Children’s Books for Fall: K

KANE/MILLER

The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley ($15.95) by Colin Thompson and Amy Lissiat compares the lives of human beings (who are never satisfied) to rats (who live an uncomplicated life). (All ages)

Bobbie Dazzler ($15.95) by Margaret Wild, illus. by Janine Dawson. This tale celebrating the value of friendship is set in Australia. (2-6)

It’s Christmas ($14.95) by Tina Burke reveals the joy surrounding Christmas. (2-up)

Ziba Came on a Boat ($15.95) by Liz Lofthouse, illus. by Robert Ingpen. On a journey to a new land of peace and freedom, Ziba remembers her old life. (6-12)

Samsara Dog ($17.95) by Helen Manos, illus. by Julie Vivas, views life, love and dying from a Buddhist perspective. (8-up)

Paperbacks

Could You? Would You? ($12.95) by Trudy White offers questions, ideas and illustrations to encourage the imagination. (5-up)

¿Quién se esconde? ($7.95) by Satoru Onishi introduces 18 animals, in Spanish. (2-6)

Contando con Apolo ($7.95) by Caroline Grégoire teaches numbers and colors in Spanish. (3-6)

En camino a comprar huevos ($7.95) by Chich-Yuan Chen. In this tale in Spanish, a neighborhood walk turns into an adventure. (3-7)

Paperback Series

Toddler Tales presents Sophie’s Big Bed by Tina Burke, Let’s Play, ¿Quieres jugar? and When I Was a Baby by Deborah Niland ($4.95 each, 1-4). And Jack Russell: Dog Detective adds The Awful Pawful and The Sausage Situation by Darrel and Sally Odgers ($4.95 each, 7-11).

KANE PRESS

Paperback Series

Science Solves It! issues Ready, Set, Oops! by Fran Manushkin, illus. by Diane Palmisciano ($4.99, 5-7); and The Great Shape-Up by Eleanor May, illus. by Barry Gott ($4.99, 6-8). And Social Studies Connects adds Real Heroes Don’t Wear Capes by Laura Driscoll, illus. by Amy Wummer ($4.99, 5-7); and The Cupcake Thief by Ellen Jackson, illus. by Blanche Sims ($4.99, 6-8).

KAR-BEN

Mezuzah on the Door ($17.95, paper $7.95) by Amy Meltzer, illus. by Janice Fried. With the help of a mezuzah, a boy from the city adjusts to suburban life. (3-7)

Papa Jethro ($17.95, paper $7.95) by Deborah Bodin Cohen, illus. by Jane Dippold. A non-Jewish man tells his Jewish granddaughter the biblical story of Jethro. (5-8)

Abraham’s Search for God ($17.95) by Jacqueline Jules, illus. by Natasica Ugliano. Even as a child, Abraham knows there must be something greater than stone idols. (5-8)

Hanukkah Moon ($17.95, paper $7.95) by Deborah da Costa, illus. by Gosia Mosz. Visiting her aunt who has arrived from Mexico, Isobel welcomes the new moon that appears on Hanukkah. (6-10)

Always on Olivia ($17.95) by Carolivia Herron, illus. by Jeremy Tugeau. A black grandmother passes on the secret of her family’s Jewish origins. (7-10)

Janusz Korczak’s Children ($17.95, paper $7.95) by Gloria Spielman, illus. by Matthew Archambault, is a biography of this doctor who devoted his life to the children in an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto. (7-10)

The Boy from Seville ($16.95) by Dorit Orgad, illus. by Avi Katz. In Inquisition-era Spain, a boy must hide his Jewish identity. (10-12)

KEY PORTER

Gymboree Dance Play and Gymboree Face Painting ($16.95 each) by Jane Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens pairs board books with a fabric prop; and with face paints. (3-7)

The Alchemist’s Dream ($12.95) by John Wilson is a tale that features a lost journal from Henry Hudson’s explorations and a mysterious alchemist. (12-up)

The Feathered Cloak ($12.95) by Sean Dixon. This story of an unusual friendship is set during Norway’s Viking Wars. (12-up)

Paperback

The Sensational Jarome Iginla ($9.95) by Peter Bailey centers on this NHL player. (8-14)

Paperback Series

The Mitchell Brothers gains The Baseball Thief, The Stanley Cup Dream, Daredevil over Niagara and Winter Carnival by Brian McFarlane ($6.95 each, 8-12).

KIDS CAN PRESS

The Painted Circus ($17.95) by Wallace Edwards spotlights a ringmouse ushering 22 circus stunts featuring optical illusions. (All ages)

Out Came the Sun ($19.95), illus. by Heather Collins. This take on a nursery rhyme depicts the adventures of a stuffed animal family. (up to 3)

Lickety-Split ($15.95) by Robert Heidbreder, illus. by Dusan Petricic. The narrator spins a tongue-twisting tale for his heroine. (3-7)

Chester ($16.95) by Mélanie Watt. An egotistical cat makes sure that this book will be all about him rather than about a kind mouse. (4-8)

Mrs. Marlowe’s Mice ($17.95) by Frank Asch, illus. by Devin Asch. This followup to Mr. Maxwell’s Mouse offers the tale of a well-bred cat. (5-9)

Bugs Up Close ($16.95, paper $8.95) by Diane Swanson, photos by Paul Davidson, rounds up info about bugs. (7-10)

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose ($17.95) by Hugh Brewster, with paintings and drawings by John Singer Sargent, reveals the story behind a celebrated Sargent painting. (9-12)

For Now ($16.95, paper $7.95) by Gayle Friesen. Of all the uncertainty in Jes’s life, the biggest one is love. (10-14)

Series

Starting Art debuts with 123 I Can Paint! and 123 I Can Sculpt! by Irene Luxbacher ($12.95 each, paper $5.95, 4-7). Joining Exploring the Elements is Who Likes the Rain? by Etta Kaner, illus. by Marie Lafrance ($14.95, 4-7). Martin Bridge issues Out of Orbit by Jessica Scott Kerrin, illus. by Joseph Kelly ($14.95, paper $4.95, 7-10). The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones introduces The Faceless Fiend: Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Princess with a Butter Knife, Involving Explosives and a Certain Amount of Pushing and Shoving by Howard Whitehouse, illus. by Bill Slavin ($16.95, 9-12). Planet Girl presents Fully Woolly by Ellen Warwick, illus. by Bernice Lum ($12.95, 10-up). And Visions in Poetry welcomes The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illus. by Stéphanie Jorisch ($16.95, paper $9.95, 10-up).

Paperback

Gold Medal for Weird ($6.95) by Kevin Sylvester, collects stories about inept athletes, scandals and cheaters—as well as heroism and fair play. (7-up)

KINGFISHER

Around the World in 80 Tales ($19.95) by Saviour Pirotta, illus. by Richard Johnson, sweeps through six continents and many more storytelling traditions. (3-6)

Everything You Need to Know $24.95) by Deborah Chancellor, Deborah Murrell Philip Steele and Barbara Taylor is an illustrated encyclopedia for young readers.(4 -8)

Cleopatra ($16.95) by Richard Platt, illus. by M.P. Robertson, tells the life of Cleopatra through the diary of her handmaid. (6-10)

Through Time: Pompeii ($16.95) by Richard Platt, illus. by Manuela Cappon. elucidates the history of Pompeii through the story of a simple farmhouse. (6-10)

Volcanoes ($16.95) by Anna Claybourne includes facts, photos, stories and myths . (6-10)

Dinomummy ($18.95) by Phil Manning uncovers the life, death and excavation of a dinosaur from Hell Creek. (6-up)

Paperbacks

The Dark Side: Truly Terrifying Tales ($6.95), compiled by Susan Price, is a spine-tingling assortment of scary stories. (9-12)

Spellbound: Fantasy Stories, selected by Diana Wynne Jones, offers 18 classic and contemporary stories. (9-12)

Slam Dunk $5.95) by Donna King. A basketball star defies her mother in an effort to make the national team (9-12)

Ribticklers: Funny Stories, selected by Michael Rosen, is a humorous anthology. (9-12)

Whodunit? Detective Stories ($6.95), selected by Philip Pullman. Disappearances, thefts and other mysteries.

Beowulf ($7.95), adapted by Penelope Hicks, illus. by James Mclean, dramatizes the legend in accessible language. (10-14)

Tree Shaker: The Story of Nelson Mandela ($16.95) by Bill Keller portrays the man who brought an end to apartheid. (10-up)

Series

Amazing Machines offers Truckload of Fun, a set of 10 mini editions by Tony Mitton, illus. by Ant Parker ($19.95, 3-6). How to Be adds How to Be a Spy in 7 Days or Less by Justin Smith, illus. by Jan Lewis ($15.95, 6-10). The Kingfisher Atlas of the Modern World completes the Kingfisher History Atlas Series ($16.95, 6-10). Sidesplitters adds A Joke a Day, illus. by Martin Chatterton and Tony Trimmer ($3.95, 6-10). Maps and Mapping by Jinny Johnson and Natural Disasters by Bill McGuide join the Inside Access series $9.95 each, 6-10); and Dinosaurs by Nigel Marvin is new to Kingfisher Knowledge ($12.95, 9-12).

Paperback Series

I Am Reading presents Doctor Witch’s Animal Hospital by Sheila Bird, illus. by Emma Parrish; and Miss Wire’s Christmas Surprise by Ian Whybrow, illus. by Emma Chichester Clark ($3.95 each, 4-8). New to the Best Book series are The Best Book of Ballet by Angela Wilkes and The Best Book of Volcanoes by Simon Adams ($6.95 each, 4-8). Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and The Viking World join Life and Times ($9.95 each, 6-10). Ecocrafts offers Creative Costumes and Jazzy Jewelry ($7.95 each, 6-10). Elizabeth Holland’s Awesome Animal Stories and Cool Christmas Stories join Super Shorts ($6.95 each, 6-10), and Zodiac Girls adds Brat Princess and Discount Diva ($5.95 each, 9-12).

KLUTZ

The Encyclopedia of Immaturity ($19.95) compiles pranks and practical jokes. (8-up)

Shrink Art Jewelry ($24.95) by Karen Phillips offers instructions and materials for creating jewelry from shrink plastic. (8-up)

Draw the Marvel Heroes ($16.95) is a kit for drawing superheroes. (8-up)

Face Painting ($19.95) is a revised edition of this face-painting kit. (8-up)

Juggling for the Complete Klutz 30th Anniversary Ed. ($14.95) by John Cassidy and B.C. Rimbeaux. A guide for aspiring jugglers. (8-up)

The Official Icky Poo Book ($12.95) contains samples of a slick and gooey substance and instructions for using it. (8-up)

KLUTZ/CHICKEN SOCKS

Castle ($16.95) opens to reveal a three-dimensional medieval kingdom. (4-6)

Paper Flowers ($12.95). This kit includes materials and directions for making paper flowers. (4-up)

Tricky Stickies ($12.95) contains more than 350 sticky notes featuring various themes. (4-up)

Krby Creations

(Midpoint, dist.)

My Imagination ($15.95) by Katrina Estes-Hill, illus. by Alvina Kwong. A professional poet aids children’s imagination with metered rhyme.

KREGEL KIDZONE

Clopper and the Night Traveler ($12.99) by Emily King, illus. by Ed Olson, is a follow-up to Clopper the Christmas Donkey. (4-8)

Am I Forgiving? ($12.99) by Jeannie St. John Taylor. Erik discovers that forgiving his friend feels better than trying to get even. (5-up)