New Kid on the Block. Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by James Stevenson, $10.99 (ages 5-10)

Open this book to any page and begin your exploration! Here are more than 100 poems about things you may never have thought about before — jellyfish stew, a bouncing mouse, a ridiculous dog, a boneless chicken, and an unexpected new kid on the block!

Talking Tails: the Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets. Ann Love & Jane Drake, illustrated by Bill Slavin, $11.99 (ages 9-14)

An informative and playful look at the relationship between pets and people though the ages.

The Circle Game. Joni Mitchell, illustrated by Brian Deines, $20.00

More than forty years ago, Joni Mitchell's music helped define a generation of young people. Now, one of her classic songs is introduced to a new generation through the remarkable art of Brian Deines.

THE CIRCLE GAME, a charming nod to childhood dreams and memories, tells the story of a young boy experiencing the simple wonders of life: dragonflies in jars, the night sky, frozen streams, and carousels. As the years go by, cartwheels are replaced by car wheels and the boy's dreams change, but the sense of wonder remains. THE CIRCLE GAME captures the timeless magic of youth.

Get Outside: the Kids Guide to Fun in the Great Outdoors. Jane Drake & Ann Love, illustrated by Heather Collins, $17.95

Armed with GET OUTSIDE, a kid will never say, "I'm bored!" again. This book is a key to the world of fun beyond the front door. Activities are divided into four categories (Nature Lover, Outdoor Fun and Games, Cozy Inside and Look to the Sky), where readers will find instructions for making things like sundials, bird feeders and kites, as well as rules for games such as 500 Up, Spud and Shinny. 

Accompanying these descriptions are fun facts and scientific, historic and cultural context. The passage on playing jacks, for example, includes a sidebar about a similar game played by the ancient Greeks. Children in Northern climes will love learning to play traditional First Nations winter games and be thrilled to find out how to create a backyard ice rink. It's a wealth of fun and fascination that will captivate any young person — who won't mind ditching the video game for the great outdoors.

The Magic Brush: a Story of Love, Family and Chinese Characters. Kat Yeh, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee, $21.00

A heartwarming story and a clever primer on Chinese language, The Magic Brush is perfect for young readers and their parents to share, steeped in Chinese traditions of adventure and wonder.

Humpty Who? A Crash Course in 80 Nursery Rhymes for Clueless Moms and Dads. Jennifer Griffin, $14.95

Humpty Who is a classic course in Mother Goose and more, featuring poems, rhymes, songs, lullabies, rounds and riddles — and a 35-song CD starring a rollicking ensemble of musical Moms!

ZOOM. Tim Wynne-Jones & Eric Beddows, $25.00

Three Zoom books re-issued in a deluxe gift anthology — Zoom at Sea, Zoom Away, Zoom Upstream.

BAXTER, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher.  Laurel Snyder, illustrated by David Goldin, $17.99

Baxter is a curious pig. So when he finds out about something called Shabbat dinner, he can’t wait to find out what all the fuss is about. While learning about the meaning of Shabbat (and what is — or isn’t — kosher), Baxter comes to know the warmth and welcome that is an essential part of the Friday night table.

Stories to Solve: Folktales from Around the World. George Shannon, illustrated by Peter Sís, $6.50 (ages 8-12)

Fourteen mind-bending mysteries and logic problems from the world of folklore. Use your smarts and savvy to solve them!

Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World. Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Elisa Kleven, $21.95

How in the world do you make a wish? From birthday candles to giant kites to lucky pennies, here are 15 fascinating ways to make a wish whether big or small.

My People. Langston Hughes, photography by Charles R. Smith Jr., $21.00

Langston Hughes’ classic, simple poem My People is brought to life with the beautiful portrait photography of poet, writer, activist and photographer Charles R. Smith, Jr.

So Many Stories: the Tim Lawson Band. CD, $12.95

Africa represents almost 2/3 of the world population living with HIV and there are 13 million African children orphaned due to AIDS. In sub-Saharan Africa alone thousands of people are newly infected every day.

Having been moved by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, Tim Lawson dedicated this CD and much of the proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. $5.00 from the sale of each CD goes there, with over $50,000 having been donated to date.

Magnetic Poetry Kit® — First Words: Kid-Friendly, Creative Wordplay! $21.95

This box contains over 140 big, thick word magnets just right for little fingers. You're your kids break the magnet sheets into separate tiles and install them on your fridge, a cookie sheet or any steel surface and watch a love of language emerge. Includes a special kid's guide to Magnetic Poetry. Great fun for families and educators.

Young children possess a remarkable ability to learn new languages, and learning as a family can be a fun bonding experience. Developed by language experts and perfect for 4-8 year-olds, this series provides easy, fun, and effective language games which can be played in the car or at home. And because no previous knowledge of the language is required, parents and children can master the basics of French, Spanish or Italian while enjoying quality time together. Each package includes:

• Three 48-page activity books
• Three 60 minute audio CDs
• Guide for parents and teachers
• Three sticker sheets
• Crayons

Manifest Your Magnificence: 64 Affirmation Cards for Kids 6 - 12 Years Old. Susan Howson, illustrated by Mike Polito, $24.95

Manifest Your Magnificence is a unique gift set of 64 affirmation cards designed specifically to nurture a child's self-esteem. Beautifully illustrated and written, each affirmation card carries a powerful message that when read over and over again, connects each child to their true being. When we help children reconnect with their true being, they manifest their magnificence in the world — this is the ultimate goal.

Also: Manifest Your Magificence CD. $15.95

Ask It! 50 Fun Questions to Get Families Talking. Cameron Bassett Moore & Maura Hewitt Waltrip, $16.95

Turn off the TV, shut down the computer and talk. Ask It contains 50 question cards designed to make it easy and fun for children, parents, grandparents, teachers and friends to share stories about their feelings and experiences. Just pick a card, ask a question and discover new things about the people you love best.

Mole Sister Finger Puppets. $6.99 each

The mole sisters come to play!

It’s Your Room! A Decorating Guide for Real Kids. Janice Weaver & Frieda Wishinsky, $19.99

Enough cute little bunnies dancing across your walls or toy trains and nursery rhymes plastered above your bed. That was the old you. It's time now to transform your space, to learn how to make it sparkle using more imagination than money. This exciting new book... offers creative solutions to all your design dilemmas — and does it without breaking the bank.

52 Brain Tickling Activities for Kids. Lynn Gordon & Karen Johnson, $9.95

Kids of all ages can amuse and stretch their brains with these 52 activities, including tricky math puzzles and wacky word riddles. Without too much brain strain, you'll learn to decipher a secret code, make a marble maze, or create a Möbius strip.

The Barefoot Book of Blessings from Many Faiths and Cultures. Sabrina Dearborn, illustrated by Olwyn Whelan, $20.99

This graceful compilation brings together a wide range of countries, cultures and faiths. Beautifully and sensitively illustrated, this is a wonderful book for families looking to celebrate and show gratitude.

Trivia for Tots In a Jar®. Free Spirit Publishing, $10.99

101 simple trivia cards test kids’ knowledge about the world, spark their natural curiosity, and promote critical thinking. Questions include answers. Ages 3 & up

If You Find a Rock. Peggy Christian, photographs by Barbara Hirsch Lember, $8.99

What kind of rock will you find today? There's a world of possibilities right under your feet. Will you find a rock to skip in the water — or a rock to hide things under? It might be a wishing rock or a worry stone, a fossil or a rock you can kick all the way home.

beast feast: poems and paintings by Douglas Florian, $8.95

More wondrous and delightful observations on the animal kingdom from the mind of Douglas Florian.

Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian. $10.00 (all ages)

Insectlopedia hums, slinks and slithers with cunning poetry and vibrant illustrations. Douglas Florian, creator of several award-winning books of poetry and paintings, has delivered a delightful invasion of 21 buggy verses and paintings, done in watercolor and collage on primed brown paper bags.

In the Swim: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian. $8.95

An absolute delight, this collection of humorous paintings and poems takes readers beneath the waves, to meet wonderful creatures of the deep.

Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian. $8.95 (all ages)

From transparent glass frogs and ravenous rattlesnakes to sticky geckos and stressed-out skinks, here is a spectacle of slithery fun you won’t want to miss!

Mammalabilia: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian. $8.95 (all ages)

21 short, original poems and wonderful paintings celebrate animals from camels to porcupines. The illustrations are as whimsical as the poems. A treat for poetry fans, art and animal lovers alike, Mammalabilia is a joy for all ages.

Grandmothers’ Stories. Burliegh Mutén, illustrated by Siân Bailey, $18.99

These beautifully illustrated and retold wise woman tales from many cultures will make your imagination soar. Includes 2 story time CDs read by Olympia Dukakis.

You and Me Together: Moms, Dads and Kids Around the World. Barbara Kerley, $9.95

Self-Calming Cards. Elizabeth Crary & Mits Katayama, $13.95

Use these engaging cards to make learning self-calming strategies fun.

Lacey and the African Grandmothers. Sue Farrell Holler, $14.95 (ages 10-14)

Can a sewing project make a difference half-way across the world?

Lacey Little Bird loves spending time with Kahasi, an elder on her reserve who is like a grandmother to her. Then Lacey hears about a project to help grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren because their parents have died from AIDS. Even though Africa is far, far away, Lacey wants to help and emails the grandmothers with a plan to raise money by selling beaded purses.

What difference can a young Blackfoot girl from North America make in the lives of grandmothers in Africa? A lot, as Lacey discovers. Her decision to help will bring about amazing changes in her life and her community.

Lacey and the African Grandmothers is based on true events, real people, and the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign.

It’s All Fun and Games: 230 Activities for the Whole Family. Isabelle Bertrand, $29.95

Play any place, any time — with card, crafts, words and board games. Play with friends, family or alone. Play at parties, in the car, on the beach, in the forest.  This sturdy book will entertain at home and on vacation.

Trout, Trout, Trout! (A Fish Chant). April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Trip Park, $9.95

Freshwater fish + rhythmic text + bright, colourful and humourous illustrations = fabulous fun in Trout, Trout Trout!

Barefoot Book of Earth Tales. Dawn Casey & Anne Wilson, $24.99 (ages 6-10)

In this beautiful anthology of folktales, young readers learn how different cultures around the world live in harmony with the rhythms and patterns of nature. Discover how to tread lightly on our precious Earth by following the easy eco-tips and trying out some of the fun and creative activities that accompany each story.

Free to Be ... You and Me. Marlo Thomas, $25.00

This is the book we all know and love, by Marlo Thomas and her friends—with brand new illustrations to captivate and inspire a new generation of readers on a journey of the heart. Celebrating individuality and challenging stereotypes empowers both children and adults with the freedom to be who they want to be and to have compassion and empathy for others who may be different. The thoughts, ideas, and emotions the creators first envisioned 35 years ago will still have a magical effect on children today.

One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists. Janet Wilson, $19.95

One Peace celebrates the accomplishments of children and youth from around the globe who have worked to promote world peace.

52 Fun Things to Do in the Car. Lynn Gordon, $7.95

This whimsically illustrated deck of cards provides 52 games and activities for children traveling in the car — on long trips,, short trips and in-between trips. The perfect item for the glove compartment.

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference. Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, $19.95

Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many.

After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings Kojo is able to return to school. Soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region.

One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference. This help comes in the form of a microloan, a lending system for people in developing countries who have no collateral and no access to conventional banking. Microloans have begun to receive more media attention in recent years. In 2006 Muhammad Yunus, a Bangledeshi economist who pioneered microloan banking, won the Nobel Peace Prize. The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore.