Remembering September 11

As September approaches, a crop of titles reaches out to young readers. A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and Its Aftermath, Young Readers Edition, edited by Mitchel Levitas, photos edited by Nancy Lee and Lonnie Schlein, with an introduction by New York Times executive editor Howell Raines, presents an intimate account of one of America's darkest days, adapted from the stories that ran in the Times. Text pulled directly from the paper's pages plus Pulitzer Prize—winning photos create a sense of immediacy while helping readers make sense of the war in Afghanistan, the tragedy's impact on the global community and new security measures at home and abroad. A "How to Help" section and comprehensive resource listings put the focus on the future. (Scholastic Reference, $18.95 96p ages 9-14 ISBN 0-439-48803-6; Aug.)

Created especially for New York City schoolchildren, This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort edited by Georgia Heard includes 18 works, beginning with Eloise Greenfield's "This Place," and including poems by Karla Kuskin, Langston Hughes, Walt Whitman and Heard herself. Each is paired with illustrations by artists such as Kevin Hawkes, Chris Raschka, Petra Mathers and William Steig. A portion of the profits from the sale of the book benefit Save the Children. (Candlewick, $16.99 48p ages 6-up ISBN 0-7636-1924-8; Sept.)

Written on September 12, 2001, There's a Big Beautiful World Out There! by Nancy Carlson emphasizes overcoming fear. Though she acknowledges children's anxieties in everyday terms ("There's a lot to be scared of, that's for sure!/ There's that mean looking dog,/ and booming thunderstorms"), she also reminds readers of the good things they miss if they don't venture out ("If you hide under your covers, you won't see the rainbow after the storm"). (Viking, $15.99 32p ages 3-8 ISBN 0-670-03580-7; Sept.)

Welcome Back!

Fans of the Addams Family creator and New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams are sure to savor the deliciously twisted take on nursery rhymes in The Charles Addams Mother Goose. First issued in 1967, the work trumps tradition, spicing up the original verse with offbeat illustrations. For "Rain, Rain, go away,/ Come again another day" Addams imagines a flood of apocalyptic proportions taking over Manhattan, leaving a small family adrift on a rooftop and the Statue of Liberty submerged. A scrapbook contains vintage cover art and family photos. (S&S, $19.95 64p all ages ISBN 0-689-84874-9; Sept.)

First published in 1931, Raggedy Ann in Cookie Land by Johnny Gruelle, part of the continuing Classic Edition series, contains the original artwork, including the jacket and endpapers, in which the colorful cast of characters dances against a b&w background. (S&S, $17.95 96p ages 5-up ISBN 0-689-85096-4; Sept.)

Mary Jane Begin illustrates the classic story of Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Each chapter opens with a vignette and includes a full-page painting of a dramatic moment in the proceedings. (Sea Star/Glassman, $19.95 208p all ages ISBN 1-58717-204-6; Oct.)

First published in 1988, Yonder by Tony Johnston, illus. by Lloyd Bloom, uses a plum tree to trace the generations of a 19th-century farm family. "There comes the farmer with a brand-new bride,/ Riding down the hills that roll forever." Bloom's lush oils capture the verdant hillside and the country's untamed beauty. (Gibbs Smith [800-748-5439], $15.95 32p ages TK ISBN 1-58685-180-2; Aug.)

A girl longs for her faraway father in If You Listen (1980) by Charlotte Zolotow, newly illustrated with serene illustrations painted on wood by Stefano Vitale. "If I can't see him, or hear him, or feel his hugs, how can I know he loves me when he isn't here?" she asks her mother. In one spread of mother and daughter listening and waiting, Vitale's surreal scene recalls Chirico in composition and palette. (Running Press, $15.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-7624-1335-2; Sept.)

A Leader of the Pack

Meriwether Lewis's dog Seaman serves as narrator for a fictionalized account of Lewis and William Clark's 1803—1806 journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean in Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog's Tale byLaurie Myers, illus. by Michael Dooling. Excerpts from Lewis's journals close each chapter, supplying the historical basis for the dog's adventures. Handsome silhouettes ornament the chapter openers, while numerous oil paintings enliven the pages. (Holt, $16.95 64p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-8050-6368-4; Aug.)

Artistic License

A handful of titles offers an entrée into the world of fine art and ready-made crafts. Art Ed Books and Kits: Robert Ryman, the latest edition of Janet Boris's Art Ed series (Frida Kahlo, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and Jacob Lawrence were previously featured) contains the tools of the trade: brushes, paint, oil pastels, paper, paintbrushes and more. An attractive, well-organized book introduces the artist and reproductions of his work; an Activity Book encourages exploration. A portion of the proceeds will be used to support Studio in a School—a program that pairs professional artists with New York City public schoolchildren. (Abrams, $19.95 ages 8-up ISBN 0-8109-6786-3; Aug.)

The Child's Gift of Art, a boxed set by Laurence Anholt, contains four handsize titles, each a tale about a child's encounter with an artist: Leonardo and the Flying Boy (da Vinci); Degas and the Little Dancer; Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail; and Camille and the Sunflowers (van Gogh). Reproductions of actual works appear; each volume closes with a brief biography of the artist. (Barron's, $16.95 ages 4-8 ISBN 0-7641-7524-6; Sept.)

The editors of American Girl Library invite readers into 20 works of art featuring girl subjects in Imagine the Girl in the Painting: Stories of Girls in Art. "Imagine the schoolyard is full of strange faces" accompanies The New Scholar (1878) by Jennie Brownscomb. Brief biographies of the artists—Winslow Homer, Palmer Hayden and Doris Lee among them—appear in the back of the book; a packet of postcard-size reproductions comes tucked into an attached envelope. The cover functions as a frame with a die cut slot for displaying different paintings and a pop-out easel in back. (Pleasant/American Girl, $14.95 48p ages 8-up ISBN 1-58485-578-9; Sept.)

Preteen prêt-à-porter goes haute couture in 60 Simple Clothing Crafts for Making Wearable Art by Nancy Jo King, the second title in the Get Crafty series. The volume offers fashion statements such as sequined flip flops and a ring-handled purse, to emulate the chic (and more expensive) Mombasa. Back matter includes information on where to purchase materials and illustrates sample stitches and design ideas. (Lunchbox Press [817-442-8930], $7.95 paper 96p ages 8-14 ISBN 0-9678285-4-6; Aug.)

Origami's just the beginning in Paper-Folding Fun! 50 Awesome Crafts to Weave, Twist & Curl by Ginger Johnson, illus. by Betsy Day. Starting with "four steps to a perfect fold," the author leads readers on a crafting odyssey with instructions for making masterpieces such as a "Quilled Flower Mobile," "Pop-Up Birthday-Cake Card" and "Stacked Boxes with Bead Knobs." Also available: All Around Town: Exploring Your Community Through Craft Fun by Judy Press. (Williamson/Kids Can!, $12.95 each paper 128p ages 8-up ISBN 1-885593-67-8; -68-6; Aug.)

Similarly, The Jumbo Book of Paper Crafts by Amanda Lewis, illus. by Jane Kurisu, offers more than 50 ideas for crafting fun, organized into five sections (e.g. folding, cutting and weaving) with activities ranging from a folded card to decoupage boxes. (Kids Can, $14.95 paper 160p ages 9-up ISBN 1-55074-940-4; Sept.)

Sporting Choices

In addition to a chance to win a free trip to the 2002 World Series, The Major League Baseball Card Collector's Kit offers young baseball fans an attractive tin, decorated with players' images both nostalgic and new, which holds four packs of baseball cards and a plastic sleeve for displaying favorites. Also included: The Major League Baseball Guide to Card Collecting by James Preller—a compact paperback that presents a history of baseball cards as well as tips on how to acquire and display them. (Scholastic/Tangerine, $9.99 48p ages 7-13 ISBN 0-439-40786-9; June)

National Geographic's Extreme Sports series gives a behind the scenes look at athletic adventurers. Climb! by Pete Takeda covers everything from "bouldering" ("the essence of freeclimbing—no ropes, no hardware") to "Alpinism" ("literally climbing as if you were in the Alps") to good ole' "trad" (traditional) climbing. Skateboard! by Constance Loizos, stays closer to the ground, detailing the development of skateboarding from subculture to "serious sport." Both include safety tips, maneuvers, and lingo. Profiles of top competitors and 70 full-color photos are included. (National Geographic, $8.95 each paper 64p ages 9-14 ISBN 0-7922-6744-3; -8229-9; Sept.)

Dedicated equestrians will want Cherry Hill's Horse Care for Kids by Cherry Hill. The comprehensive guide helps children and their parents choose the right horse and gives guidelines for safe handling and proper care. Full-color illustrations and photographs appear throughout; a glossary, index and extensive resource listings are also provided. Raptors!: A Kid's Guide to Birds of Prey by Christyna and René Laubach and Charles W.G. Smith guides bird watchers with information about their appearance, wingspan, call, habitat and more. (Storey Kids, Horse $23.95 128p each ages 4-8 ISBN 1-58017-476-0; paper $16.95 -407-8; Sept.; Raptor $21.95 -475-2; paper $14.95 -445-0; July)