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Believe it or not, 44 complete read-aloud classics and future classics--from Goodnight Moon to Stellaluna--are packed in this remarkably svelte, positively historic anthology Flipping through the 308 pages of The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury is like browsing a photo album of beloved friends and family. The familiar faces of Curious George and Ferdinand the Bull peer earnestly from the pages, and scenes from Madeline and Millions of Cats resonate as if you just experienced them yesterday. Think of the advantages of carrying this book on a vacation instead of a suitcase of single titles! (Your kids can always revisit their dog-eared hardcovers when they get home.)

This impressive collection of concept books, wordless books, picture books, and read-aloud stories was artfully compiled by longtime children's book editor and publisher Janet Schulman. Stories are coded red, blue, and green to designate age groupings from baby/toddler books such as Whose Mouse Are You?, through preschool books such as Where the Wild Things Are, to longer stories for ages 5 and older such as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The reason the book isn't bigger than Babar is because many of the illustrations from each story were reduced or removed to fit the anthology's format. (Leo Lionni's Swimmy, for example, takes up 5 pages total, compared to its original 29 pages.) Brief biographical notes that are surprisingly quirky shine a little light on the 62 authors and illustrators, and an index helps, too, for the child who likes one story best. We love the idea of being within easy reach of a Star-Belly Sneetch, a William Steig donkey, and a Sendak monster at all times, and we're sure your little bookworms will, too. (Click to see a sample spread from The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury, compilation copyright © 1998 by Janet Schulman, illustrations © renewed 1997 by William Steig.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson.
Price: $23.25 [Notify me when price goes down.]

When author Andrea Nguyen's family was airlifted out of Saigon in 1975, one of the few belongings that her mother hurriedly packed for the journey was her small orange notebook of recipes Thirty years later, Nguyen has written her own intimate collection of recipes, INTO THE VIETNAMESE KITCHEN, an ambitious debut cookbook that chronicles the food traditions of her native country. Robustly flavored yet delicate, sophisticated yet simple, the recipes include steamy pho noodle soups infused with the aromas of fresh herbs and lime; rich clay-pot preparations of catfish, chicken, and pork; classic bánh mì sandwiches; and an array of Vietnamese charcuterie. Nguyen helps readers shop for essential ingredients, master core cooking techniques, and prepare and serve satisfying meals, whether for two on a weeknight or 12 on a weekend..
Price: $20.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In My French Kitchen bestselling author Joanne Harris, along with acclaimed food writer Fran Warde, shares her treasured collection of family recipes that has been passed down from generation to generation All the classics are here: Quiche Lorraine, Moules Marinière, Coq au Vin, and Crème Brûlée, plus an entire chapter devoted to French chocolate, including cakes, meringues, and spiced hot chocolate.

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Price: $8.98 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A True Fairy Tale

Cinderella is a great story, but after the last page is turned, little girls can’t look forward to the tale coming true when they grow up. It’s just “for pretend ” Now girls ages four to nine can unveil the reality of their royal calling! His Little Princess shows them that they are not pretend princesses…because God is for real! When a grown-up sits down to read out loud these touching love letters, girls will come to understand and embrace how much they are truly loved and adored by God, the King of kings!

A Daughter of the King

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. And for the one who trusts in God, the Word heralds a most beautiful truth: She is the chosen daughter of the King of all kings. She is a true princess!

Here is a majestic gift for that special young one in your life—personal letters written from her King. Each day a new letter will inspire her to live and act like the radiant princess she is!

Story Behind the Book

“If we can help our daughters learn from a young age that they are God’s chosen princesses, we will help them to win the identity struggles they will face as teens. While we have influence in their lives, we need to deposit in their hearts and minds how much they are loved and how important they are in God’s kingdom. This book will give girls godly confidence that they are chosen by the King of all kings. Read one each day to them and watch them grow into the princesses they are destined to be!”

—Sheri Rose Shepherd.
Price: $7.14 [Notify me when price goes down.]

"I objurgate the centipede,/ A bug we do not really need," writes Ogden Nash. Carl Sandburg hums and strums, while pages later, William Jay Smith compares a toaster to a silver-scaled dragon. And of course A.A. Milne must add his two cents' worth, "tiddely pom, tiddely pom." What a labor of love! Children's poet and anthologist Jack Prelutsky has collected 211 of his favorite poems by 137 poets, representing the best of verse from each decade of the 20th century. "Until this century, most children's poetry was either syrupy sweet or overblown and didactic, and tended to talk down to its readers," Prelutsky writes in his introduction. "Contemporary children's poets have thrown all that condescension and moralizing out the window, and write with today's real child in mind."

What's in this anthology for today's child? Food fights, outer space, animals, noses, monsters, sports, and sibling rivalry. Each of award-winning illustrator Meilo So's spectacular watercolor-splashed spreads reflects a theme: one buggy watercolor romp is surrounded by Deborah Chandra's "Cricket," Walter R. Brooks's "Ants, Although Admirable, Are Awfully Aggravating," and Robert Frost's "Blue-Butterfly Day." Five nocturnal poems nestle into a moonlit cityscape. Four music-related poems, from Bruce Lansky's "My Violin" to X.J. Kennedy's "The Girl Who Makes the Cymbals Bang," burst from So's cacophonous paintings. This excellent collection, a companion to The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury, belongs on every poetry lover's bookshelf. Prelutsky, creator of The New Kid on the Block, The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, and more than 30 other poetry books, has perfect pitch. (Click to see a sample spread. Illustrations copyright 1999 by Meilo So. Permission of Alfred A. Knopf.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson.
Price: $9.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Few people are so beloved by Catholics around the world as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. How else to explain the enduring popularity of Sheen s videos and books nearly 30 years after his death, or that, despite there already being 900 books on St. Thérèse and her spirituality, more and more come out each year? Now, for the first time, Basilica Press has put into written form Archbishop Sheen s compelling words about the Little Flower. Taken from the still-popular talks he gave on her in 1973, the archbishop explains why people from all walks of life and in nearly every country of the world so universally love, invoke, and imitate St. Thérèse, who has been called the greatest saint of modern times. This beautiful hardcover book will be something you and your loved ones will treasure. Even readers familiar with St. Thérèse s life will find their eyes opened to many new insights given by the incomparable Archbishop Sheen..
Price: $12.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Ah, The Shrinking of Treehorn. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! Flat Stanley. Even the beloved, silly The Piggy in the Puddle. Janet Schulman, editor of The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury and longtime children's book editor and publisher extraordinaire, knows how to pick 'em. Here, she has lovingly gathered 26 more best-loved stories in one stout volume. Although You Read to Me & I'll Read to You functions as a companion to her earlier anthology, it is not, as Schulman says in the introduction, more of the same. These stories, from William Steig's Amos and Boris and Daniel Pinkwater's Blue Moose to Freckle Juice by Judy Blume and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, were carefully selected based on their appropriateness for reading aloud. Storylines are more fully developed, with more words and fewer pictures. In short, these stories are just right for children in their first few years of school who can now read--but still love to be read to. This collection of absolute gems, including portions of longer chapter books, is sure to find a permanent, favored spot on young children's bedside tables, long after they've mastered reading skills. An index of titles, authors, and illustrators allows readers to find their all-time favorites--or explore a brand-new (to you) author's work. This excellent, positively historic collection of the crème de la crème of read-aloud stories belongs on every bookshelf. And, though hefty in size, remember that it's just one book to throw in the travel bag! (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter.
Price: $9.50 [Notify me when price goes down.]