$6.99

Buy it here.

I have seen this book recommended all over the place and it seems like it would make a nice Valentine's Day treat. - Stephanie S.

$12.24

Buy it here.

I first fell in love with Peter Sis while reading a biography of Jackie Onassis. Peter Sis was the first author she chose to edit when she began her work in publishing. Sis has a brand new book entitled The Wall about his childhood in Cold War-era Prague. The book is graphic, intriguing, historic, and exciting. - Stephanie R

$7.47

Buy it here.

I'm so excited about this Uncle Albert series by Russell Stannard who was formerly Professor of Physics at the Open University at Milton Keynes. He has seven children of his own and refused to underestimate kids when it came to teaching them about science. He has researched the ways that children learn and came out with this brilliant series that makes it fun and exciting for for boys AND girls to learn about physics.

"Time and Space of Uncle Albert
Uncle Albert, the famous scientist, has got stuck. To unlock the deep mysteries of space and time someone must agree to be beamed up into the unknown world of the thought bubble. His brave niece, Gedanken, decides to risk it. So begin her exciting and astonishing adventures."

Also check out Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest and Black Holes and Uncle Albert. - Stephanie R

$3.99

Buy it here.

Do you remember the Mr. Men and Little Miss Series? Each simply drawn character represents an attribute or a behavior and teaches us a lesson about how to treat others. In this book, Mr. Nosey teaches us the importance of minding our own beeswax. I recall these being the most fought over books in kindergarten. Someone probably should have handed me Mr. Greedy. - Stephanie S.

$6.95

Buy it here.

This is a great way to introduce a little art history to your kids and master counting skills at the same time. This is a lovely book for a first birthday or shower gift. - Stephanie R

$37.99

Buy it here.

Surely you remember Fraggle Rock? Red, Gobo and Wombley? Have you watched it recently? I have and it is still really really good. Songs and lessons and a wise trash heap. Doozers and adventure and a place called Outer Space where humans live. Jim Henson was the master and you just aren't going to find very many "babysitters" who are better. - Stephanie S.

$8.99

Buy it here.

Easter time means I get to indulge my penchant for bunnies. This is a great book whether it's poking out of an Easter basket or not. - Stephanie S.

$11.16

Buy it here.

Any time is a good time to introduce your little one to the story of The Velveteen Rabbit. - Stephanie S.

$9.99

Buy it here.

My daughter and I have been listening to French and Spanish learning CDs in the car and I've easily stumbled on to some really great ones. I haven't been so lucky with the DVDs. I've rented a countless number of awful DVDs from my local library. They all have big promises, and most are really popular and well known, but still painful to watch and my daughter lost interest very quickly. Then I finally found the A la Vibora de la Mar series. They are fantastic! You won't be disappointed. You can also buy this one together with Los Colores de Rufino for $19.98 - Stephanie R

$10.65

Buy it here.

Written in 1939, this book is in my opinion, one of the most unique childrens' books published. It is the story of a Momma bunny that strives to become an Easter bunny and is full of sentiment and lessons of courage. - Stephanie S.

$7.99

Buy it here.

This was one of my favorites growing up and while I'm sure that some of my attachment is nostalgia related, I confidently recommend this book to others. It did win a Cadecott Medal, after all. The pacing of the story is such that a young person is drawn right in. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is what children's books should be: silly and sweet on the outside; poignant and memorable on the inside. - Stephanie S.

$8.99

Buy it here.

This book was first published in 1953 with illustrations by Richard Scarry but has been out of print for 30 years. Now it's back with all of the original illustrations and text. In my humble opinion, if you want the very best version of The Gingerbread Man (pictures and prose) - this is it. - Stephanie S.

$9.95

Buy it here.

As a former art student, I am always looking for interesting ways to introduce art history to my daughter. The Touch the Art board books are a fantastic way to teach kids, even the smallest babies about important works of art. My daughter loves these books so much; we read them at least three times a day. - Stephanie R

$9.95

Buy it here.

Pop Warhol's Top is a lot of fun. It's full of fuzzy pages and even sticky ones. - Stephanie R

$15.56
Buy it here.

I love all of the Bruno Munari books. They are beautifully designed and timeless. These are two of my favorites from the Workshop Series. I also love Bruno Munari's Zoo. If you order today you can get free shipping and still have the books arrive by December 22nd. - Stephanie R

ABOUT WORKSHOP The books in the new workshop series describe different methods of learning, from educational activities to explanatory pamphlets to poetic play. The illuminating, gentle genius of Bruno Munari offers basic instructions and plenty of stimuli, suggestions, and illustrative pictures to get adults and children, teachers and students working together. These three books, the first in the series, are classics from the hand of a magician.

EXCERPT
When drawing a tree, always remember that every branch is more slender than the one that came before. Also note that the trunk splits into two branches, then those branches split in two, then those in two, and so on, and so on, until you have a full tree, be it straight, squiggly, curved up, curved down, or bent sideways by the wind.

$15.56

Buy it here.

When drawing a tree, always remember that every branch is more slender than the one that came before. Also note that the trunk splits into two branches, then those branches split in two, then those in two, and so on, and so on, until you have a full tree, be it straight, squiggly, curved up, curved down, or bent sideways by the wind.

Paperback, 5.75 x 8.25 in. / 88 pgs / 88 color.

$19.97 sale price

$26.97 regular price

Buy it here.

This is a fantastic book that just went on sale for the week. - Stephanie S.

"Robert Sabuda uses his astonishing pop-up style art to capture the lustrous essence of the winter season in the woods. The result is this glittering masterpiece of a book. The three-dimensional displays that pop up as you open each page move, shimmer, and bristle with life. "

Buy it here.

Twenty-six little books, the perfect size for baby's hands, come in their own storage box. This set would be a great shower gift, first birthday, or christmas gift-perfect for any child, newborn to age three. - Stephanie R

$19.99

Buy it here.

More Volumes.

I love these Signing Time videos! Volume 1 has all of the necessary signs such as milk, more, eat and water. We are on Vol. 3 now and I can't wait to get more. My daughter is 15 months old and knows close to 40 signs! I know a huge part of that is because of these wonderful videos. You are never too young to start signing. The signing videos would be a great shower gift for anyone interested in teaching sign language to their baby. - Stephanie R

$130.00

Buy it here.

This is definitely going under the Christmas tree for my 15th month old pre-reader. - Stephanie R

Italian, English, French, German Texts
Box Set 11.2x15.6"
Printed & Bound in Italy

"Intended for children who don't yet know how to read or write, Prebooks comprises of twelve (12) little books, each 4x4" in size and each hand-bound from different papers and binding materials. From cardboard to wood, felt to transparent plastic, once again Munari is ahead of his time when it comes to introducing children to the interdisciplinary study of book arts. "

* First published by Danese in 1980, Prebooks is now considered a collector's item.

$10.85

Buy the book here.

First published in 1937, Babar has held his own against decades of less memorable children's books. The illustrations are charming and the characters are still unique. Keep in mind when you are shopping for Babar books that Jean de Brunhoff was the original author. His son Laurent de Brunhoff continues the saga but I suggest you stick with the originals. - Stephanie S.

$20.99

Buy the doll here.

This is the best price I've found for a 16" Babar. Including the doll with the book would make a nice gift. - Stephanie S.

"Right down to the tips of his shoes, this gorgeous Babar the Elephant Plush Toy from Crocodile Creek™ is a faithful reproduction of children's author Jean de Brunhoff's famous elephant king. Made out of soft velour fabric, with bean bag filling in the seat."

$5.99
Buy it here.

Author Tana Hoban writes beautiful simply designed books. Black on White is a great one to read to your newborn. - Stephanie R

"Tana Hoban has created an elegant solution for those who want to initiate children into the infinite wonders of reading. This picture book compels parents to talk to their babies as they share the wordless pages with their little ones."

$4.99

Buy it here.

This book is one in a series of five books that feature Okomi and his adventures. Very sweetly illustrated, and I love the source material. - Stephanie S.

"The Okomi stories are based upon real events and natural chimp behavior in the wild as observed by Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall discovered that chimpanzee babies and their mothers play little games, such as tickling each other, that bonded them closely together. The Okomi books are based on these observations, telling simple stories covering issues of fear, playfulness, laughter, surprise, and new experiences."

$18.15

Buy it here.

"Apart from the Extremely Pompous title, and the heavy bent toward masculine authors, this collection of classics by the likes of Tolstoy, Edith Wharton, O. Henry, and Lewis Carroll is vastly impressive. And editor Harold Bloom does, of course, explain his title in the introduction. He believes that all the included authors "make themselves open to authentic readers of any age." Despising most "commercially offered" contemporary children's literature, Bloom offers up the greats: Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat," Shakespeare's "The Lion in Winter," Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes," and dozens upon dozens more, organized on a seasonal scheme. Here, readers of all ages can learn, grow, be entertained, reflect. Bloom quotes poet Wallace Stevens in his test for verse or prose: "it must change, it must give pleasure, and it must be abstract." Every one of these masterpieces of varying lengths is worthy of reading, rereading, and reading aloud--Extremely Intelligent Children of All Ages would be wise to look beyond the title and devour this 573-page anthology, cover to cover."

$23.10

Buy it here.

"Tatar presents fresh and appealing translations of 26 traditional stories (primarily European), accompanied by engrossing annotations placed attractively in the wide margins of the large-sized pages. In clear, accessible prose, she links the tales to their original oral traditions and cultural contexts, and discusses the varied interpretations imposed by critics over time and across philosophical and psychological perspectives. Hundreds of high-quality, color reproductions of period illustrations illuminate and enhance Tatar's cogent remarks about the power of illustrators to influence and comment on a story through visual interpretation. The supplemental sections are as fascinating as the main material: biographies of authors, collectors, and illustrators; variant texts of "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Bears"; the illustrations of Walter Crane and George Cruikshank; and an extensive bibliography. This book offers multiple pleasures for browsing, pondering, and sharing, and is as good a source for reading aloud as for research."
Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

$23.10

Buy it here.

"The Annotated Brothers Grimm celebrates the richness and dramatic power of the legendary fables in the most spectacular and unusual Grimm volume in decades. Containing forty stories in new translations by Maria Tatar—including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel"—the book also features 150 illustrations, many of them in color, by legendary painters such as George Cruikshank and Arthur Rackham; hundreds of annotations that explore the historical origins, cultural complexities, and psychological effects of these tales; and a biographical essay on the lives of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Perhaps most noteworthy is Tatar's decision to include tales that were previously excised, including a few bawdy stories and others that were removed after the Grimms learned that parents were reading the book to their children—stories about cannibalism in times of famine and stories in which children die at the end. Enchanting and magical, The Annotated Brothers Grimm will cast its spell on children and adults alike for decades to come. 75 color, 75 black-and-white illustrations."

$26.37

Buy it here.

"Hearn, who edited The Wizard of Oz for Norton's Annotated series, has taken on that formative fiction of American culture, Huckleberry Finn a seemingly transparent work that, as presented in Hearn's exhaustive research, harbors linguistic complexities worthy of an Eliot or a Joyce. In his long introduction, Hearn chronicles Huck's publishing history, from its on-again, off-again composition, to Twain's stormy relationship with his publishers, to the book's embattled trip to the printer (trailing censorious editors in its wake) and its instant success on the market. Hearn offers a thorough cataloguing of the book's critical reception and many controversies, an ample pinch of biography, a lengthy analysis of dialect and a fairly sketchy historical background. The notes themselves (presented alongside the text) are eclectic, sometimes charmingly so: we learn what a huckleberry is, and a sugar-hogshead, and how corn pone is made. Huck's vast repertory of Southern superstitions is carefully glossed, and Hearn wisely includes quotes about the book from Twain (who could scarcely open his mouth without saying something funny) whenever possible. The notes go overboard in their extensive translation of the book's idiomatic speech (readers probably don't need "powwow" defined and can figure out for themselves that "hoss" means horse). On the whole, Hearn supplies interesting information with a light touch possibly too light in the last third of the book, which seems more thinly annotated than the beginning. Restored passages not seen in the original appear in the appendices. Though a stronger anchor in cultural history could have made this volume better, this liberally illustrated and beautifully designed book offers many pleasures for the general reader. (Oct.)Forecast: This is the perfect gift book for all of Huck's fans and should sell very well with the aid of a six-city author tour and national media appearances. Also, in January 2002, a Ken Burns series on Twain will air."

$19.77

Buy it here.

"Readers who share Alice's taste in books will be more than satisfied with The Annotated Alice, a volume that includes not only pictures and conversations, but a thorough gloss on the text as well. There may be some, like G.K. Chesterton, who abhor the notion of putting Lewis Carroll's masterpiece under a microscope and analyzing it within an inch of its whimsical life. But as Martin Gardner points out in his introduction, so much of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass is composed of private jokes and details of Victorian manners and mores that modern audiences are not likely to catch. Yes, Alice can be enjoyed on its own merits, but The Annotated Alice appeals to the nosy parker in all of us. Thus we learn, for example, that the source of the mouse's tale may have been Alfred Lord Tennyson who "once told Carroll that he had dreamed a lengthy poem about fairies, which began with very long lines, then the lines got shorter and shorter until the poem ended with fifty or sixty lines of two syllables each." And that, contrary to popular belief, the Mad Hatter character was not a parody of then Prime Minister Gladstone, but rather was based on an Oxford furniture dealer named Theophilus Carter."

"Gardner's annotations run the gamut from the factual and historical to the speculative and are, in their own way, quite as fascinating as the text they refer to. Occasionally, he even comments on himself, as when he quotes a fellow annotator of Alice, James Kincaid: "The historical context does not call for a gloss but the passage provides an opportunity to point out the ambivalence that may attend the central figure and her desire to grow up." And then follows with a charming riposte: "I thank Mr. Kincaid for supporting my own rambling." There's a lot of information in the margins (indeed, the page is pretty evenly divided between Carroll's text and Gardner's), but the ramblings turn out to be well worth the time. So hand over your old copy of Lewis Carroll's classic to the kids--this Alice in Wonderland is intended entirely for adults." --Alix Wilber