By Felicia D. Pinkney
Curl up with your kids and these cute books:
Sir Reginald’s Logbook, by Matt Hammill. Sir Reginald has a wild imagination. The armchair explorer takes readers on a journey through his jungle of a living room to find the Lost Tablet of Illusion, which turns out to be something quite unexpected. (Kids Can Press) For ages 4-6
Naming Liberty, by Jane Yolen. As 7-year-old Gitl emigrates with her family from Russia to America, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a young French artist, dreams of building a monument to honor freedom. Readers get two history lessons in one here: a behind-the-scenes look at an immigrant’s journey, and some insight about how the Statue of Liberty came to be. (Philomel Books) For ages 6-8
Sea Queens: Women Pirates Around the World, by Jane Yolen. Some of the greatest pirates ever known were women? Who knew? From Artemisia to Jeanne de Belleville to Madame Ching, Yolen gives a swashbuckling account of 12 ladies who took charge in what is typically a man’s domain. (Charlesbridge) For ages 8 and older
Gotcha! 18 Amazing Ways to Freak Out Your Friends, by David Acer. Doubting Dave and his team of Mystery Hunters have a few tricks up their sleeves, and they want to show young readers how to impress their friends. For instance, they’ll learn how to make Bigfoot prints, UFO photos, crop circles and more. Or, try the experiments on hypnosis, spoon bending and ESP. (Kids Can Press)) For ages 8 and older