PAGES TO PLAY BY
Kids looking for after-school activities can stop searching, thanks to a round-up of fall titles. The Wandmaker's Guidebook by Ed Masessa, illus. by Daniel Jankowski, gives a nod to the bestselling Dragonology series with its journal-like approach (penned by a master wandmaker), faux-parchment pages, plus plenty of envelopes to open, minibooks to read, and a mix of fact (a brief bio of Newton) and fiction (a classification of wand types). A standout spread features a transparency overlay that connects the stars into constellations, and a wand, feathers and magical sands tucked into a drawer within the package's back cover acts as grand finale. (Scholastic, $19.99 26p ages 7-10 ISBN 0-439-86265-5; Oct.)
For smallest hands, My Piggy Book by Sandra Boynton follows her My Puppy Book with similarly fluffy pages that, when closed, make a cuddly porker whose snout squeaks with a squeeze. (Little Simon, $16.95 10p ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. ISBN 1-4169-2777-8; Oct.)
The paper-over-board Art Explorers series adds Make It Pop! Activities and Adventures in Pop Art by Joyce Raimondo, which invites aspiring artists to examine closely the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and four others (including sculptor George Segal), then suggests tips on how to emulate their styles. (Watson-Guptill, $12.95 48p ages 5-12 ISBN 0-8230-2507-1; Oct.)
Train lovers will not want to miss Robert Crowther's latest 3-D creation, Trains: A Pop-Up Railroad Book. A brief history of locomotives features flaps to lift that reveal cutaway views; there's a spread of the fastest, longest and highest cars on the rails; and the pièce de résistance is a pop-up spread of a railway station, with trains that arrive and depart with the pull of a tab. (Candlewick, $17.99 10p ages 6-up ISBN 0-7636-3082-9; Oct.)
Those who wish to expand the horizon to include all modes of transport will pore over the pages of Go! The Whole World of Transportation by Samone Bos et al., with a holographic cover that literally depicts a plane, car and boat in motion. The oblong trim size accommodates stunning photos of harbors and the computer screen of an air traffic controller. The thoughtful, attractive design incorporates inset photos with full-bleed images, byte-size information and brief explanations. (DK, $26.99 240p ages 8-up ISBN 0-7566-2224-7; Oct.)
For readers who wish to stick closer to the ground, Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book begins with simple structures, built by both humans and animals, then instructs youngsters on where to find building materials and how to create their own constructions—with safety tips, of course. (Running Press, $29.95 608p ages 8-up ISBN 0-7624-04094; Oct.)
The paper-over-board Exploratopia by Pat Murphy et al. begins with a close study of a few human body parts (eyes, ears, nose, hands, brain) then invites readers to venture into the backyard, to the beach and more. Along the way, the authors suggest taste tests, ways to improve memory, how to measure waves and other activities. (Little, Brown, $29.99 384p ages 6-9 ISBN 0-316-61281-2; Oct.)
Two new spiral-bound titles will keep imaginations buzzing: Every Kid Needs Mod Podge and Every Kid Needs a Treasure Hunt, both by Candice and Richard Elton. In Mod Podge, kids learn how to decoupage and collage, to personalize everything from light switch plates to shoes, with Mod Podge glue, brush and other supplies stowed in a plastic see-through case on the cover. With the gold coin and deck of cards in Treasure Hunt, aspiring pirates can take turns hiding treasure and time capsules (the book includes tips on how to make them) and finding them by following the directions set out in the cards. (Gibbs Smith, $19.95 each 48p ages 4-up ISBN 1-58685-709-6; 1-58685-710-X; Sept.)
More treasure awaits in ATreasure's Trove: 101 New! Puzzles, Clues, Maps, Tantalizing Tales, and Stories of Real Treasure by Michael Stadther. This paperback book takes a look at historical sites of hidden treasure such as Butch Cassidy's gold, secret codes, such as Francis Bacon's five-letter cipher, and a bevy of optical illusions. It offers hours of brain teasing fun as well as historical facts. (Treasure Trove, $12.99 paper 112p ages 8-12 ISBN 0-9760618-6-4; Sept.)
While the boys dig into treasure lore, girls can delve into all things female in the softbound The Big Book of Girl Stuff by Bart King, a follow-up to his The Big Book of Boy Stuff. From babysitting tips to beauty hints to slumber party inspirations, girls will linger over these pink pages brimming with cartoons and step-by-step instructions. (Gibbs Smith, $19.95 paper 320p ages 8-up ISBN 1-58685-819-X; Oct.)
Budding writers will surely appreciate The Perfect Pop-Up Punctuation Book by Kate Petty, illus. by Jennie Maizels. With tabs that pull and flaps that lift up to reveal the rules of punctuation on every page, this book will not only help young writers to clarify their sentence structure but will also breathe life into grammar lesson. (Dutton, $14.99 12p ages 7-up ISBN 0-525-47772-1; Sept.)
