Favorite Characters Return

A number of fall picture books feature familiar characters. In You Can Do It, Sam by Amy Hest, illus. by Anita Jeram, this third Mrs. Bear and Sam the cub story finds the mother-son duo cooking up "a tasty surprise" for their neighbors. The title, however, doesn't refer to what's going on in the kitchen, but rather what Sam does after the goodies are stuffed into red gift bags—and his mama asks him to play Santa. Although Jeram uses the same rounded lines and subtle colors that make the interior scenes so snuggly, she's equally accomplished at conveying the icy light and crisp air of a winter morning. (Candlewick, $15.99 32p ages 2-up ISBN 0-7636-1934-5; Oct.)

Anthony and Blackboard Bear return in I'll Never Share You, Blackboard Bear by Martha Alexander. In this installment, Anthony learns the value of sharing, when he quarrels with Gloria and Stewart who want to play with Blackboard Bear. Ultimately, it is the chalkboard creation himself who devises a solution. (Candlewick, $13.99 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-7636-1590-0; Nov.)

This time around, Mrs. Tuttle, after tracking 26 Matthews in Matthew A.B.C., has 20 Dalmatians named Daisy to keep straight in Daisy 1,2,3 by Peter Catalanotto. Here the teacher explains to her assistant Doris just how she charts the progress of each puppy in her weekly obedience class. The artwork depicts each pooch at its zaniest, with Daisy 4 able to perform at least one Copperfield-worthy magic trick and Daisy 9 looking very Jackie O in oversize sunglasses, surrounded by a bulldog security detail. (Atheneum/Jackson, $15.95 32p ages 4-6 ISBN 0-689-85457-9; Nov.)

Precocious pachyderms abound in Sally Hunter's Humphrey's Birthday, which features the return of the little elephant from Humphrey's Corner; Humphrey's Bedtime; and Humphrey's Christmas. This tale takes readers through the events of the fellow's special day, including receiving his favorite present, "a real, proper superhero suit." Hunter's warm, sketchy illustrations are well in line with the soft, gentle tone of the book. (Holt, $14.95 32p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-8050-7421-X; Oct.)

Tony Porto and the creative minds at 3CD add a new color to their palette in Blue Aliens! An Adventure in Color, a follow-up to last year's Get Red! An Adventure in Color. Convinced that aliens are devouring everything blue on Earth, the unseen narrator steers readers through a day at school. The lurid, pop-art—style images that help guide the frenetic path of this tale perfectly complement the feverish narration, delivered in the voice of an excitable child (who is trying to "stop my imagination from being 'overactive' "). There are enough sly puns and bits of trivia here to make one blue in the face. (Little, Brown, $14.95 32p ages 6-10 ISBN 0-316-61359-2; Oct.)

The middle child who played a minor role in Princess Bun Bun and Bun Bun's Birthday gets top billing in Eugene's Story by Richard Scrimger, illus. by Gillian Johnson. Echoing Scrimger's sly use of language, Johnson's delicate but effervescent pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations sharply contrast Eugene's fantasy scenes—like walking his dog blissfully alone—with his big sister's bubble-bursting insistence upon reality ("What? But we don't have a dog!"). Younger siblings (and especially middle children) should find this a safe and empowering outlet for their own occasional fratricidal musings. (Tundra, $15.95 24p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-88776-544-0; Nov.)

In Virginia Walton Pilegard's fourth book in the Warlord series, The Warlord's Puppeteers, illus. by Nicolas Debon, young Chuan and his artist mentor befriend a group of puppeteers. When bandits steal their trove of puppets, it seems that they will be ruined. But with some ingenuity and a lesson in Chinese artistic proportions, Chuan manages to help the puppeteers create new puppets. Debon's rough and textured illustrations almost make the characters look like they are "made from the finest camphor wood," like the puppets themselves. (Pelican, $14.95 32p ages 5-8 ISBN 1-58980-077-X; Oct.)

One of a pair of new additions to the Imagine This! series by Meg Clibbon, illus. by Lucy Clibbon (writing under comically connected pseudonyms such as "Mer Meg and Lorelei Lucy"), Imagine You're a Mermaid! brims with fanciful information about the habits, fashion and lore surrounding these fishy beauties. While aspiring mermaids may be disappointed to discover that "mermaids do not lead very useful lives. They are mainly decorative," this book nonetheless suggests tips for throwing mermaid parties and dressing like one. Body glitter aside, the watercolor mermaids are feminine without being overly sexualized or Westernized. In the second, Imagine You're a Wizard!, "Meglin" and "Lucy Lightning" guide readers through the ins and outs of beginner's wizardry, including necessary accessories, secret codes, spells and brief bios on famous wizards. (Annick [Firefly dist.], $19.95 each 32p ages 6-9 ISBN 1-55037-791-4; -793-0; paper $7.95 each -790-6; -792-2; Oct.)

An all-inclusive look at a diverse array of families, The Family Book is the latest by Todd Parr. The book's simple statements of tolerance and love are accompanied by Parr's equally simple, bright-hued illustrations bordered by a thick black line. Parr runs the gamut of potential familial situations, from families that live far apart to those with "two moms or two dads," conveying the message that no matter what little differences makes each unique, a family's love for each other is what really matters. (Little, Brown, $15.95 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-316-73896-4; Oct.)

Stay Tuned...

Favorite series continue with new episodes. Henry Winkler's engaging hero is back in Hank Zipzer: The Mostly True Confessions of the World's Best Underachiever: Day of the Iguana by Winkler and Lin Oliver, illus. by Carol Heyer. In this third book in the series, Hank takes apart the cable box for his science project. Now all he has to do is figure out how to put it back together—and it doesn't help when his sister's iguana makes a nest in the cable box. (Grosset, $12.99 160p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-448-43288-9; paper $4.99 -43212-9; Oct.)

Because I'm Worth It: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar returns to the chatty, catty world of Upper East Side teens. February in New York City should be cold and gray, but things are heating up in the world of Gossip Girl, on the eve of Fashion Week and just after college applications deadline. Now it's time to put the moves on that hottie before Valentine's Day arrives. PW called the debut book Gossip Girl "a nasty, guilty pleasure. The book has the effect of gossip itself—once you enter, it's hard to extract yourself." (Little, Brown, $8.99 paper 240p ages 15-up ISBN 0-316-90968-8; Oct.)

In the third book in the Shakespeare Stealer series, Shakespeare's Spy by Gary Blackwood, the past seems inescapable for young theater apprentice Widge. Having been a suspect in the series' debut book when Widge was sent to steal the script for Hamlet, he again falls under suspicion with a string of thefts involving Mr. Shakespeare's scripts. The only way to clear his name is for Widge to spy on the rival company and find the real thief. (Dutton, $16.99 280p ages 9-11 ISBN 0-525-47145-6; Oct.)

In Bartlett and the City of Flames by Odo Hirsch, the sequel to Bartlett and the Ice Voyage, the explorers Bartlett, Jacques le Grand and young Gozo are captured by guards from the City of Sun, and the powerful Pasha thinks Gozo is his long-lost son. The only way to save Gozo is for Bartlett and Jacques to find the Pasha's real son. (Bloomsbury, $15.95 208p ages 8-12 ISBN 1-58234-831-6; Nov.)

Fun with Dick and Jane

Dick and Jane and other old friends return in new ways, in books for beginning readers. The paperback Read with Dick and Jane series presents repackaged editions of the vintage readers that generations of Americans grew up on—with their familiar large type, simple sentences and 1950s illustrations. Each book features six or seven stories that get progressively more challenging, with longer sentences and less repetition. In We Look, Sally tries to walk in her mother's shoes, Dick wears roller-skates to walk Spot ("Look, Jane./ Look, look./ See Dick") and Jane dresses up Puff the cat as a baby. The series also includes Something Funny; Jump and Run; Guess Who; Go Away, Spot; and Go, Go, Go. (Grosset, $3.99 each paper 32p ages 4-6 ISBN 0-448-43400-8; -43401-6; -43402-4; -43403-2; -43404-0; -43405-9; Oct.)

The paper-over-board Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends combines three Dick and Jane books, with 40 short stories in all. The children and their pets run and jump and play in the stories in We Look and See; they see cars, boats and more in We Come and Go; and in The New We Work and Play, they enjoy helping out. (Grosset, $10.99 192p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-448-43340-0; Oct.) Another childhood fixture returns in Raggedy Ann's Lucky Pennies (1932), by Johnny Gruelle. Raggedy Ann and Andy find a lucky penny, meet a lost prince, become the prisoners of mean King Growch and solve a mystery at the king's castle. (S&S, $17.95 96p ages 5-up ISBN 0-689-85719-5; Oct.)

Now in 3-D, Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees: A Classic Collectible Pop-Up, based on the original story by Gruelle, adapted, illus. and with paper engineering by Kees Moerbeek, features elaborate pop-ups of a castle, pirate ship, cozy cottage and more, with many miniature pop-ups scattered throughout the mini-storybooks bound into each spread. The two rag dolls go on an adventure to rescue the doll Babette, with the help of a camel, a girl, and other friends they meet on the way. Red fabric on the binding and gold accents on the cover help make this a treat for fans. (S&S/Little Simon, $19.95 12p all ages ISBN 0-689-85775-6; Nov.)

Dick Bruna's little white bunny visits the Big Apple in Miffy Loves New York City! From Central Park to Rockefeller Center, the Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Bridge and more, Miffy and her parents take in the sights, as they're inserted into photographs of famous landmarks, as well as everyday fixtures, such as a taxi, subway entrance and hot dog cart. The paper-over-board book, published in cooperation with NYC & Company, includes a two-page Michelin guide to the city. (Big Tent, $9.99 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-59226-179-5, Oct.)

It's Rudimentary

A trio of books makes learning the basics fun. A first counting book that also celebrates modern art, the paper-over-board 1 2 3 by Tom Slaughter features cut-paper images of one bright red apple, two silhouettes of sunglasses on up through 10 apple trees. Bold colors with high contrast highlight familiar objects such as fish, sailboats and beach balls. Slaughter's prints have been exhibited by the Museum of Modern Art and around the world. (Tundra, $11.95 24p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-88776-664-1; Oct.)

The paper-over-board book, The Big Shiny Sparkly First Words Book, illus. by Susie Lacome, introduces everyday words with the added enticement of flaps that lift and images that sparkle with a foil finish. A spread of a petting zoo, for instance, invites readers to open the gate to feed a foal, and a pig's pink skin glitters despite its roll in the mud. A companion book, The Big Shiny Sparkly Activity Book, also illus. by Lacome, similarly encourages playful interaction. (Running Press/Courage, $9.98 each 10p ages ISBN 0-7624-1646-7; -1647-5; Nov.)

The oversize board book Fairytale Games: Stories Told Through Play, illus. by Linda Bronson, presents five fairy tales along with board games for each story that reinforce early learning concepts; a die-cut hole in each spread allows players access to the spinner and playing pieces. In "The Tortoise and the Hare," for instance, children read the story and are prompted to name the opposites in order to advance on the playing board. A gatefold at the end provides instructions for all the games. (Innovative Kids, $14.99 12p ages 4-7 ISBN 1-58476-209-8; Oct.)