We’ve combed through the crop of 2013 children’s picture books to find the best of the bunch for the youngsters on your holiday shopping list.
“Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book” by Diane Muldrow
Who doesn't have a soft spot for those Little Golden Books with the shiny covers and gold-foil spines? Abundant everywhere since 1942, and originally 25 cents each, these feel-good stories with jewel-tone pictures brought us favorite characters from "The Poky Little Puppy" to "The Saggy Baggy Elephant." Now, a selection of the iconic images is gathered in one 96-page gem, accompanied by nuggets of advice for all ages, such as: "Get plenty of sleep." "Don't panic." "Don't forget your antioxidants!" All ages. Golden Books / Random House, $9.99
“Night Light” by Nicholas Blechman
For the youngster on your list whose chief pursuits involve cars, trucks and such, here's a clever cut-die counting book that seems indestructible. The concept is simple yet brilliant: When a pitch-black page shows only the holes for a vehicle's lights, can you guess that vehicle? What has "1 light, shining bright"? A train. What has "7 lights, flashing red and white"? A fire truck, of course! Ages 3-5. Orchard Books/Scholastic, $16.99.
“Don’t Eat the Baby” by Amy Young
The narrator of this comic tale is big brother Tom, who wears a red superhero cape and thinks of his new baby brother as "the blob" everyone fusses over. Rocking the baby, Tom's mother says, "I just want to take a bite out of his fat cheeks!" Oh, no! Can Tom's superpowers save the baby from becoming the next meal? Quite right for a family expecting a second child. Ages 3-5. Viking, $16.99
“The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Holly Hobbie
Just when you think the old Christmas romp has been done quite enough, along comes a charmer that pulls tight on your heartstrings, largely due to Hobbie's beautiful watercolor-and-ink scenes. Ages 3-6. Little, Brown & Company, $18
“An Otis Christmas” by Loren Long
Plowing through the woods during a bad Christmas Eve snowstorm – "putt puff puttedy chuff" – Otis the tractor saves the holiday for the whole farm. Long's rich illustrations beautifully evoke the bluster of winter and the warmth of the holiday. Ages 3-7. Philomel Books/Penguin, $17.99
“The Silver Moon: Lullabies and Cradle Songs,” poems by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Jui Ishida
Our nation's first children's poet laureate, Jack Prelutsky has produced more than 50 books, and his talent is as fresh as ever in this collection of sleepy-time rhymes. "The silver moon shines softly, / The sun is not awake. / A beetle rows an acorn boat / Across a silver lake …" Ishida's acrylic paintings are just as lovely and soothing. Prelutsky also composes music; the notes and guitar chords for four gentle ditties are included. Ages 4-8. Greenwillow Books, $17.99
“That Is NOT a Good Idea!” by Mo Willems
The terrific talent behind "Knuffle Bunny" and "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" conjures a simple story with top-drawer illustrations. As a fox with a wicked grin lures a fat little goose – step by step – toward a pot of soup, readers wonder: Will she ever hear her inner gosling voice trying to warn her? Ages 4-8. Balzer & Bray / HarperCollins, $17.99
“The King of Little Things” by Bil Lepp, illustrated by David T. Wenzel
Sometimes, it's the little things that matter, and here's an all-new fairy tale celebrating just that. The title character and kingdom are up against greedy King Normous. Wenzel's watercolor scenes are alive with action and details to discover on every page. Ages 4-8, Peachtree Publishers, $16.95
“Nelson Mandela” by Kadir Nelson
Oil painter Kadir Nelson, who last year produced "I Have a Dream: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," turns his brush to the story of the South African who spent his life struggling for justice. Nelson's text is spare but powerful. His artwork is large, dramatic, bursting with emotion. Ages 4-9. Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, $17.99
“Year of the Jungle” by Suzanne Collins, illustrated by James Proimos
The author of the Hunger Games trilogy draws on her own first-grade life, when her father served in Vietnam for one year. "How long is a year?" Suzy wonders. The illustrations are big, goofy, childlike – lending just the right balance of humor to this fine story about a serious subject. Ages 4 and older. Scholastic Press, $17.99
“Battle Bunny” by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, pictures by Matthew Myers
This book appears to have once been a sweet story called "Birthday Bunny." But that was before Alexander took his dark pencil to it and altered both text and art to concoct a wild "Battle Bunny" plot full of evil, mayhem. Ingenious fun. Ages 5-12. Simon & Schuster, $14.99
“The Little Mermaid” (Pop-Up Classics) by Robert Sabuda
It's impossible to grasp how Sabuda creates the intricate and elaborate scenes that pop out from each page, fold neatly back in, and then hold up so well. It's another triumph from the creator of other "wow" pop-ups of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" to "The 12 Days of Christmas," with extra pop-up surprises to uncover as you move through the story. Ages 6 and up. Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, $29.99
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