By KAREN MACPHERSON, Scripps Howard News Service
Corner: New school-themed books
Now that school has started, add some extra fun with these great new school-themed books for kids:
Corner: Big birthdays for two children's classics
Two children's classics celebrate birthdays this year. "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" turns 70, while "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is 40.
Here's a closer look at these books and how they came to be:
Corner: Adventure series for kids
Many kids love series because they can follow a familiar, much-loved character into a new adventure, book after book.
Here's a look at some new series books:
Caldecott-winning artists picture lively new stories
Caldecott Medal-winning artists have produced a wonderful crop of new picture books this season:
Corner Books: Tales from the librarians' convention
Neil Gaiman surveyed the audience of hundreds of librarians, publishers and other children's literature lovers and confided that winning the 2009 Newbery Medal for his novel "The Graveyard Book" had "made me cool to my children."
"That's as good as it gets," Gaiman said, adding: "It is a glorious, if improbable, thing to be cool to your children."
Corner Books: Stories starring some fun-loving chickens
Chickens here, chickens there -- chickens seem to be everywhere in picture books this season.
Here's a look at books starring some fun-loving fowls:
Corner Books: Books that feature dads
Father's Day is coming -- why not give Dad a book he can read with the kids?
Here are some great new choices, all starring dads:
Corner Books: Good novels for kids to read
Are your kids looking for some good new novels to read? Try one of these:
Corner Books: 'Best Books for Babies' list a must-read
Choosing good books for babies and toddlers isn't an easy task.
Books must be age-appropriate, which generally means bold colors and simple or no text for the youngest readers. Books also must be sturdy so that tiny hands and teeth can't destroy them; board books are a particularly good choice for babies for this reason.

