Bunnies, chicks and sheep run rampant in the springtime, especially in children's tales. These new picture books, and a visit back in time with Fisher-Price, are sweet, funny, whimsical read-aloud stories perfect for any holiday gift basket.

"Chicken Soup" by Jean Van Leeuwen; illustrated by David Gavril; Abrams Books for Young Readers; 40 pages; $16.95.

Farmyard tales have always been high on the list with preschoolers. Van Leeuwen, author of the Oliver and Amanda Pig easy-reader series, scores big with this tale of a baby chick with the sniffles. It begins with barnyard animal gossip — "Psssst! Mrs. Farmer has taken out the big pot. She's making chicken soup! Run!" — sending all the chickens to skedaddle out of the barn. But Little Chickie has a cold in her beak and sneezes no matter where she hides, prompted by itchy hay and scratchy sheep wool.

Not to worry. Though captured, Little Chickie finds herself sitting down to dinner with Mrs. Farmer, who has cooked up sniffle-curing soup.

Van Leeuwen's topsy-turvy comic barnyard romp will certainly become an instant favorite with tots.

"Big Rabbit's Bad Mood" by Ramona Badescu; illustrated by Delphine Durand; Chronicle Books; 32 pages; $16.99.

Big Rabbit has a bad mood with an attitude that won't leave him alone. The big orange rabbit tries watching TV, but his bad mood, a gray hairy creature, is on every channel. His bad mood lies on Big Rabbit's sofa and does disgusting things like wiping boogers on the rug. Even a phone call to Big Rabbit's mother doesn't help.

Finally, Big Rabbit answers his doorbell, and friends are there with birthday presents and cheers, banishing the bad mood, for that day at least. Badescu's creative portrayal of a bad mood as an unpleasant creature will have kids giggling and shaking their own grumpy moods.

"Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type" — Book and Play Set by Doreen Cronin; pictures by Betsy Lewin; Little Simon/Simon & Schuster; $14.99.

Cronin's bevy of silly farm animals stars in several best-selling picture books. In this tale of persuasion, Farmer Brown's cows type letters trying to persuade him to give them electric blankets. When he finally gives in, the ducks start typing, and they want a diving board for their pond. A hilarious tale of a hen-pecked farmer, Cronin's story is pitch-perfect.

This book and play set begins with the board-book tale and ends with a sturdy red cardboard barn toy that folds out for play, complete with a long fence and stand-up farm animals.

Certainly gift-worthy, fans of Cronin and Lewin will enjoy concocting farm scenarios for hours.

Farm animal play is enhanced also with Little Simon's "Farm Animal Friends Mega Sticker Book," ($12.99). Real photographic farm scenes entice kids to create animal-filled pages with the numerous stickers, while mazes and puzzles add to the fun.

Also totally retro farm fun? Fisher-Price's brand-new Play 'n Go Farm, featuring a bigger Little People farmer and tractor, sheep and cow, and a commemorative take-along tin modeled after their timeless farm toy we all had growing up. With a DVD, fence pieces and watering trough, the set, celebrating its 50-year anniversary, is vintage fun. Also available is the 50th Birthday Play 'n Go School.

"Katy Duck Is a Caterpillar" by Alyssa Satin Capucilli; illustrated by Henry Cole; Little Simon/Simon & Schuster; 24 pages; $14.99.

From the creator of the popular "Biscuit" series comes this new release in the also best-selling "Katy Duck" books. Funny and charming, Katy Duck longs to be a flower or a fluffy cloud in a spring dance recital, and is disappointed when she's tapped to play a caterpillar. Though Katy initially flops and squirms around on the floor sadly, trying to practice being a caterpillar, it's her debut in the recital as an impromptu butterfly emerging that wows the crowd.

Little girls will find Katy Duck irresistible.

"Honk, Honk, Goose! Canada Geese Start a Family" by April Pulley Sayre; illustrated by Huy Voun Lee; Henry Holt Books for Young Readers; 32 pages; $16.95.

The informational story of two Canada geese that meet, mate and raise their family is every bit as exciting as any picture book tale; and Lee's cut paper collages add beauty and springtime appeal.

Perfect for use in classroom studies on animals, the life cycle and ecology, but also energetic and story-like, Sayre's eye-catching tale is exciting and fun.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.