“GOODNIGHT MR. DARCY: A BabyLit Parody,” by Kate Coombs, illustrated by Alli Arnold, Gibbs-Smith, $16.99 (ages 4 and up)
The BabyLit series takes classical tales, from authors that include Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and William Shakespeare, and turns them into picture books and primers for young children on a variety of topics including counting, opposites, weather, camping, fashion, sounds and ocean terms.
In this self-described “BabyLit Parody,” Utah author Kate Coombs takes Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” with a “Goodnight Moon” twist for a bedtime story.
It opens in the Netherfield ball and rhymes lines that succinctly summarize everyone’s impressions or personalities. It then proceeds with wishing good night everyone and everything, including a “goodnight pride.”
“DOODLE LIT: Drawing on the Classics,” by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver, Gibbs-Smith, $19.99, 272 pages (ages 8 and up)
Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver have teamed up on most of the board books in the BabyLit series. This time, they are introducing an activity book that has elements from their stories and prompts to encourage young doodlers. They also include some drawings from authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charlotte Bronte.
"Doodle Lit" is organized by classical author, and each of its dozen sections has activities related to that author’s work — from a paper doll Elizabeth Bennett (Jane Austen) to directions to draw a ship on the ocean (Bram Stoker) or gather leaves (Doyle).
Historical notes on terms help explain some of the historical context of the classics.
Adams and Oliver also include guided steps on drawing some specific images, but they mostly give an example and let the doodler create his or her own, such as a pattern, a gargoyle or a map of Huck Finn's journey.
For more on the BabyLit series, see babylit.com.
If you go ...
What: Storytime with Kate Coombs and book signing
When: Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. to noon
Where: The King's English, 1511 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City
Web: kingsenglish.com
Note: Places in the signing line are reserved for those who purchase a copy of the featured book from The King's English.
Also ...
What: Jennifer Adams book signing
When: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.
Where: Provo City Library, 550 N. University Ave., Provo
Web: provolibrary.com
Email: rappleye@deseretnews.com, Twitter: CTRappleye