- Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse
- by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim,
(Random House, $6)
In the half decade or so since they came into existence, the flat, stingy-on-the-features Uglydolls ($20) have earned a special distinction in the world of plush creatures: They are equally likely to be seen in the arms of an 18-month-old in a stroller, dangling from a fifth-grader's backpack keychain, and on the bed in a college dorm room. Clearly, their appeal is their weirdness—especially once you get a glimpse of their everyday lives in this new mock travel guide, written by the dolls' creators. The book is half fun facts for kids, half sophisticated satire for older fans. Its all-silly pages are loaded with detailed sight gags (store signs that read SORRY WE'RE OPEN) and twisted tourist hints (be quick when ordering from the coffee kiosk on the sides of a moving escalator). It's like a warped version of Richard Scarry's Busytown, adding new depth to these strangely adorable dolls.—Ages 5 and up
- Alfred Digs
- by Lindsay Barrett George,
(Harper Collins, $12)
A is for aardvark. Okay, so that's not the most imaginative twist for an ABC book. But this is no ordinary ABC book—it's an adventure that takes place within the alphabet. Alfred, the aardvark in question, lives on the opening page of a dictionary. When his pet ant wanders off and gets lost among the letters, Alfred must burrow down to the end of the book to find him. This wildly original concept allows our hero to cross paths with a king, a penguin, and one very dangerous woodpecker along the way to the denouement at (where else?) the zoo. With the spray of scrambled type that bursts up each time Alfred digs and animals illustrated in classic reference-book style, the author makes the most of her theme, proving that there's plenty of material yet to be mined from the alphabet-book genre. —Ages 2 and up
- Topsy-Turvy Bedtime
- by Joan Levine,
illustrated by Tony Auth
(Candlewick, $10)
In this role-reversal comedy, two parents let their sleep-averse preschooler put them to bed. And with some expert stalling tactics, they show her just how much work that can be. —Ages 2 to 7
- Sally Gets a Job
- by Stephen Huneck,
(Abrams, $12)
Through unique woodcut illustrations, we become privy to the professional ambitions of an eager-to-please black Lab, from the requisite firefighter to the unexpected maple-syrup producer and hip-hop star. —Ages up to 7
- The Pigeon Wants a...
- By Mo Willems
(Hyperion, $10)
For the latest book in Willems's award-winning series, the object of the obsessive title character's desire is a secret (until the book's release on April 1). This time, he may learn to be careful what he wishes for. — Ages up to 7
