie, George and Martha are close companions with an ambiguous relationship: are they friends? are they lovers? I remember being confused about this as a kid, but I also remember that it didn't much matter: I was so devoted to the George and Martha books that I can still picture exactly where they were shelved in my childhood library. James Marshall first created these characters in 1971, while the film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? played in the background...   Read More... Posted Oct 04 2007, 05:10 PM by Gwynne Watkins with | with no comments Filed under: books for children, book of the week, george and martha, james marshall

• Babble Talk: Chick Flicks & Lit with Maria Bello

  Mina Hochberg interviews mom and actress Maria Bello, who is starring in the upcoming love story, (that men will enjoy too, for really's) The Jane Austen Book Club. Bello wouldn’t be caught dead reading Pride & Prejudice, and she has a lot to say about the books her six-year-old ingests as well. It’s refreshing to hear a celebrity go on about kid lit, and even if Bello doesn’t give in to the sentimentality of Austen, she is still no match for the allure of Harry Potter and Captain Underpants. Bello also answers the question of why so many ‘serious’ actors hop on the G-rated train shortly after procreating and how those go together as well as De Niro and Shark Tale. Posted Sep 20 2007, 04:03 PM by aprilpeveteaux with | with no comments Filed under: books for children, Maria Bello, Mina Hochberg, Jane Austen

• Children's Books Online: Classic Lit from the Public Domain

  One of the first things that made me think the internet might be good for something other than porn was the birth of sites like Project Gutenberg and Bartleby, where public domain works of literature were transcribed and presented for online perusal or download. Talk about a great way to get through the dark hours of a night shift during the mid-1990's! Now that all of us geeks have had babies, the internet's keeping up with the times. The Rosetta Project's Children's Books Online is a gorgeous repository of classic children's picture books of the sort our grandparents would have read, neatly scanned for your enjoyment. Read More... Posted Aug 11 2007, 11:03 AM by Patti with | with no comments Filed under: children's books, children's literature, books for children, rosetta project, children's books online

• Too Young for Harry Potter?

  It should come as no surprise by now to learn that my kids haven't read Harry Potter. I've been operating under the thumb-rule that the protagonist's age should roughly match that of the reader, give or take a couple of years, and depending of course on the book. So my older son is 11 and I figured this was the year for him to begin reading the first couple of Harrys. But I'm on the protective side. I admit it. So when is it right for kids to begin reading books that have more mature themes? I'm not necessarily talking sex here, but what about just plain life? Divorce, loneliness, parental alcoholism, poverty, bullying, depression...  I could go on and on here. But with Harry Potter we're talking (mostly) fantasy and fun and playfulness. And with those elements I think that the books become more approachable. I'm still not going to read it to my seven-year-old, but I'm not going to throw Every Flavor Beans at you if you read it to yours. Here's an insightful article detailing reasons to expose, or choose not to, your child to Harry. Although it's definitely leaning in the "yes" direction, the "if they get scared they'll get over it" camp.  Which I'm not so good with unless they're willing to come to my house and comfort my kids in the middle of the night when they have nightmares. What about you? Harry or not? And at what age?  Posted Jul 24 2007, 09:53 AM by Karen Murphy with | with 13 comment(s) Filed under: kids, harry potter, books for children

• Last Harry Potter Book Leaked. Maybe.

  J.K. Rowling's last Harry Potter book is scheduled to be released (75 million strong) on Saturday. Some ne'er-do-wells have taken it into their own hands to post it on the Internet. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has numerous downloadable versions on line (though according to some, they are not to be trusted.)  Personally, I don't think most kids will prefer to read the last installment on a computer screen, when they can hold a lovely book in their hands and hide away in a reading cubby somewhere to enjoy it.  Hopefully, libraries will stock up on the book too.  Posted Jul 18 2007, 11:37 AM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with no comments Filed under: harry potter and the deathly hallows, books for children, jk rowling, copywrite

• Father's Day: Great Books for the Kid to Give Pops

  When your kids are small and can't splurge for a hearty Father's Day brunch for the family as their gift to dad, it can be tricky to pick out a present that is sweet and sentimental and won't get shoved in a drawer next to a pocket watch and other well-intended offerings made to him over the years. My favorite gift to give my husband from our son is a great kid's book. In our house, the book basket next to the rocking chair is already filled with father-child centered books that my husband and son love to read before bedtime. My son loves to give a book to his dad that is really a book for himself and my husband is always happy to read a book that doesn't require pushing a button to make Elmo sing and where a dad and his kid are the stars.Here are a few of the parent-pleasing and kid-satisfying books we adore that are an easy and sweet last-minute-pick-up present sure to bring lon-time reading pleasure to father and child: The Daddy Mountain by Jules Feiffer has hilarious illustrations that center on the simple story of a girl climbing up her father's body in her excitement to see him. Do warn dad that it will naturally inspire your wee one to leap into the air onto the big man's shoulders. My Daddy is a Pretzel by Baron Baptiste is a yogafied introduction into the unique occupations parents have. It includes corresponding yoga poses with instructions for moivng in and out of them together. Watching a toddler interpret the pose is just as much fun as watching the daddy try to get himself out of it. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is a stunning book about a father and daughter who take a walk in hopes of encountering a magnificent owl. Daddies Are For Catching Fireflies by Harriet Ziefert is not the most progressive or complex book but it has cute illustrations and is one my son reaches for over and over again. I admit, I bought it in the grocery store toy aisle, and have been surprised at how happy I've even been to read it.  Posted Jun 13 2007, 05:03 PM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: fathers, books for children, father's day gifts

• New Nancy Drew Beat Down by Veronica Mars

  Early Nancy Drew packed heat. She drove a roadster, gave lip to the cops and kept her boyfriend, Ned, somewhere in the background -- always second fiddle to solving mysteries. From what I can tell, new Nancy Drew -- at least modern-day movie Nancy Drew -- is just trying to fit in. It's been years since I've read any Nancy Drew, and it's probably not surprising that I was more of a Hardy Boys fan anyway. But seeing this trailer for the new Nancy movie, I'm not all that excited. Veronica Mars seems to kick more butt. What do you think? Posted May 29 2007, 10:34 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with no comments Filed under: Movies, books, girls, books for children, movie, Girls Rule

• Change is Strange: Book Series for Little Peeps With Big Feelings

  Man, I wish I'd know about these books when my younger daughter was born (maybe the older one would've waited longer than 2 days before throwing a remote control at her head.) Change Is Strange is a series of children's books dedicated to help little kids get through big transitions, like the first day of school, a new sibling, and mom and dad's first kid-free vacation.  The books were conceptualized by Ricki Booker, former V.P. of Nickelodeon Films, written by Penny Asher, an educational therapist, and illustrated by visual designer Selena Kassab.  They are bright, sensitive, funny and sweet.  I ordered the "We're Moving?" ($14.99) book for my 4.5 year old after thumbing through a donated copy at our local library, and will definitely order "My First Day of School," as September, and kindergarten, approach - heck, I may even spring for a personalized version!  (Books and posters can be personalized for a $29.95, and all orders can be placed through the website). What I, and my daughter, like best about these books is that they're matter-of-fact.  They don't sidestep the uncomfortable feelings that can arise during a transition, but rather name them, explore them, and ultimately, let the child decide what to do with them.  They're also full of tips for parents on how to best help their kids through challenging times. Change is strange - at any age - but it doesn't have to be so scary.  Talking about it helps.  So do these books. Posted May 04 2007, 09:17 AM by Alisyn with | with no comments Filed under: books for children, change is strange, transitions

• Essential Authors to Introduce to Your Children (Someday)

  This anguished and heartfelt tribute at Tony's Kansas City to the life and works of Kurt Vonnegut, whose recent passing creates a huge vacuum in the world of literature while reminding me of my own reading-and-thinking past, made me muse about that past as well as the future: namely, what books and authors are essential to introduce to my children when the time is right?  I queried the Strollerderby crew, and this is what we came up with: Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird: a coming-of-age tale mixed with ethics, this should be required reading for every high school kid (and probably is). Carson McCullers, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: painful introspection and observation by shy teen. Essential. I adore this book and read it over and over again. Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues: I was scandalized by this in college and will never look at thumbs in quite the same way again. (Some people prefer Still Life With Woodpecker, which does an awful lot with a pack of Camels) Toni Morrison, Beloved: haunting, tragic, beautiful. Masterful story-telling. Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club: quintessential weaving of mothers and daughters, truth and things hidden. Wallace Stegner, Angle of Repose: the way he describes adult relationships and marriage is spot-on and heartachingly true. A Pulitzer Prize winner. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: you want to see how tragedy can make someone strong? It's in here. John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony, and The Pearl: truth. Real people. Heartbreaking, again. Irony.  Ohmygod. I dare you to not cry. Emily Dickinson, anything: gorgeous, real, and beautiful. Anne Frank, Anne Frank:The Diary of a Young Girl: the classic you know, for all the reasons you remember. Joseph Heller, Catch-22: war is absurd and tragic. And sometimes damn funny.  Kurt Vonnegut, of course, Slaughter-House Five: war, and humanity.  need I say more?   I'm sure I've missed hundreds.  What would you add to this list?  Posted Apr 12 2007, 06:21 PM by Karen Murphy with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: books for children, essential authors, coming-of-age stories

• Passover and Easter Books for Kids

  Looking for some books to teach your children about Passover or Easter?  Here are some excellent ideas from Teach, Learn, Communicate: 1. The Country Bunny, by Dubose Hayward  - The classic tale written in the 1930s about the loving mother bunny who finds the courage to be the Gold Shoe Easter Bunny. 2.  The Easter Egg Artists, by Adrienne Adams - The Abbott family of egg artists accepts their son when he has a different style. 3.  Matzo Ball Moon, by Leslea Newman - A family makes ready for Passover by preparing Matzo Ball Soup. 4. On Passover, Kathy Goldberg Fishman - The story of a young girl's experience during Passover. 5. Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg, by Tom Ross - Eggbert has to find the courage to leave the safety of the refrigerator and be himself. Posted Apr 05 2007, 03:45 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: books, reading, teaching compassion, easter, children and reading, Passover, books for children