Latest Stories

-- Appealing photos of pandas combine with a simple text by author Stuart Levine to make "My Panda Book" (Smithsonian/Harper Collins, $5.99) a winner for the youngest readers. (Ages birth-2.) (Note: This title is available in July.)

-- Maisy, the energetic mouse created by author-artist Lucy Cousins, offers little readers some entertaining lessons in "Maisy's Amazing Big Book of Words" (Candlewick Press, $14.99). (Ages 2-5.)

PRESCHOOLERS:

-- Let preschoolers learn their colors through the gorgeous illustrations in "Butterfly, Butterfly" (Candlewick Press, $12.99). Author-illustrator Petr Horacek includes a wonderful pop-up surprise at the book's conclusion. (Ages 3-5.)

-- In his clever puzzle book, "Who's Hiding?" (Kane/Miller, $14.95), author-artist Satoru Onishi asks young readers to look closely at repeated images of a colorful cast of animals to see if they can spot some differences. (Ages 3-6.)

-- Author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Scott Menchin join talents to get kids moving in their lively new picture book, "Bounce" (Atheneum, $14). (Ages 2-5.)

-- A young girl offers some hilarious advice to her baby brother in "How To Be A Baby... By Me, the Big Sister" (Schwartz & Wade/Random House, $15.95), written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Sue Heap. (Ages 3-6.)

NOVELS:

-- Beginning readers will thrill to the exploits of two friends, Elephant Gerald and Piggie, in the new beginning-reader series by best-selling author-artist Mo Willems. The first two books, "My Friend Is Sad" and "Today I Will Fly!," are published by Hyperion and cost $8.99 each. (Ages 4-8.)

-- The irrepressible Gooney Bird Greene returns to entertain readers in "Gooney the Fabulous" (Houghton Mifflin, $15), the latest installment in the series by Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry and illustrator Middy Thomas. (Ages 5-8.)

-- Another Newbery Medalist, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, presents readers with a resourceful heroine who takes on a band of bullies in "Roxie and the Hooligans" (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, $4.99). (Ages 6-8.)

--Author Nancy Yi Fan is only 13 years old, but her fantasy novel, "Swordbird" (HarperCollins, $15.99), demonstrates a mature ability to create a page-turning plot focused on a war between birds. (Ages 8-12.)

-- Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis continues his zany series featuring the Flint Future Detectives in "Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission" (Wendy Lamb/Random House, $15.99). (Ages 7-10.)

-- In "Just Grace" (Houghton Mifflin, $15), author Charise Mericle Harper launches a new series focused on a plucky, cat-loving third-grader who can't seem to stay out of trouble. (Ages 7-10.)

A couple of new series offer fun for readers ready for easy chapter books:

-- Two sisters are as different as they can be until they discover some magic possibilities in the "Sister Magic" series by Anne Mazer. The first two books are "The Trouble With Violet" and "Violet Makes a Splash" (Scholastic, $3.99 each). (Ages 5-8.)

-- Readers who devour the "Magic Tree House" books will love the new "Time Spies" series (Mirrorstone, $4.99), in which three siblings travel back in time to use their detective skills. Author Candice Ransom concludes each of the first three books with historical information as well as a related activity for young readers to try. (Ages 6-9.)

NON-FICTION:

-- Pop-up masters Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart add to their amazing "Encyclopedia Prehistorica" series with "Mega-Beasts" (Candlewick Press, $27.99). (Ages 5-10.)

-- Two popular kid "careers" are highlighted in a new series by Candlewick Press: "Princess: A Glittering Guide For Young Ladies" and "Knight: A Noble Guide For Young Squires." The books, which cost $17.99 each, include pop-ups, flaps and other attention-grabbing features. (Ages 4-8.)

-- In "Titanic: Ship of Dreams" (Orchard/Scholastic, $18.99), author Duncan Crosbie gives young readers a "you are there" view of the disaster through a fictional narrator. The shiny silver cover, scrapbook-type layout and spectacular pop-up of Titanic add to the book's allure. (Ages 8-12.)

-- Kids can learn loads about nature as they leaf through the photograph-filled pages of "First Nature Encyclopedia" (DK, $15.99). (Ages 5-10.)

-- Author John Grogan puts a kid-spin on the best-selling book about his lovable-but-trouble-prone dog in "Marley: A Dog Like No Other" (HarperCollins, $16.99). (Ages 8-12.)

-- Author-artist Steve Jenkins spotlights two favorite pets in "Dogs and Cats" (Houghton Mifflin, $16). The book, which includes a host of interesting facts and Jenkins' signature collage illustrations, has a special layout that allows readers to read first about one animal and then flip over the book to read about the other. (Ages 6-10.)

-- It's not a book but -- Scholastic adds to its wonderful book-related DVD collection with "Arnie the Doughnut," featuring video versions of five popular children's adventure stories ($14.95). (Ages 3-9.)

(Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.macpherson(at)gmail.com.)

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