These are the best and most popular children's books of the year - perfect for holiday gift-giving.
Ages 5 to 8. Young scientists will laugh as they learn the answers to such scientific questions as 'Can a kid make it through the winter eating only snow and ketchup?'
Ages 5 to 7. A funny explanation of how a prehistoric man named Al Pha arranged the letters of the alphabet. Full of puns and silly illustrations.
Ages 5 to 7. Incredible action scenes and the reveal of Awesome Man's secret make this a truly awesome read.
Ages 2 to 5. Minimal text that's fun to say ('Skip, Scamper, Scurry, Hop/ Chomp, Munch, Gobble, Crunch...') accompanies five bunny siblings as they go through their bedtime routine.
Ages 7 to 10. With adventures that feature shrinking, time travel, and dinosaurs, this graphic novel is a surefire hit - especially for fans of Calvin and Hobbs.
Ages 9 to 13. When Jack is stolen away by the Snow Queen, his best friend Hazel enters a dangerous, magical forest to bring him back home.
Ages 9 and up. An absolute jewel of a book, filled with poems, stories, and songs, plus crafts and activities that enhance the literature. Teachers, parents, and caregivers will love this.
Ages 4 to 7. Enjoy the hilariously realistic interactions of 5-year-old Henry and his 2-year-old sister Eleanor as they pretend to be chefs on a TV reality show. A laugh-out-loud comedy.
Ages 4 to 7. Nursery rhyme characters take on new, but somewhat familiar, roles in this comic book-style mystery featuring the dedicated flatfoot formerly known as Little Boy Blue.
Ages 8 and up. Book 6 of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Need we say more?
Ages 4 to 7. Auntie Mabel's prayer goes on so long the food gets cold. Will anyone get to eat? An exuberant, multiracial, multigenerational gathering is depicted.
Ages 5 to 10. A little girl watches "Uncle Sam," an Italian immigrant, create magic out of other people's trash in her Los Angeles neighborhood. Fabulous collages evoke the Towers and stir the imagination.
Ages 9 to 12. A satisfying and lively adventure fantasy that is being compared to the Harry Potter and Narnia books.
All ages. This posthumous collection of poems and illustrations is chock full of the whimsical humor, eccentric characters, and iconoclastic glee that his many fans adore.
Ages 8 to 12. In this suspenseful second volume in the series We the Children, Benjamin and Jill try to save their seaside school.
Ages 5 to 10. Muppets fans of all ages will love this big book jam-packed with photos, jokes, and tons of fun.
Gr. 4 and up. An unnamed narrator (based on Nelson's grandmother) tells the story of African Americans from before the American Revolution to the election of Barack Obama. Gorgeously illustrated and compellingly told.
Ages 5 to 7. A girl's adventures with her toy alligator provide another delight from this child-pleasing author.
Ages 5 to 10. The smart and savvy young narrator of How to Be a Baby turns her attention to this very timely topic. Children and grown-ups will appreciate the utter absurdity and glorious hopefulness.
Ages 3 to 6. This fun read-aloud gets to the heart of a child's attachment to a beloved toy.
Ages 3 to 7. Little ones will love this animal guessing game masquerading as a beautifully illustrated book. Includes holes in the covers and pages.
Ages 5 to 7. Bear asks every animal he sees about his missing hat. Hmm - where could it be? Observant young readers will know!
Kids will want to hear this silly book over and over. It may even get them on their feet to jump and wiggle with those crazy cows!
Ages 4 to 6. A sweet book about exploring boundaries while staying connected to home and family.
Ages 4 to 6. A terrific exercise in observation and grouping things into sets, this image-packed book will provide hours of amusement.
Ages 9 to 12. The funny and thoughtful third book in the Hard Pan trilogy by Newbery Award-winning Susan Patron.
Ages 8 to 10. The very popular 39 Clues series continues with Cahills versus Vespers.
Ages 5 to 8. A day in the life of two children, one in Australia and one in Morocco, unfolds through two separate wordless stories that can be viewed simultaneously.
Ages 10 to 13. This is life in your average small American town - that just happens to be inhabited by an ancient and dangerous magical entity.
Ages 4 to 7. Mother Goose rhymes get a fresh presentation and an interactive gloss in this large, attractively illustrated book. Each rhyme is a rebus, which makes this a particularly good version to share with beginning readers.
Ages 3 to 6. This heart-warming story perfectly captures the give-and-take dynamic between parent and child.
Ages 8 to 13. The Penderwick sisters' 3rd adventure brings them back in full entertaining force. From start to finish, this is a summer holiday to savor.
Ages 4 to 10. An unnamed tiny baby takes down a big scary monster with her superpower: The Power of Cute! Once she has that monster shrunk down to size, she takes him home to her Cute Little Monster House with all the other vanquished monsters. Includes flaps, wheels, and one pop-up. Super cute!
Grades 2-5.
Distinctive art enhances this story of an unlikely daredevil. 62-year-old widow Annie Taylor was the first person and only woman to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel by herself - and survive! Oddly relevant in today's reality television world.
Ages 9 to 12. Book 8 of the popular Last Apprentice series. A must for fans!
When a peanut allergy sidelines Captain Amazing, his pets step into action. This graphic novel has everything you could ask for in a superhero story - and more!
Ages 4 to 7. This terrific concept book focuses on the sense of touch while providing rich vocabulary and amazing imagery.
Ages 8 and up. This nonfiction graphic book uses full-color realistic art and fascinating facts to thrill and inform young shark fans.
Ages 10 and up. From the language to the sumptuous illustrations, everything about this treasury is gorgeous. A must for fans of Greek mythology.
Ages 8 to 11. This lavishly illustrated book is jam-packed with every bit of information a dinosaur fanatic could want.
Ages 9 to 13. When a baby is kidnapped by evil crows, a boy and girl enter a Narnia-like magical wilderness to rescue him. A great blend of adventure story and fantasy.
All ages. Featuring 10 iconic scenes from the beloved movie, this book will wow kids and adults with its "scanimation" technology.
Ages 9 and up. Another visual feast of a historical novel from the Caldecott Award-winning author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Ages 8 to 10 Feeling responsible for getting her best friend kidnapped by aliens, Zita follows him through an intergalactic portal to a planet headed towards destruction. A rollicking graphic novel.