Random House/Knopf

Children's Bookwatch, Oct, 2004

Random House/Knopf

1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019

www.randomhouse.com/kids

Four new arrivals are recommended picks for discriminating libraries seeking something different. A sampler of Raffi songs are included with his book This Little Light Of Mine (0375828710, $15.95), which receives Stacey Schuett's warm colorful drawings as it tells of a school play where kids of all ages pull together to put on a production. Add a very simple text and you have a celebration of beginning drama. Noah Woods writes and illustrates his Tom Cat (0375824979, $14.95), which holds very simple yet appealing drawings and tells of a cat who likes to make all kinds of noises. A charming story of a cat who doesn't quite fit in with the crowd, but who learns his own style can be appealing. Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds' Harry And The Dinosaurs Make A Christmas Wish (037583111-8, $15.95) affords plenty of time for holiday ordering and is not to be missed: when Harry and the dinos visit Mr. Oakley's farm, they fall in love with baby ducklings and want to take one home--but it's not to be. Summer passes and they find no duckling under the tree--but something almost as good! Kids will discover a new affinity for poetry with Charles Edward Carryl's The Camel's Lament (0375814264, $16.95), an exceptional presentation paired with simply gorgeous drawings by Charles Santore. Carryl was a master of nonsense verse around the turn of the century: Santore's award-winning drawings bring this simple poem to life and invite even non-rhyme kids to appreciate.Wild About Books by Judy Sierra (037582538X, $16.95) pairs pictures by Marc Brown with the zany story of a librarian who drives her bookmobile into a zoo--introducing the birds and beasts to reading. Librarian Molly has something for even the wildest animal in this appealing celebration of literacy. Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Max For President (0375824286, $15.95) tells of a young boy--and a young girl--who vie for the position of President. There can only be one President: so who gets the vote? A fun story of kids who have to decide on class elections.