Children’s NOTES

Children can learn their alphabet (in two languages) as well as get an introduction to an array of unique animals in ABeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABCs in English and Spanish by Cynthia Weill and K.B. Basseches with sculptures by Moisés and Armando Jiménez. Featuring vibrant wooden sculptures by a Oaxacan family of artists, the primer offers up animals both familiar (“the flamingo/ el flamenco”) and unusual, such as the nutria and vicuna, for each letter of the alphabet, as well as for uniquely Spanish sounds, such as “ll,” “ñ” and “rr.” The highly saturated color backdrops and stunning sculptures should win over readers of all ages. (Cinco Puntos, $14.95 32p ages 2-up ISBN 978-1-933693-13-2; Dec.)

Filled with facts, puzzles, stats, stories and more, For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever by Marc Aronson and HP Newquist offers up information on favorite subjects. Topics range from the hypothetical (such as “Fantasy Wars” which pit Vikings against pirates) to the historical (“Athletes Who Changed the World”) to the instructional (how to make fake blood). Printed with black and red text and illustrated throughout, this graphically fresh and topically diverse collection should capture the imagination of its target audience. (Feiwel and Friends, $14.95 240p ages 7-12 ISBN 978-0-312-37706-9; Dec.)

Younger readers are reunited with favorite characters in these picture book sequels. In Bunny Fun by Sarah Weeks, illus. by Sam Williams, the blithely mischievous bunny and mouse from Overboard!entertain themselves with pillow fights, by drawing on the bathroom mirror and having a dance party on a rainy day. (Harcourt, $14 40p ages 3-5 ISBN 978-0-15-205838-8; Jan.)

The family of bunnies introduced in The Bunnies’ Picnic are off to meet relatives in The Bunnies’ Trip by Lezlie Evans, illus. by Kay Chorao. Evans’s buoyant rhymes express the excitement of the bunnies’ preparations, while Chorao’s spot and full-bleed illustrations humorously depict the struggles (clothes flying through the air, overstuffed suitcases, bickering children) that will be familiar to readers and their families. (Hyperion, $16.99 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 978-0-7868-1898-3; Jan.)

Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin introduces readers to the traditions surrounding the Lunar New Year as a young girl and her family (from Fortune Cookie Fortunes) prepare to celebrate. Cleaning house, making “get-rich” dumplings, watching fireworks and other activities lead up to a lucky dragon parade featured on a fold-out spread. (Knopf, $15.99 34p ages 3-6 ISBN 978-0-375-83745-6; Jan.)

Thierry Robberecht and Philippe Goossens (Sam Tells Stories) gently but effectively broach important issues in Sam’s New Friend. Sam plays only with other boys at school (“Boys are tough. Girls aren’t”). But when Sam learns that the new girl’s parents might get divorced, he realizes that girls are tougher and braver than he thought. (Clarion, $12 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 978-0-618-91448-7; Jan.)

In Harvey Moon, Museum Boy by Pat Cummings (Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon), Harvey’s pet lizard escapes during a school trip to the museum, resulting in a magical nighttime adventure that brings them face to face with dinosaurs, knights, mummies and more. (HarperCollins, $16.99 32p ages 3-8 ISBN 978-0-688-17889-5; Jan.)

New interactive titles target the youngest readers. Intended for bedtime, the gentle, straightforward text of Baby Bunny and Friends Say Good Night by Robin Suzanne Carol, illus. by Tina Macnaughton, aims to lull little ones as they see baby animals and their mothers snuggle up to sleep under the “twinkling stars above.” Tiny flashing LED lights embedded in the cover serve as stars for readers sleeping indoors. (Penguin/PSS!, $9.99 10p ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. ISBN 978-0-8431-2672-3; Jan.)

A little princess stomps her way through the U.K. import I Want My Present! by Tony Ross, demanding that her present be found immediately. But the presents revealed under several flaps turn out to be someone else’s. A final twist reveals that the princess isn’t as bratty as she appears. (Andersen [Trafalgar, dist.], $9.99 12p ages 2-4 ISBN 978-1-84270-481-3; Jan.)

Zoom: A Book of Things That Go by Jennifer Frantz, illus. by Don Tate, is dedicated to all sorts of machines that move, be it by rails, wheels, or through the air or water. A variety of interactive features embedded within sturdy cardboard pages lets readers spin train wheels, lower railroad crossing barriers, raise a crane or help a fire truck race ahead of traffic. (HarperFestival, $13.99 22p ages 2-7 ISBN 978-0-06-112859-2; Jan.)