Children's books suitable for Christmas giving

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The following children's books are suitable for Christmas giving:

"The Aurora County All-Stars" by Deborah Wiles. Harcourt (Orlando, Fla., 2007). 242 pp., $16.

This book has it all: baseball, friendship, boys vs. girls issues, humor. In short chapters with occasional updates from The Aurora County News, Wiles weaves the tale of 12-year-old House Jackson, who tries to work out reasons for the death of a family friend and what that means for him, his friends and the children of Mabel, Miss. The characters are well developed, the story line is a hoot and the final product is guaranteed to be a home run with readers (ages 8-13).

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Betty Ann Schwartz, illustrated by Judith Moffatt. HarperFestival (New York, 2007). 28 pp., $12.99.

Preschoolers and young readers will be delighted with this colorful, sturdy book that illustrates the Christmas carol of the same name. The illustrations are multicultural and include collage-type paper-doll ladies dancing, cornhusk-doll maids-a milking, etc. In the middle of each double-page illustration is a large Christmas tree, with a ribbon imprinted with pears, golden rings, geese, etc. -- for each of the 12 days. However, the ribbons make the book unsuitable for smaller children (ages 3-5).

"Annie's War" by Jacqueline Levering Sullivan. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007). 191 pp., $15.

World War II is over, but young Annie Leigh is still fighting her own internal war, hoping her father can be found alive and wondering what caused her uncle to turn mean. When Annie's mother sends her to Washington state to live with her grandmother, Annie meets a young African-American woman who helps her learn firsthand about love, bigotry and courage (ages 8-12).

"Bunker 10" by J.A. Henderson. Harcourt (Orlando, Fla., 2007). 253 pp., $17.

This futuristic novel is a real action tale that might initially leave older readers asking, "What happened?" It combines suspense, intrigue and science fiction with biotechnological issues that a group of teen geniuses on a military installation -- or at least, it seems like that is where they are -- are facing (ages 12-up).

"Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature's Forms in Poetry" by Jane Yolen, photographs by Jason Stemple. Wordsong (Honesdale, Pa., 2007). 32 pp., $17.95.

Stemple's beautiful double-page photographs capture shapes in nature while Yolen's poems -- full of action verbs, metaphors and adjectives -- look at the shape from a different point of view. Yolen includes other nouns, verbs and adjectives -- superimposed on the photos -- so that readers might write their own poems on the shape. The result is a visual and aesthetic delight (all ages).

"Peek in My Pocket" by David A. Carter. Red Wagon Books (San Diego, 2007). 14 pp., $10.95.

Carter's animals pop right up out of this large square book, so toddlers will want to keep turning pages. Each animal has a pocket, behind which lies a surprise associated with a shape: a square jack-in-a-box, a diamond-shaped kite, etc. Carter's colorful illustrations and clever designs will give toddlers hours of fun (ages 1-3).

"Four Feet, Two Sandals" by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Doug Chayka. Eerdman's Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007). 32 pp., $17.

Two young refugee girls work out a solution when they each end up with one new sandal from the bag of clothes delivered by a relief agency, and friendship grows out of their new arrangement. Williams and Mohammed's story -- based on Mohammed's experience with Afghan refugees in Pakistan -- approaches the situation in a refugee camp from a very human point of view, touching on some of the routines, problems and sad stories. Chayka's warm acrylic illustrations help reinforce the tale (ages 8-14).

"St. Francis and the Wolf" by Jane Langton, illustrated by Ilse Plume. David R. Godine (Boston, 2007). 32 pp., $16.95.

Langton retells in a very readable fashion the fable of St. Francis of Assisi taming the wolf that was terrorizing the people of Gubbio, Italy. The typeface, which resembles calligraphy, adds to the historical tone of the story. But what makes this book extra special are Plume's colored-pencil illustrations, with extraordinary detail, down to the texture of the cobblestones or a wooden door on a house. Nonreaders will especially enjoy the illustrations, but young readers will also enjoy the recounting of this tale (ages 5-up).

"Great Joy" by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick Press (Cambridge, Mass., 2007). 28 pp., $16.99.

This magnificently illustrated, heartwarming book is a different kind of holiday tale, one that addresses the true meaning of Christmas. When an organ grinder and monkey appear on a nearby corner a week before Christmas, young Frances is full of curiosity about them -- she even wonders where they sleep and what they eat. As Frances' mother prepares the child's angel costume for the church Christmas pageant, Frances discovers the man and monkey sleep on the street. Ibatoulline's large, detailed illustrations are softened around the edges to help give the feeling of older times, when the story occurs. At the end of the book, when Frances announces tidings of great joy in the pageant, her face and eyes shine in the illustration (ages 7-12).

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"Regarding the Bees" by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. Harcourt (Orlando, Fla., 2007). 122 pp., $15.

Klise's latest book in her "Regarding the ..." series is a pun-filled honey of a tale -- and a little easier to follow than some of the previous titles. Seventh-graders at Geyser Creek Middle School in Missouri are abuzz because they must prepare for their Basic Education Evaluations (BEEs). Their story is told in correspondence among classmates, their very special substitute teacher, students at another school and occasional pages from the local newspaper. The story just flies by as students learn to trust their instincts and ask questions (ages 9-12).

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops