Lively Picture Books Bring Enjoyment to a Kid's Library

Vibrant new picture books add go-to appeal to any young child's bookshelf. Need a fabulous gift that keeps on giving? These zesty tales add oomph, humor and kid-friendly fun.

"The Retired Kid" by Jon Agee; Hyperion Books for Children; 32 pages; $16.99.

Disgruntled kid Brian has had it with violin lessons, walking his dog and school. So, he decides to retire and flies off to the Happy Sunset Retirement Community in Florida, where he plays golf and cards with friendly people named Ethyl, Harvey and Myrtle. Soon, though, Brian finds its not so fun going to knitting class and drinking prune juice smoothies. Brian follows Harvey's advice to think back to the good old days, of soccer playing and playing ball with Sparky. After returning home, with a fresh outlook on childhood and happy greetings from his parents and teachers, Brian realizes he's lucky to be a kid.

Agee's fantastic cartoonlike illustrations capture th-e hues of Florida's retirement communities perfectly. He also makes old age and childhood both look fantastically appealing, but adeptly reminds kids (and seniors) to enjoy the here and now.

"Mimi" by Carol Baicker-McKee; Bloomsbury Books; 32 pages; $15.95.

Move over Olivia, little girls have a new toddler heroine to love. Pink piggy Mimi plays with her stuffed bunny and her roly-poly bug Frank, until she discovers Frank missing. Still, Mimi manages to slide down the slide at the park, dance and sing at library school and blow bubbles when she wakes up angry. Subtle hilarity fills the sherbet-colored collaged pages, from when Mimi realizes she forgot to wear underpants to her love of "belly zerberts."

Happily, Frank shows up at bedtime, as Daddy and Mommy sing the moon song and Mimi, Bunny and Frank curl up snug and cozy.

Baicker-McKee's soft three-dimensional artwork looks appealingly tactile; it will have preschoolers giggling and trying to touch Mimi and friends.

"Giant Meatball" by Robert Weinstock; illustrated by Harcourt Children's Books; 32 pages; $16.

A giant, selfish pink meatball rolls throughout a township every day, with no regard for anyone's feelings but his own. With funny buckteeth and little arms and legs, the meatball squashes raspberry fields, interrupts sheep from grazing and sends "puddles and hats and poodles and cats flying in his wake." Finally, the townspeople and mayor have had it and call a meeting. What punishment does the meatball incur? Ending up on a silver platter as the menu du jour.

Interestingly unique and quirky, "Giant Meatball" is a subtle lesson in inhumanity — and may get tots to slow down and think before they act rude or selfish. But mostly, it's a fun little tale youngsters, especially boys, will love.

"Peg Leg Peke" by Brie Spangler; Alfred A. Knopf; 32 pages; $15.95.

Peke, a Pekingnese dog, has a "boo-boo," a broken leg. But when an "off-camera" voice encourages Peke to dress up as a pirate and use his leg as a peg leg, Peke's imagination takes off. Though his leg bothers him from time to time, the narrator keeps reminding Peke of other ways to be creative in order to make himself feel better. He dons an eye patch, pretends to sail for treasure and, eventually, finds his comforting blankie in the treasure box.

Sparse, clean illustrations and reminders of the powers of imagination make "Peg Leg Peke" a super book about refusing to let "boo-boos" get you down. It's also a gentle, amusing tale for tot pirate fans.

"Gobble It Up! A Fun Song About Eating!" by Jim Arnosky; Scholastic Press; 32 pages; $16.99.

It's suppertime in the wild, and the animals are hungry. Renowned wildlife artist and folk musician Arnosky pens a catchy, rhyming read-aloud about animals' appetites — it includes a zippy CD so kids can sing along with the book.

"If a great whale you could be, you'd dive to the bottom of the deep blue sea. You'd pick a fight with the biggest kid, and gobble you up a giant squid. Yes, you would. Yes, you would. You'd eat that squid up if you could. Yes, you would. Yes, you would. You'd gobble it up and it'd taste good," sings the lively lyrics.

Arnosky's lifelike but friendly artwork is astonishing, making "Gobble It Up!" a great choice for story hour.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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