Gotham's Literary Landmarks

Children's book lovers will discover the Big Apple anew through Leonard S. Marcus's Storied City: A Children's Book Walking Tour Guide to New York City. Readers are directed to the row house (280 W. 12th Street) where Robert McCloskey created the art for Make Way for Ducklings, using Long Island ducks—not Bostonians—as his models. They can sail a toy boat in the Conservatory Water, the Central Park pond famously enjoyed by Stuart Little. Marcus proves an entertaining and erudite guide who fills this volume (narrow enough to fit in a pocket) with amusing anecdotes. Closing sidebars provide additional resources on areas of the city as well as literary characters who live there; photos of the city and appropriate artwork enliven the presentation. (Dutton, $12.99 144p ages 12-up ISBN 0-525-46924-9; May)

Hello Again

Spring brings a refreshing return of old favorites. In The Wizard Comes to Town by Mercer Mayer, originally published in 1973, a stranger rents a room at Bertha Beggs's boarding house. Things quickly go awry, from rainstorms in the parlor to reptiles in the beds, until Mrs. Beggs decides she must expel her unusual lodger with some spells of her own. Framed illustrations with an old-fashioned woodcut feel add solidity to the mayhem. (McGraw-Hill/Gingham Dog, $15 40p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-57768-388-9; paper $5.95 -387-0; Apr.)

Beatrice Schenk de Regniers's What Did You Put in Your Pocket?, first published in 1958, receives a new look with Michael Grejniec's citrus-colored artwork, rendered in thick brushstrokes. Various animals ask a white kangaroo what it has put in its pocket each day of the week, in the cumulative rhyming text: on Wednesday, it's "slurpy glurpy ice cream," and on Friday, "sticky icky molasses." The frenetic illustrations and typography convey the increasing chaos in the marsupial's pouch. (HarperCollins, $15.99 40p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-06-029028-5; May)

In Henry Bear's Park (1976) by David McPhail, the young ursine hero takes care of a park while his father flies off on a balloon trip. Henry lovingly tends the park, until he is hoodwinked by a pig who pretends he can help find Henry's long-absent Poppa. Humorous details fill McPhail's original line art, now infused with intense washes of color by John O'Connor. (S&S/Atheneum, $16.95 48p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-689-83967-7; May)

Astrid Lindgren, best known for her books starring Pippi Longstocking, first published the tale of Mirabelle, a doll that sprouts from an enchanted seed, in 1949. Here it is newly translated by Elizabeth Kallick Dyssegaard, illus. by Pija Lindenbaum in quirky watercolors that lend the tale a period feel. (FSG/R&S, $15 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 91-29-65821-7; Apr.)

Caldecott Honor Book artist Holly Meade (Hush!) creates a new look for That's What Friends Are For by Florence Parry Heide and Sylvia Van Clief, originally published in 1968. In this cumulative tale, Theodore the elephant hurts his leg and cannot go to meet his cousin. All his friends give him useless advice—the bird suggests Theodore fly; the crab that he grow a new leg—until the opossum explains that friends are for more than giving advice, and offers a practical solution. Meade's jungle-bright watercolor washes and cut-paper collages add warmth and humor to her inventive compositions. (Candlewick, $15.99 40p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-7636-1397-5; May)

A Blast from the Past

Mouseketeer fans can travel back to the swinging '60s with Walt Disney Presents: The Annette Mysteries, a boxed set of four paperbacks starring actress Annette Funicello, written by Doris Schroder. Originally published more than 40 years ago, The Desert Inn Mystery, illus. by James Schaeffing; Annette and the Mystery at Moonstone Bay and Sierra Summer, both illus. by Adam Szwejkowski; and Annette and the Mystery at Smuggler's Cove, illus. by Nathalee Mode, have been reprinted with the original line art (in green, blue or red hues). Vintage characters with names like Babs and Jinks hang out in places like the Choc Shop, before trouble starts and Annette must save the day with her plucky good sense. (Disney Press, $15.99 288p ages 10-up ISBN 0-7868-3461-7; May)

Fanatical Fun

Young fans who can't get enough of their favorite activities will flip for these new titles. Dropping in with Andy Mac: The Life of a Pro Skateboarder by Andy Macdonald with Theresa Foy Digeronimo, showcases the world of skateboarding and how far one young man traveled to follow his dreams, from "Skatepark Kid" to "California Pro." B&w photos and full-color inserts convey the speed and excitement of the sport. (Simon Pulse, $9.99 paper 176p ages 10-up ISBN 0-689-85784-5; May)

Playful packaging produces two new additions to the Fun Packs series, small-sized boxes containing 48-page mini-paperbacks and cool accessories. Trendy Toes shows aficionados how to paint their toes and more, providing the tattoo pen and nail polish with which to glamorize. Secret Spy poses 18 codes to crack, with special equipment such as a decoder card and secret marker pens. (Scholastic/Tangerine, $7.99 each 48p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-439-40005-8; -45145-0; Apr.)

Journeys to Other Times and Places

Young readers can visit some fascinating spots in a number of visually intriguing titles. Stephen Biesty employs his meticulous drawings in an oversize volume to survey Rome: In Spectacular Cross-Section, with text by Andrew Solway. Biesty's artwork, packed with minute details, uncovers the inside workings and activities at various key locations such as the Colosseum and the Baths of Trajan, as a Roman senator and his son make their way around town. Text and illustrations combine the extraordinary and the everyday to provide a wealth of information on ancient life; explanatory captions supply historical facts and lore. (Scholastic Reference, $18.95 32p ages 9-up ISBN 0-439-45546-4; Apr.)

The DK Revealed series unveils Ancient Greece by Peter Chrisp and Secrets of the Deep by Frances Dipper. The first explores the ancient civilization through photos of its artifacts and computerized renderings of events such as sea battles, or objects like the Trojan Horse, conveying facts with explanatory captions and a brief text. Eight transparent pages allow readers to see different views of the same subject. The second title employs the same visual techniques to illuminate what lies beneath the oceans' surface, including bizarre-looking creatures such as a viperfish and sunken treasures such as artifacts from the Titanic. (DK, $12.99 each 44p ages 8-up ISBN 0-7894-9271-7; -9272-5; June)

That most famous of doomed ships surfaces again in Titanic: Ghosts of the Abyss, by Mireille Majoor with paintings by Ken Marschall. This time the adventure seems to enter readers' own space, depicted in 3-D images lifted from a new 3-D film by Titanic director James Cameron. First recounting the ship's fateful final voyage, the story then turns to Cameron's exploration of the wreck with Remotely Operated Vehicles for the filming of the 3-D movie. Readers can wear 3-D goggles slipped into a slot inside the front cover, allowing dizzying views of the depths in more than 35 images. (Hyperion/Madison Press, $19.99 48p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-7868-1899-9; May)

Revised and updated, The DK Geography of the World: The Essential Family Guide to Geography and Culture, organized regionally, spans the continents. Beginning with a profile of an area, such as "Central and South America" or "Europe," the volume then presents the geography, people, climate and culture of individual countries. Maps provide the essential geography; full-color photos illustrate people and well-known places; diagrams offer views of important activities or environments. A concluding reference section profiles topics such as "Political Systems " and "World Religions." (DK, $29.99 304p ages 8-up ISBN 0-7894-8594-X; June)

Constant Companions

Favorite characters embark on new adventures this season. What Shall We Do, Blue Kangaroo? by Emma Chichester Clark continues the escapades of the winning pair readers first met in I Love You, Blue Kangaroo! Lily is learning to play and read all by herself, and Blue Kangaroo goes along. But when Lily forgets something very important, Blue Kangaroo must take the initiative and act on his own. Clark's expressive characters and clear, bright watercolors enhance the humor of this appealing story about independence and friendship. (Doubleday, $15.95 32p ages 2-5 ISBN0-385-74635-0; May)

Readers who enjoyed their trip Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee will look forward to A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen. Mr. Magee and his dog Dee are in for another unexpectedly wild ride, this time thanks to a hungry old bear, who manages to unhitch their camper and leave them stuck on a rock "On top of the waterfall, fifty feet up!" The ebullient rhyming text and nostalgic 1950's-era gouaches bounce along with a lively comic momentum. (Chronicle, $14.95 32p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-8118-3603-7; May)

Kathryn Lasky's lovable pig, last seen in Starring Lucille, has a different kind of camping adventure in Lucille Camps In, illus. by Marylin Hafner. Deemed too young to go camping with her father and older siblings, Lucille sulks until she and her mother decide to try a tenting expedition... in the living room. Hafner's whimsical watercolors present a cheerful, affectionate family portrait. (Knopf, $14.95 32p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-517-80041-1; May)

George Shannon's intrepid Lizard, who last defended his beloved rock in Lizard's Home, must use his wits against another unwelcome squatter in Lizard's Guest, illus. by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. This time Skunk, whom Lizard inadvertently injured while doing his boisterous dance, convalesces on Lizard's rock and feigns prolonged pain. Of course Lizard eventually outsmarts him and even turns the sulky, selfish houseguest into a swaying, singing Skunk in this sprightly tale, enhanced by bright, fluid watercolors. (HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $15.99 32p ages 4-up ISBN 0-06-009083-9; Apr.)

Having made a thorough mess at home in Fix-It Duck, Jez Alborough's feathered hero runs amok at sea in Captain Duck. Suitably slapstick rhyming text and artwork in large comic-style panels depict Duck's wacky misadventures when he hops aboard Goat's boat, taking Sheep and Frog along for a bumpy ride. (HarperCollins, $15.99 40p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-06-052123-6; May)

Fresh from creating noodles and chopsticks (The Story of Noodles; The Story of Chopsticks), the inventive Kang brothers take to the air in The Story of Kites by Ying Chang Compestine, illus. by YongSheng Xuan. The three boys, weary of chasing birds away from their family's rice fields, experiment with ways to fly and instead come up with one of the most popular inventions of ancient China. Traditional cut-paper art puts the wind in the sails of this charming story, appended with kite-making instructions.(Holiday, $16.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-8234-1715-8; Apr.)

Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb? by Brian Cleary, illus. by Brian Gable, is the newest entry in the Words Are Categorical series. A playful rhyming text ("Adverbs tell us when and how./ Like, quickly do your homework, now") and cartoon art vividly explain adverbs and their functions.(Lerner/Carolrhoda, $14.95 32p ages 7-11 ISBN 0-87614-924-7; May)

Readers can swim from The Tide to a narrower channel in The River, also by Nik Pollard. The alliterative text—"Water laps with soft slop-slaps"—is typeset to complement the pleasingly flat, retro graphic art as the river winds its way from a mountaintop to the sea. (Millbrook/Roaring Brook, $15.95 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-7613-1778-3; May)