- Ladybug Girl
- By David Soman and Jacky Davis,
Illustrated by David Soman
(Dial, $17)
Lulu is one of those kids who constantly claims boredom, but can't seem to keep her creativity at bay long enough to ever back up those complaints. When she struggles with the age-old dilemma of Nothing To Do—It's Ladybug Girl to the rescue! Lulu's alter ego has the power to turn the most mundane occurance into an adventure—and even gives her the strength to overcome her older brother's mean-spirited taunting. Any parent will realize how spot-on Lulu's characterization is—she's vulnerable, yet resourceful; frustrating, yet endearing—just like the little superheroes you know and love. The front and back of the book treat us to a cheeky parade of Lulu's other costumed personae, and leave us eagerly awaiting her next appearance.—Ages 2 to 7
- Danny's Drawing Book
- by Sue Heap,
(Candlewick, $10)
The high concept begins with the physical book itself, which is made to look and feel like the title character's sketchpad. Inside, you get a story within a story, as scenes from young Danny's real-life trip to the zoo are intermixed with the pencil-drawn, imagination-fueled adventures he creates starring the animals he sees around him. Heap's multilayered tale should serve as a worthy muse for your own child's inner illustrator. —Ages 2 to 7
- Where's My Mom?
- by Julia Donaldson,
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
(Dial, $17)
Lost baby animal looks for its Momma: Been there, done that. Yet, this book feels utterly fresh and original, due in no small part to Donaldson's witty verse, which offers up a chuckle on almost every page. When a well-meaning butterfly makes one mistake after another in his attempt to reunite a monkey child with its simian mother, laughs aren't the only result—there's a nature lesson rolled in there, too. —Ages 2 to 7
- The Birthday Tree
- by Paul Fleischman,
illustrated by Barry Root
(Candlewick, $17)
This good, old-fashioned folktale, first published in 1979, is even more magical today, thanks to Root's dreamy new illustrations. His gauzy watercolors make the images feel like snatches of a memory, creating the perfect tone for this mystical, hope-filled story about a couple who keep track of their faraway son's well-being by watching the health of the tree that was planted at his birth. —Ages 2 to 7
- My Dog May Be a Genius
- By Jack Prelutsky,
Illustrated by James Stevenson
(Greenwillow, $19)
Jack Prelutsky, the current Children's Poet Laureate, excels in whimsy. His lighthearted verses brim with clever twists on a child's everyday world. Like Shel Silverstein without the sinister edge, he introduces imaginary creatures ("The Preposterous Wosstrus"), revels in nonsense situations ("I Often Mow the Bathtub"), and puns like mad ("When My Father Grew a Mustache"—he grows in a flower pot). It's a feast for young word lovers. — Ages 2 to 5
- There Was a Man Who Loved a Rat
- by Gerda Rovetch,
illustrated by Lissa Rovetch
(Philomel, $15)
If Prelutsky is a little too wholesome for your wicked wee ones, look to 83-year-old first time author Rovetch, whose limerick collection features such bizarre scenarios as a baker who makes snake bread, a man who adopts an abandoned kidney, and another who stores sardines in his slacks. The poet's daughter Lissa, provides black-and-white illustrations reminiscent of Edward Gorey.—Ages 5 and up
- A Child's Book of Poems
- illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa,
(Sterling, $10)
In addition to a slew of anonymous classics, this hefty anthology offers up verses by Dickinson, Tennyson, Wordsworth, Keats, and other literary luminaries. Fujikawa's round, smiley-faced figures add massive amounts of retro appeal.—Ages 2 to 9
