New Zoo Revue

Sandra Boynton, long heralded for her menagerie of animal characters (Moo, Baa, La La La; Rhinoceros Tap), puts a fresh cast of singing, dancing critters center stage—from the titular boogying chickens to a tail-wagging "snuggle puppy"—in Philadelphia Chickens, a book-and-CD package billed as an "imaginary musical revue." The first 32 pages contain lyrics and illustrations, the second half of the book includes musical notation and additional lyrics for each song. An all-star cast, including Meryl Streep, Laura Linney, Eric Stoltz and the Bacon Brothers, headlines the musical recording, which features a variety of original show tunes penned by Boynton and composed by Boynton and frequent collaborator Michael Ford. For more on this production see Children's Audio/Video, page 22. (Workman, $16.95 64p all ages ISBN 0-7611-2636-8; Oct.)

Beginning Reader Buddies

A number of familiar characters return in beginning reader sequels. In Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Arthur Howard, Mr. Putter is miserable: "Colds aren't so much fun when you're old." Luckily, Mrs. Teaberry makes it better with chicken soup, tea with honey and a little help from her bulldog, Zeke. (Harcourt, $14 44p ages 6-9 ISBN 0-15-202414-X; Oct.)

The inimitable Miss Jones stars in Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park, illus. by Denise Brunkus. Junie is the first in her class to have a loose upper tooth. But she wants nothing to do with the Tooth Fairy and fears she'll end up looking like her dentally challenged uncle. (Random, $11.95 96p ages 6-8 ISBN 0-375-80295-9; Oct.)

Excitement turns to skittishness as Iris prepares for the big event at Walter's house in Iris and Walter: The Sleepover by Elissa Haden Guest, illus. by Christine Davenier, the fourth title in the Iris and Walter series. When she decides to come home in the middle of the night, Iris gets a big welcome from her family. (Harcourt/Gulliver, $14 44p ages 6-9 ISBN 0-15-216487-1; Sept.)

Ricky's birthday excursion takes an unexpected turn as he tries to prevent General Jackrabbit from taking over Earth in Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Jurassic Jackrabbits from Jupiter by Dav Pilkey, illus. by Martin Ontiveros. (Scholastic/Blue Sky, $16.95 128p ages 4-up ISBN 0-439-37642-4; Sept.)

Dan Yaccarino's third installment of the Blast Off Boy and Blorp series, The Big Science Fair, features the friends' projects; their planetary cultural gap contributes to some surprising results. (Hyperion, $15.99 32p ages 4-7 ISBN 0-7868-0580-3; Oct.).

When, after a rainstorm, the stream is empty, the eponymous mouse detectives forage for clues in Dot & Jabber and the Mystery of the Missing Stream by Ellen Stoll Walsh, the follow-up to Dot & Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery. Mixed-media collage brings the mice to life; an endnote explains storms and dams. (Harcourt, $15 40p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-15-216512-6; Sept.)

Girl World

Girl guidance—and all-out fun—abounds in an array of smart and sassy titles. The first, Yikes! A Smart Girl's Guide to Surviving Tricky, Sticky, Icky Situations from the editors of American Girl, illus. by Bonnie Timmons, provides commonsense solutions to 40 scenarios, including what to do "if you're having your period and get blood on your clothes." In addition to quick-fix ideas, the volume offers preventive measures to avoid the situation next time. The pocket-size paperback's straightforward section headings (e.g., "Quick Thinking" and "Using Logic") tie predicaments together; cartoon-like illustrations add a touch of humor. (Pleasant/ American Girl, $8.95 paper 88p ages 10-up ISBN 1-58485-530-4; Sept.)

Girls' mental health is the focus of The Feelings Book: The Care & Keeping of Your Emotions by Lynda Madison, illus. by Norm Bendell, a companion volume to The Care & Keeping of You. Opening sections explain emotions, others suggest how to handle powerful feelings and focus on developing positive self-esteem. Girls' comments and questions appear throughout. (Pleasant/ American Girl, $8.95 paper 106p ages 8-up ISBN 1-58485-528-2; Sept.)

Part of the Girl Zone series, Body Talk: The Straight Facts on Fitness, Nutrition & Feeling Great About Yourself by Ann Douglas and Julie Douglas, illus. by Claudia Dávila, also includes quotes from real girls. The mother/daughter offering (Julie is 14) opens with a time line—"Through Thick and Thin"—that traces fashion trends from 1800 to the 21st century. "Chew on This" sidebars provide juicy nuggets: "A hundred years ago actress Lillian Russell, weighing 200 lbs., was considered a great beauty." Back matter contains a directory of girl-friendly Web sites. (Maple Tree [Firefly, dist.], $19.95 64p ages 9-13 ISBN 1-894379-27-6; paper $12.95 -28-4; Sept.)

Another mother/daughter team joins forces in Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Room, Your Time, and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern with Jessi Morgenstern-Colón. The comprehensive volume opens by assessing the symptoms of disorganization, providing a diagnosis and offering a prescription for change. Subsequent chapters put readers in "Analyze-Strategize-Attack" mode as they take on messy bedrooms, backpacks and cluttered social calendars. (Holt/Owl, $15 288p ages 12-up ISBN 0-8050-6470-2; Sept.)

Essays, photographs and snazzy graphics combine in Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood by Veronica Chambers. The volume chronicles the history of the sport and profiles double-Dutch devotees, including eight-year-old Bronx resident Tahira Reid, who invented an automatic rope-turning machine, and Miho, who was inspired to start the first Japanese double-Dutch team after watching a video of a U.S. team in action. Sidebars present a plethora of popular rhymes (e.g., "Miss Susie Had a Steamboat..."; "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around..."). (Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, $16.99 72p ages 8-up ISBN 0-7868-0512-9; Sept.)

Nursery Necessities

Well-loved books and stories come together in a batch of fall compendiums. The HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics: A Child's First Collection offers 12 enduring tales (their covers make a stamp-sized border on the cover) in one handsomely designed keepsake edition that preserves the feel of the original volumes. The anthology contains Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon, illus. by Clement Hurd (1947); Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (1955); William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow, illus. by William Pène du Bois (1971); and the more recent Pete's a Pizza by William Steig (1998), among others. Editorial commentary, suggestions for sharing the book with children and brief biographies of authors and illustrators are included after each story. (HarperCollins, $24.99 448p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-06-008094-9; Oct.)

JB (Jefferson Bear) and Figgy Twosocks star in The Big What Are Friends For? Storybook by Sally Grindley, illus. by Penny Dann, which contains a trio of previously published picture books: What Are Friends For? (1998); What Will I Do Without You? (1999); and Will You Forgive Me? (2001). (Kingfisher, $16.95 96p ages 3-up ISBN 0-7534-5556-0; Sept.)

Similarly, Bartholomew Bear: Five Toddler Tales by Virginia Miller unites a handful of stories about the titular cub and big bear George: On Your Potty! (1991); Eat Your Dinner! (1992); Go to Bed! (1993); Be Gentle! (1997); and I Love You Just the Way You Are (1998). (Candlewick, $14.99 144p ages 2-4 ISBN 0-7636-1941-8; Aug.)

Three classic stories by A.A. Milne feature the bouncy striped fellow in Tigger Tales, illus. by Ernest H. Shepard: "Tigger Comes to the Forest and Has Breakfast"; "It Is Shown That Tiggers Don't Climb Trees"; and "Tigger Is Unbounced." (Dutton, $14.99 48p ages 3-8 ISBN 0-525-46941-9; Aug.)

Rosemary Sandberg and Michael Morpugo excerpt 30 time-tested tales in The Kingfisher Treasury of Classic Stories. Here, old favorites such as "In Which Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets into a Tight Place" from A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh, with Ernest H. Shepard's original illustrations; and "The Open Road" from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illus. by Chris Fisher, appear alongside episodes from contemporary classics such as Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary; My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, illus. by Felicity Gill; and Katherine Paterson's The Great Gilly Hopkins. A brief introduction precedes each offering; short biographies of the authors round out the volume. (Kingfisher, $24.95 320p ages 5-up ISBN 0-7534-5483-1; Sept.)

William Bennett (The Book of Virtues) brings together stories, poems, biographies and more in The Children's Book of Home and Family, illus. by Michael Hague. Among the offerings: "The Legend of the Hummingbird" a South American story about the value of hard work as well as a brief biography of Hull House founder Jane Addams, who created an oasis for poverty-stricken children. (Doubleday, $19.95 112p all ages ISBN 0-385-74624-5; Oct.)

Party Hearty

From slumber parties to Star Wars soirees, a quartet of titles offers hours of fun. Sleepover! The Best Ever Party Kit by Jeanne Willis, illus. by Lydia Monks, packs party essentials into a clear plastic carrying case (rimmed in lavender): a 40-page book with planning ideas and recipes. Ghost stories and game rules appear on large laminated cards, smaller cards give beauty tips; invitations, stickers, a shopping list and more are also included. (Candlewick, $12.99 ages 9-12 ISBN 0-7636-1900-0; Sept.)

Older revelers track the action on fill-in-the-blank pages in Sleepover Journal: A Light-Pen Diary by Jon Kauffman, illus. by Ali Douglas. A party planning section opens the offering; quick and easy recipes plus makeover tips get things going, while ghost stories and pranks will keep potential slumberers up at night. The compact volume doubles as a guest book, with room for snapshots and mementos; stickers and light pen included. A clasp keeps the contents hidden from sibling snoops. (Clarion, $15.95 144p ages 7-13 ISBN 0-8118-3334-8; Sept.)

Party and playtime activities follow far-out fairytale retellings in The Princess Party Book: Favorite Happy Ever After Stories... and More by Janet Hoggarth, illus. by Caroline Glicksman. For example, after the tale of Sleeping Beauty (who here sports inline skates in the palace), the heroine helps readers craft slumber party invitations that double as tiaras; Rapunzel offers haircare tips. Snow White, Cinderella and others also give advice. (Scholastic/Chicken House, $17.95 96p ages 7-9 ISBN 0-439-40434-7; Oct.)

From an Otoh Gunga Cowabunga (featuring "Bubble City Pops,... floating frozen confections") to all that's needed to enjoy "Jabba's Movie Marathon" (including a recipe for "Salacious Crumb Couch Potatoes"), The Star Wars Party Book: Recipes and Ideas for Galactic Occasions by Mikyla Bruder, photos by Frankie Frankeny, has fans of The Force covered. The hardcover-encased, spiral-bound volume offers party planning tips, instructions on how to make a "Death Star Piñata," costume ideas and more; a gold sticker page winds up the volume. (Chronicle, $17.95 64pall ages ISBN 0-8118-3491-3; Oct.)

We Can Do It!

Focusing on the event in April 2000 that united 8,000 workers in the Justice for Janitors Campaign, ¡Sí, Se Puede!/Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. by Diana Cohn, illus. by Francisco Delgado, trans. by Sharon Franco, chronicles the proceedings through the eyes of one female worker's son. An opening color-pencil sketch in fiesta-bright colors shows Mamá tucking in Carlitos for bed before she leaves for work. She explains to her son the need for a strike, and a series of spreads chart the strikers' progress. A final spread profiles union organizer Dolores Sánchez; the dust jacket doubles as a poster that explains labor unions and strikes, along with a poem by Luis J. Rodríguez. (Cinco Puntos, $15.95 32p ages 7-12 ISBN 0-93817-66-0; Aug.)