Oldies, Goodies

A handful of reissues have nostalgic appeal or, in some cases, an updated look. Margaret Wise Brown's 1946 classic returns as the Little Fur Family Deluxe Edition, illus. by Garth Williams. A furry patch on the cover invites youngsters to rub the bear cub star's belly; inside, Brown introduces readers to "a little fur family/ warm as toast/ smaller than most/ in little fur coats" and the "warm wooden tree" in which they live. A miniature edition—covered with faux fur and packaged in a recloseable box (the fur peeks through a die-cut opening)—is also available. (HarperFestival, $12.99 32p ages 2-8 ISBN 0-06-051898-7; HarperFestival, $8.95 ISBN 0-694-00004-3; Feb.)

First published in 1964, Charlotte Zolotow's The Poodle Who Barked at the Wind, starring the lovable noisy pup, gets new illustrations by Valerie Coursen. Her paintings of the small black poodle aptly contrast the canine's busy, protective bounce (and barking) with the forlorn silence that follows while the children are away in this timeless homage to a cherished family pet. (Holt, $16.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-8050-6306-4; Nov.)

A city mouse explains Mardi Gras to a group of country mice and they decide to stage their own celebration, complete with wild animal masks, in The Greentail Mouse by Leo Lionni. In a wordless spread, the artist indicates the mice's personalities transformed into the ferocious beasts with dark shades of gray and brown—a fitting juxtaposition to the holiday's otherwise festive tones. (Knopf, $15.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-375-82399-9; Feb.)

An unexpected guest arrives at Sophie's house and eats more than his fair share in The Tiger Who Came to Tea (1968) by Judith Kerr, conveyed in charming scenes that reflect 1960s sensibilities; and the language is deliciously British ("They had a lovely supper with sausages and chips and ice cream"). (HarperCollins, $15.99 32p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-06-051780-8; Dec.)

The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose (1986), originally published as The Random House Book of Mother Goose, appears here in a complete and unabridged edition with more than 300 nursery rhymes, all illustrated in Lobel's distinctive style, whether he is winking at the audience (as in "Three blind mice," when he reveals that the trio can see) or acknowledging the sky's starry splendor in "Hey diddle, diddle." (Knopf, $19.95 176p ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. ISBN 0-679-88736-9; Feb.)

After first appearing in Honey, I Love and Other Poems (1978), now, Eloise Greenfield's Honey, I Love, in which an African-American child joyfully recounts the things that make her life special, appears as a stand-alone poem in a 25th-anniversary picture book edition, illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. (HarperCollins/Amistad, $15.99 32p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-06-009123-1; Jan.)

Long out of print, a pair of novels is now available for a new generation of readers. Greenwillow (1956) by B.J. Chute takes place in the titular town and concerns a young man who, though convinced he cannot marry, falls in love. First published in 1947, Adopted Jane by Helen Fern Daringer, illus. by Kate Seredy, explores the experience of a neglected orphan spending the summer with two different hosts; when both parties offer her a permanent home, she faces an unexpected decision. (Green Mansion [Midpoint Trade, dist.], $10.95 paper 232p ages 12-up ISBN 0-9714612-3-6; Jane $12.95 paper 224p ages 8-12 -4-4; Nov.)

Marcellino Remembered

An eloquent biography introduces The Art of Fred Marcellino by Nicholas Falletta. The memorable image from Marcellino's 1991 Caldecott Honor book Puss in Boots graces the cover, and the artist's many fans will welcome a glimpse of his early work in high school and during his years at New York City's Cooper Union. Printed on laminated pages that set off his artwork, the volume showcases Marcellino's first advertisement, album covers and even a poster for the New York Times before introducing many of his most famous dust jackets for adult titles and finally the illustrations for his own children's books. Marcellino's quotes punctuate the text and underscore his unflagging professionalism and humility ("When you give yourself up to the text, there's a kind of inevitability and rightness about what follows"). The publication of this treasure for aspiring artists and aficionados of Marcellino's artwork is timed to coincide with an exhibition of his work at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., which runs through January 26, 2003. (Pulcinella [www.pulcinellapress.com], $24.95 paper 48p all ages ISBN 0-9723718-0-X; Nov.)

Readin' in the Rain

The acoustic, compelling "plink, plink" played on the higher octaves of the piano appropriately sets the mood for paging through Yellow Umbrella, a wordless picture book packaged and designed to be read with an enclosed classical-style music CD. Originally published in South Korea, the volume is both delicate and handsome, with illustrator Jae Soo Liu presenting a high-rise view of colorful umbrellas carried by children on a rainy walk to school. The joyful hues multiply with each successive spread. Composer Dong II Sheen gracefully glides between rhythms throughout the 15 tracks here (a deep, persistent beat accompanies paintings that include a train; jaunty notes sprinkle other rain scenes), maintaining an overall happy tone. (Kane/Miller, $19.95 ages 4-up ISBN 1-929132-36-0 Oct.)

Winging It

Historic flights take the spotlight in two fall titles. Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes, illus. by E.B. Lewis, recalls the life of the world's first licensed African-American female pilot through 20 eulogies, fictionalized perspectives based on actual people. "I remember that bone-chillin' January day in 1892/ when Bessie's first cry raised the roof/ off that dirt-floor cabin, back in Texas," Bessie's father, George Coleman, begins. Newspaper editor Robert Abbott tells of her enrollment in a French flight school ("No flight school/ in our color-minded nation/ would accept a woman, or a Negro"). Lewis's elegant inset portraits appear alongside the words of each speaker; full-bleed, full-page paintings illustrate dramatic moments in Coleman's life. (Scholastic/Orchard, $16.95 48p ages 5-9 ISBN 0-439-35243-6; Nov.)

Jenny: The Airplane That Taught America to Fly by David Weitzman (Model T: How Henry Ford Built a Legend) joins his series of historical picture books. Told from the perspective of a former pilot sharing stories with her grandchildren, the volume chronicles the Curtiss JN4-D (nicknamed "the Model T of airplanes" for its mass production) from manufacture to flight. B&w drawings provide an up-close perspective on the plane's construction during WWI, from its sturdy wood-and-fabric wings to its lightweight engine; endpapers contain labeled diagrams. (Millbrook/Roaring Brook, $17.95 40p ages 6-9 ISBN 0-7613-1547-0; Oct.)

Beep, Beep!

Just right for holiday road trips, the paper-over-board The Way Cool License Plate Book by Leonard Wise presents traveling games ("Picture This" challenges players to find license plates with symbols or pictures) and more than 400 amusing—and revealing—vanity plates organized by subjects such as occupations, animals and car terms (can you guess what kind of vehicle has the "4RD TRK" plate?). A brief history of the license plate kicks off the volume; "Plate Facts" sidebars offer license plate trivia throughout. (Firefly, $19.95 64p ages 6-8 ISBN 1-55297-686-6; paper $9.95 -563-0; Dec.)

Dogs, Dinos and More

In a handful of titles, interactive elements add fun and whimsy. With punch-out parts on sturdy pages (plus instructions), readers can assemble their own canine companion—just like the resourceful boy who takes matters into his own hands when his parents refuse his requests for a dog in How I Built Rusty by Mark Shulman, illus. by Phillip Fickling. A preponderance of olive drab and tangerine give the proceedings a retro feel. (Scholastic, $8.99 paper 32p ages 8-up ISBN 0-439-37648-3; Nov.)

In What on Earth Can It Be? by Roger McGough, illus. by Lydia Monks, a series of nonsensical questions introduce an assortment of die-cut pages that offer a glimpse of what's coming. "What on earth can it be?/ A piece of starry pie?/ A wizard's hat?/ A circus ringmaster's megaphone?" appear opposite a star-spangled pattern that shows through a triangle cut from a saturated yellow spread. A turn of the page reveals the (equally nonsensical) answer, in rhyme. (S&S/Little Simon, $10.95 24p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-689-85351-3; Nov.)

Rexerella: A Jurassic Classic Pop-Up by Keith Faulkner, illus. by Graham Kennedy, with paper engineering by Jonathan Lambert, gives Cinderella a prehistoric makeover: the titular T-Rex attends Prince Charmosaurus's ball—and eventually the two are married—while ugly stepsisters Stegasonia and Iguanadoris stew. Larger-than-life creatures pop up from every page. (S&S/Little Simon, $9.99 16p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-689-85355-6; Dec.)

Stories from Africa

Nelson Mandela collects 32 tales, explaining in a foreword that he includes "some of the oldest African tales,... given back, with new voices, to the children of the world," alongside "some new stories from different parts of South Africa and the continent to supplement those ancient treasures" in Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales. A note precedes each tale, describing its origin. Framed paintings, specially commissioned from artists across the continent, accompany each tale; an introductory map of Africa, dotted with small red flags, indicates the "geographical spread" of the stories. (Norton, $24.95 144p ages 12-up ISBN 0-393-05212-5; Nov.)

Teen Talk

A trio of titles speaks directly to tweens and teens. Kimberly Kirberger, best known as co-author of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, presents No Body's Perfect: Stories by Teens About Body Image, Self-Acceptance, and the Search for Identity. Each of the more than 20 sections ("Get to Know Yourself," "Sweeten Your Self-Talk," "Have Faith," etc.), introduced by Kirberger, contains stories and poems by real teens, as well as inspirational quotes from the likes of Gandhi and Oscar Wilde. A companion No Body's Perfect Journal offers questions for teens to think about and space for writing their responses. (Scholastic, $12.95 paper 384p ages 10-up ISBN 0-439-42638-3; Journal $8.95 paper -42639-1; Jan.)

Author of Private and Personal: Questions and Answers for Girls Only, advice columnist Carol Weston offers more words to the wise in For Teens Only: Quotes, Notes & Advice You Can Use. Friends, school and family are among the topics covered. Quotes—ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt to Helen Gurley Brown—precede each of Weston's entries. (HarperTrophy, $8.99 paper 256p ages 10-up ISBN 0-06-000214-X; Dec.)

A baker's dozen short stories, Period Pieces: Stories for Girls, ed. by Erzsi Deak and Kristin Embry Litchman, focuses on—you guessed it—the facts, the fears and, sometimes, the sheer embarrassment of menstruation. Contributors include Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park ("White Pants"); Dian Curtis Regan ("Living on Chocolate"); and Rita Williams-Garcia ("Making Do"). (HarperCollins, $15.99 160p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-06-623796-3; Feb.)