Kiss Kiss

A small boy explains to his raptly attentive teddy bear that “[t]here are many kinds of kisses, and they're all different.” But whether a kiss is “supersoft, like cuddly wool,” prickly like a cactus (courtesy of his father's stubble), or wet (if it's delivered by Rex, the boy's dog), it's a “really wonderful” experience—especially because they tend to come in groups. The text in Mandine's U.S. debut is sweet if unmemorable; the main draw is the endearingly spheroid characters, who bring to mind the cast of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and other classic Rankin-Bass TV specials (the boy's grandfather, whose fluffy “cotton candy” beard covers an entire spread, could easily double for the stop-motion Santa). Their doll-like adorableness transforms what would otherwise be a pedestrian book into one wholly capable of sneaking its way into readers' hearts. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)