New titles extend the pleasure of previous picture book favorites. Mr. Frimdimpny is up to his old tricks in No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling by James Stevenson, the companion to Don't Make Me Laugh. The bossy green fellow once again sends readers, characters and anyone else caught disobeying his rules back to the front of the book. Freddy Fafnaffer, the friendly pig, discovers how to make the grumpy gator laugh, lending the book an expected but satisfying finale. (FSG/Foster, $16 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-374-31829-8; Aug.)
The team behind Cowand Ice Cream porks out with PIG by Jules Older, illus. by Lyn Severance. Cartoonish panel and full-page illustrations of assorted swine from across the globe and a multitude of facts snappily delivered provide enough fun to keep readers in hog heaven. Just remember, "If you want to impress a farmer, don't say 'When will your sow have babies?' Say, 'When will your sow farrow?' " (Charlesbridge, $16.95 32p all ages ISBN 0-88106-109-3; paper $6.95 ISBN 0-88106-110-7; July)
Third in the series that includes Jamela's Dressand What's Cooking, Jamela?,Where's Jamela? by Niki Daly finds the title character disappointed that her mother's new job means moving to a new neighborhood. When the packing is done, Jamela is nowhere to be found—until she emerges from an unlikely hiding place and is given a warm sendoff by friends and neighbors. (FSG, $16 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-374-38324-3; Aug.)
Carlo and the Really Nice Librarianby Jessica Spanyol finds the bibliophile giraffe star of Carlo Likes Counting becoming friends with Mrs. Chinca, an alligator librarian who, though initially scary to Carlo, wins him over quickly. Carlo happily enjoys all the library has to offer, including the books, "colorful posters" and "chairs with wheels." (Candlewick, $15.99 32p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-7636-2526-4; Aug.)
Four Friends in the Garden by Sue Heap reunites the quartet from Four Friends Together for a lovely day outdoors. When a butterfly alights on some of the pals, their exuberance scares it off. The insect antics make for a busy day before taking a break for lemonade. (Charlesbridge, $15.99 32p ages 2-4 ISBN 0-7636-2371-7; July)
In the mythological account of the formation of the Polynesian archipelago, Maui and the Big Fish by Barbara Ker Wilson, illus. by Frané Lessac, the great god Tama rescues young Maui (who was left for dead by his mother) and instructs him in the ways of magic. Maui returns to earth, greeting his overjoyed mother and proving himself to his jealous, condescending brothers. (Frances Lincoln, $7.95 paper 32p ages 4-7 ISBN 1-84507-159-X; July)
The title and characters may be the same, but Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Maryann Kovalski is a brand-new version of her story first published in 1992. Grandma insists that Jenny and Joanna come on a surprise trip—even though it's a school day—"just this once." Delighted when they arrive at Yankee Stadium, the girls break out into the title song. The illustrations exuberantly convey the joy of root-root-rooting for the home team. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, $15.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-55041-897-1; June)
Summer Fun
New Klutz titles provide hours of diversions for the lazy summer months. The wirebound T-Shirt Art: Make Your Own Iron-On Designs contains plastic overlays, six transfer paint pens, and dozens of designs for creating iron-on artwork for summer apparel. Kids paint their creation in a floral, Hawaiian or other theme onto the plastic sheet, let it dry for 24 hours, then iron it onto clothing; clear instructions guide them through each step. (Klutz, $19.95 paper 60p ages 8-up ISBN 1-57054-850-1; Aug.)
Kids looking to make Picture Tags can have their fill in this title by Marilyn Green and Theresa Hutnick. Containing 24 metal-lined charms, glitter, glaze, craft jewels, stencils, cord and more than 600 punch-out pictures, readers can create individualized bracelets and necklaces for friends and family. (Klutz, $14.95 40p ages 8-up ISBN 1-57054-855-2; Aug.)
Summer projects turn to fall wardrobe accessories in Knitting: Learn to Knit Six Great Projects by Anne Akers Johnson. Knitting needles, yarn, crochet hook and more provide aspiring knitters with all they need to create such kid-friendly creations as a cell-phone sock, skinny scarf and hat; instructions explain the basics, then delineate each step in clear diagrams. (Klutz, $24.95 96p ages 8-up ISBN 1-57054-861-7; Sept.)
A troika of titles guides budding cartoonists. Doodle Cats, Doodle Dogsand Doodle Faces,allby Liz Hutnick, each come complete with a pencil and 35 feet of paper on a spool, as well as a spiral bound notebook full of instructions in just a few steps for each drawing. With the spool mounted to a sturdy piece of cardboard, kids can draw at home or on the road and can easily tear off their masterpieces for refrigerator display. (Klutz, $9.95 each 60p ages 6-up ISBN 1-57054-835-8; 1-57054-836-6; 1-57054-837-4; Aug.)
Since classes must begin again, back-to-schoolers can take some pleasure in the wirebound Decorate Your Locker by Jacqueline Lee. Four pages of magnets—three blank, one with ready-made designs—complement the pages of theme decoration ideas including "Techno" (with glittery disco ball and CD case picture frames) a hippy-inspired "Groovy" and "Glam"—using faux vanity mirror and abundant feather boas. (Klutz, $9.95 28p ages 8-up ISBN 1-59174-270-6; July)
Toddler Time
Traditional lullabies pair with soporific stanzas by John Foster, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Eleanor Farjeon and others in Drift Upon a Dream: Poems for Sleepy Babies, edited by John Foster, illus. by Melanie Williamson. The full-bleed paintings and spot illustrations in finely brushed outlines and soothing colors feature tired tykes and teddies as sunsets give way to comforting, starry skies. (Charlesbridge, $16.95 32p ages 3-8 ISBN 1-57091-577-6; paper $6.95 ISBN 1-57091-578-4; July)
Young Baabaara, a lamb, has trouble adjusting to her first day at Tinyflock Nursery School in this title by Suzy-Jane Tanner. Another lamb inadvertently knocks her down, she has an "accident" in her underpants and her yogurt spills, inspiring the refrain, "I want to go home!" But things do improve as the day progresses. Her sheep classmates look cute and energetic. (HarperFestival, $6.99 paper 24p ages 2-4 ISBN 0-06-055723-0; July)
Fun Facts
The education need not end just because school's out. Lambert Davis returns to the setting he captured in his illustrations for Whales Passing, here offering another realistically illustrated portrait of marine life in Swimming with Dolphins. Readers follow a girl and her mother as they swim and frolic with a pod of common dolphins. Davis's endnote cautions that while swimming with these mammals, "having the guidance of a trained naturalist is essential to ensure the safety of both dolphins and humans." (Scholastic/Blue Sky, $15.95 32p ages 4-up ISBN 0-439-47257-1; July)
As with their Mathematickles, Counting Our Way to the 100th Day! by Betsy Franco, illus. by Steven Salerno, collects poems and pictures that flirt with math and language. Here, 100% of the poems in this book (targeted at teachers) reference the numeral, with the idea that one poem can be read each day of school, until Day 100. Goofiness abounds, as with "Rhyming," which posits: "I listed the words/ that rhyme with 'one hundred,'/ and all I came up with/ is 'lightning and thundred.' " (S&S/McElderry, $15.95 48p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-689-84793-9; July)
Rex Barron plays with the facts in Showdown at the Food Pyramid, which interprets the old USDA "food pyramid" literally, imagining that dancing foodstuffs inhabit a four-story tower. Trouble begins when King Candy Bar stages an overthrow. Only when it "collapse[s] under its own weight," can the rightful inhabitants return. Barron makes puns of food names like Bing Cherry and Granny Smith, and pictures tiki-head bread loaves supporting the pyramid. (Putnam, $15.99 32p ages 5-up ISBN 0-399-23715-1; June)
