Fabulous Book Finds for Young Readers by Lee Littlewood on Creators.com

Recently

Music to Entice Kids to ‘Cut the Rug' and Then Kick Back The children's music genre has exploded in recent years. Acts of impressive talent are now performing for younger people, and the result is a plethora of worthy CDs, meant for toe-tappin' relaxing and old-fashioned story listening. "The Hero in …Read more. February Honors Presidents and the History of Black Americans These profound books pay homage to heroic slaves, African-American inventors and American presidents. "Freedom Song: The Story of Henry 'Box' Brown" by Sally M. Walker; illustrated by Sean Qualls; HarperCollins; 32 pages; $17.99. This true …Read more. Black History Month Books Enlighten Young Readers So many worthy books chronicle the strength and perseverance of African-Americans who overcame hardship. These books not only present freedom marchers and civil rights advocates, but they also introduce a pivotal baseball player, a grandmother who …Read more. Intriguing Non-Fiction for Kids Begin the winter school semester with educational books that take young readers on amazing journeys. “How the Weather Works” by Christiane Dorion and Beverly Young; Templar Books/Candlewick Press; 16 pages; $17.99. Kids are always intrigued by the …Read more.

Fabulous Book Finds for Young Readers

There's still time to find that perfect gift book for the young reader on your holiday list. Read on for more top-rate ideas.

"The Teen Vogue Handbook" from Razorbill Books/Penguin Group; 276 pages; $24.95.

Got a teen fashion maven on your holiday list? This "Insider's Guide to Careers in Fashion" should keep those young fashion pros-to-be happily occupied for days. With behind-the-scenes tips and at least 70 interviews with designers, stylists, photographers, models, makeup artists and writers, this lively reference has it all. A scrapbook-like setup with photos galore, colorful sidebars and yellow highlighted tips make "The Teen Vogue Handbook" more exciting than just a reference book.

Teens will love that with the purchase of this guide, they'll receive a bonus one-year subscription to Teen Vogue.

"Around the World with Mouk: A Trail of Adventure" by Marc Boutavant; Chronicle Books; 34 pages; $17.99.

Wow! Boutavant's delectable, oversized, colored, glossy book features a potpourri of anime-like characters cavorting about the world over. With stickers and shiny pages as backdrop fodder, whimsical big-headed bear Mouk travels about from France to Finland, Madagascar to Australia, all the while meeting and playing with his anime animal pals. Cartoon comments and Mouk's zesty entries about each country's customs makes this more than just a sticker and search-and-find book.

Truly a busy, super fun, multifaceted gift book for kids, "Around the World with Mouk" guarantees hours of busy-time play.

"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" illustrated by Jeremy Holmes; Chronicle Books; $16.99.

Chronicle Books' spellbindingly cool list of children's books rocks. This version of a classic is completely quirky and a little macabre — it could even be a funky gift for an adult book collector. The sturdy board book is tall and thin, topped by the face of the old lady. Her creepy eyes actually close when she finally dies, after swallowing a horse, of course.

Grayish, brown pages add to the vintage feel, and you can almost smell the musty odor of great-grandmother's attic.

An incredible gift book (don't be scared off, kids will also love this version) Holmes' nifty touches are exquisite.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas in California" by Laura Rader; Sterling Publishing; 36 pages; $12.95.

Not just for California kids, Rader's jolly version of the beloved holiday song features a host of entertaining, kid-friendly facts about the Golden State. As two cousins celebrate Christmas in Los Angeles, they also learn fun things about the gold rush, the La Brea tar pits, the origins of the cheeseburger and the amazing redwood trees. Besides adjusting the song to fit in California's wonders, Rader also adds educational entries from the pair as they travel across the state. Childlike, colorful illustrations add to the fun.

Rader loves more than her home state — the book series also covers Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

"The Three Little Pigs" retold by Becky Jensen; illustrated by Ned Ivory; Sprig Toys; 10 pages; $14.99.

Eco-friendly and made with recycled sprigwood, the smart new line of Sprig toys is as appealingly fun as it is responsibly constructed. This story- building playset features a new, cooler version of the fairy tale with pop-out puzzle pieces kids can remove. Also included are 10 sturdy, slotted wooden stands, so readers can build their own "sets" with the popped-out pieces.

A fun and safe stocking stuffer, "The Three Little Pigs" joins other titles, available at www.sprigtoys.com. Need that "wow!" gift for a little girl? Check out the 95-piece Story Building Palace — finally, a building set for girls. And for another stocking stuffer idea, Sprig Toys' Glider Patrol Playset features the wooden-like "Chuck Boomer" and glider accessories, all built with bits of recycled plastic and reclaimed sawdust.

KIDBITS

Love the irresistible Olivia? A bevy of brand-new books from Simon Spotlight feature the newly minted Nickelodeon star, just in time for holiday gift-giving. "This is Olivia" offers big, foldout spreads, and "Olivia Acts Out" has a fuzzy feel and teaches Olivia the importance of appreciating her new, smaller school play role. Other new books include "Meet Olivia," a coloring book with poster and "Olivia the Magnificent," a lift-the-flap story.

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.