BABIES AND TODDLERS:
Kids can really play with their books in a new series by Snapshot publishers. Combining a book with a puzzle, each of the books in the "Jigsaw Puzzle" series focuses on a basic concept like shapes or colors.On each two-page spread, young readers will find die-cut puzzle pieces they can lift out and then try to place back into the book. Toddlers especially will love the books' colorful photographs.
The four books in the series cost $4.95 each and are titled "Number Puzzles", "Shape Puzzles," "Color Puzzles" and "Word Puzzles." (Ages 2-4).
PRESCHOOLERS:
Young readers will pick up beach lore with their feet in "Beach Feet" (Greenwillow, $15). Author-illustrator Lynn Reiser uses simple but effective descriptions of feet to talk about what children might find on a beach, from a moonsnail to a whelk to seaweed. The rather unconventional illustrations provide important details for readers. (Ages 4-8).
Author Sam McBratney struck gold with his last book, the surprise best-seller "Guess How Much I Love You." In "The Caterpillow Fight" (Candlewick Press, $9.99), McBratney again shows his magic touch, taking a simple story about caterpillars and dressing it up with a tongue-twisting rhyme. The illustrations by Jill Barton are colorful and energetic. (Ages 2-4).
SCHOOL-AGERS:
Cynthia Rylant presents a spectacularly beautiful look at giant creatures of the deep in "The Whales" (Blue Sky Press, $14.95). Ryland, a Newbery Medalist, uses lyrical language and poetic images to take readers into the underwater dream world of whales. Rylant combines her evocative text with striking illustrations full of color and motion. This is a lovely book that both teaches and touches the reader's heart. (Ages 4-adult).
Here are two books to help school-agers while away those lazy summer days:
- "Kites" (Morrow, $15) offers simple directions for 12 high-fliers. Author Norma Dixon and illustrator Linda Hendry have combined their talents to make kite-making seem easy and fun. The book also includes a bit of background about kites, as well as directions for launching and flying them. (Ages 7-adult).
- "Ocean Paper Chains" (Tupelo Books, $7.95) provides everything needed to make yards of paper chains featuring starfish, seahorses, whales, sharks and other denizens of the deep. But Stewart and Sally Walton also give readers loads of ideas for stretching out the fun, from making their own patterned paper to ocean-related crafts like a magnetic fishing game. (Ages 6-adult).
PARENTS:
Reader's Digest has just published a wonderful new book to answer that common childhood complaint, "I don't have anything to do!" Using "Reader's Digest Fun Factory" ($14.99), parents and caregivers will always have a suggestion for an activity that children can do with a little time and some common household materials.
In fact, author Lyndsay Milne has created some absolutely ingenious projects: an astronaut outfit made from foil, cardboard and detergent bottles; a playhouse made from cardboard, fasteners and paint; and a racing car made from a toilet paper tube, bottle tops and a rubber band.
Best of all, Milne makes a point of using materials that normally would be trashed as a way of teaching kids (and their parents) about how recycling can be fun.