- Little Boy with
a Big Horn - by Jack Bechdolt &
Dan Yaccarino - Golden Books, $15
This 1950 tale of a boy whose tuba playing makes him the town pariah (until he turns his oompahing toward some courageous heroics, that is) may be familiar to many of today's parents. In this new edition, the sweetly redemptive tale is jazzed up by new visuals. Yaccarino's nouveaux-retro illustrations maintain the feel of the original era while casting a decidedly modern aura over the story's quaint New England–y seaside town. If you ever wonder why publishers bother commissioning new art for old picture books—this is why.—Ages 3 to 7
- Not a Stick
- by Antoinette Portis
- HarperCollins, $13
"Hey, be careful with that stick," warns an outside-the-frame adult. "It's not a stick," replies the twig-bearing piglet, and immediately we are treated to a flash of the child's imagination, in which the branch has magically transformed into a fishing pole—with a great white shark at the end of the line. As the offscreen admonishments continue, Portis's spare, thick-lined drawings (which have a Harold and the Purple Crayon air about them) reveal the stick's many alter egos: paintbrush, sword, barbells, horse. The book is a wonderful ode to the power of make-believe.—Ages 3 to 5
- Danny Diamondback
- by Barry E. Jackson
- HarperCollins, $17
It's not easy for a lonely rattlesnake to make friends in the desert—you know, that whole "eater of small mammals" reputation and all. Luckily for Danny, the young serpentine peacenik at the heart of this tale, a nearsighted prairie dog mistakes him for a harmless lizard, offers him a spot as the maraca player in his band, and gives him the chance to change the way others look at him. An unexpected twist makes this sweet tale all the more endearing, and the gorgeous paintings look like stills out of a CGI animated film (no surprise, since author-illustrator Jackson was a production designer on Shrek).—Ages 4 to 8
- Necks Out for Adventure
- by Timothy Basil Ering
- Candlewick, $17
The highest aspiration for most clams (or wiggleskins, as they apparently call themselves) is a quiet, uneventful life tucked inside their shells. But one day, young Edwin Wiggleskin realizes that his kind's beloved protective casings can be liabilities when every member of his shellfish clan is easily plucked out of the sand, tossed into a bucket, and marked for a short future as a chowder ingredient. Only Edwin is left behind, and the daring young blob decides to wriggle out of his shell and squirm onto dry land to rescue his family. Crackling with originality, this is a perfect tale for any child afraid to step out of his comfort zone.—Ages 4 to 8
- Smitten
- by David Gordon
- Atheneum, $17
It's one of the great mysteries of the world: What happens to all those lost socks and mittens that never make it back from the washing machine? Pixar veteran David Gordon offers up a thoroughly entertaining answer: When a wayward sock and a forgotten mitten team up to help each other find their missing partners, an unexpected bond develops between the two—an affection readers will feel as well. With an ample mix of comedy, adventure, drama, and even romance, Gordon crams a stunning amount of plot and character development into 40 pages. The title may be a bit of a spoiler, but you'll still smile when you see the threadbare heroes reach the inevitable conclusion. And your kids will never look at their laundry the same way again.—Ages 4 to 8
