Chin and the Magic Stones - L. J. Salazar

If you've ever wondered what your dog is thinking, this may give you a glimpse into your pooch's mind...and an alternate universe. But that's neither here nor there.

Kirkland, Washington resident Chin and his lovable dog Eagle latch onto every adventure they can get in the small city. But when Chin happens upon a glowing stone, his life (and Eagle's) changes. For the better or worse is only Chin's guess, since the stone magically enables Eagle to talk. But there is so much more to it than a dog's chattering about food and...well, more food.

The pair happen upon a world of magic and mayhem, assuming the roles of spirit hunters in this energetic tale. As Chin and Eagle battle dark influences and draw ever closer to defeating the Shadow Lord, the team's tasks become wilder and wilder, extending the realms of their imaginations (which is a difficult task for a ten-year-old). Though short, this first book of the series sets up Chin and Eagle for their next few discoveries, equipped with silver- and gold-tipped arrows and the ability to walk through walls.

And, of course, a talking dog.

Messy Tessy - Leah Orr

Who says you can't both wreck the house and stay out of trouble? Messy Tessy does!

This adorably-illustrated tale of a rather...well...messy kid using an afternoon with her sleepy aunt to have unlimited amounts of fun should hit home with every child and parent...which can be both good or bad, depending on how much havoc the little squirt likes to cause. Even still, everything Tessy does, from getting peas stuck in her curly hair to painting her Aunt Fran's hair with red streaks, are meant in good fun...and can hopefully be cleaned up in time before Mom gets home from the gym!

The illustrations are particularly fun and vibrant with color, beautifully crafted to the story by author Orr's mother, Josephine Lepore. They paint the perfect portrait of a girly girl finding enjoyment in trying on her mother's makeup (and doing it quite well, I might add) and giving her dolls - and herself! - new haircuts. A cute, vivacious tale of adventure and light-hearted mischief...but let's just hope the red paint in Aunt Fran's hair will wash out.

The Turkey's Treat - Marie Sanderlin Metroke

I do believe this is the mother of all cliff-hangers.

The Turkey's Treat follows excited kid Jeff Watson on his short quest to get a Christmas tree and turkey right before Christmas. His parents apparently do things last minute, but they're finally convinced to hunt down a beautiful fir - a rather large one - to adorn their living room during the holidays. On the way home, they stop by the store to purchase a holiday turkey when Jeff spots the live display turkey the store has housed for its giveaway. Despite a warning from his parents and the useful little things on his face called glasses, Jeff ignores the 'DO NOT TOUCH' warning on the sign above the turkey and pets the turkey...resulting in a nastily-bit pinky finger. The turkey climbs hastily over its victim and escapes the wire fencing imprisoning him, resulting in a wild goose...I mean turkey...chase around the store.

The concept is adorable, straight-forward and surely will be an instant love for both kids and their kin. It has several humorous moments, including the ending, which may leave open a spot for a Turkey's Treat 2. It depends on how hungry Jeff gets...

Cookie - Lisa Woomer

You know, my parents always told me for all the macaroni and cheese I ate, I'd eventually turn into one big noodle. Well, take that concept to heart here...

Little Catherine Jenkins loves cookies. Actually, 'love' is too subtle an adjective. 'Worships' probably works better in this case. Cookies are what Catherine, nicknamed Cookie (I'll give you three guesses why), eats for every single meal, as well as dessert and snacks. Her parents are worried, of course, that she's not eating the healthy foods they would prefer her diet consist of, and have even resorted to coating broccoli in icing and sprinkles to tempt her. (An unsuccessful attempt, to note.)

But Catherine begins to get worried when she notices a trail of cookie crumbs constantly marking her trail behind her. She begins to wonder even more when a myriad of animals begin to follow her everywhere she goes. Enough becomes enough when a dog takes a nice big bite out of her leg...which has turned into a cookie! With her parents' help, can Catherine return to normal again?

An adorably written and illustrated story, Cookie can be useful in teaching kids to eat healthier foods...though putting forth the ultimatium that they do that or become a walking cookie is a little strange, in my opinion. But hey, whatever works.

The Inconvenient Adventures of Uncle Chestnut - Paul Nowak

Who said ending up in the wrong city was a mistake?

Every place gives millions of opportunities to learn something new, according to 20th centry writer G. K. Chesterton, a. k. a. "Uncle Chestnut". Many short stories possessing nuggets of common sense and good advice decorate this story in the forms of unintended adventure and subtle humor. Tales such as the boy seeking the giant in the mountains and Uncle Chestnut and young lad Jack's misguided adventures to the seaside are both adorable and clever, providing snippets of insight that even adults should consider closely.

The end of the short read provides a quick term legend and a hilarious quote dictionary, deriving sayings from Chesterton's myriad of works. The author's note concludes the book and very successful attempt at bringing Chesterton's perceptive work to the people of the 21st century.

Viva Cisco - Patrick Shannon

Who knew a parrot could be such an adventurous sport and...well, a pain?

In three tales of attempted stardom, attempted detective work and successful heroism, Topopootl's own Cisco the Parrot keeps his friends on their toes. In the first, he decides to take up flamenco dancing, wrestling and high-altitude flight - none of which work too well with a parrot's wings. The second story, he finds his calling (sort of) in detective work, helping Topopootl find the mysterious thief nabbing its residents' prized possessions. In the third tale, a Topopootl festival in honor of the town's surrounding skunks peaks Cisco's interest, and he sets out to find the festival's origins, ending up with a task much bigger than he expected.

Cisco and his furry (and not so furry) friends are written with great, human-esque personalities, all with great senses of humor and wit. Cisco is funniest of all, reminding the reader of a friend or colleague who is always going out of their way, no matter how goofy they appear to be, to add some adventure and excitement to their life. A joy to read, Viva Cisco will be a laugh-out-loud funny book for anyone who likes a few crazy animals in their stories.

No, Never! - Sally O. Lee

An adorable tale with a great lesson, "No, Never!" follows Daisy the dalmatian as she learns the significance of responsibility and how it'll help her achieve her dreams.

Like almost every kid, Daisy is not happy about doing chores and homework, seeing no benefit in it other than to burden their day and distract from playtime. She consistently declares she will not take a bath (I'm sure resulting in some odor issues), not wash the dishes or eat her veggies, believing that all of these things are just obstacles standing in her way from becoming the world's best author and the next Lance Armdog. But her mother clarifies the importance of her current chores, those of which will teach her the skills and responsibility she will need to achieve those things and so much more. Basically, no one wants a stinky bicycle rider.

The story and illustrations are beyond adorable and extremely colorful, providing entertainment for kids and the adults reading to them. The lesson is even better, and something any generation can learn from. A great addition to the kid's bookshelf.

The Adventures of Snip in Oregon - Betty S. Moir

This pooch is just dog-gone talkative, he is!

Betty S. Moir creatively and adorably tells the numerous tales of the Moir family pet, Snip, including the regular table meals and comfy belly rubs. Each short story tells of another adventure Snip is involved in, including helping rescue one of the family's children, ridding the farm of a pesky raccoon, and critiquing one of the kid's driving. Yes, Moir even gives Snip a voice, and my! does he have a lot to say!

Not a sad tale one exists in the book, accompanied by family photos and adorable illustrations by Yumi V. Vong, which accurately recreate the story and puts a crystal-clear picture in your mind of what's going on. You can easily picture this lovable, happy-go-lucky canine defensively barking at a ready-to-aim skunk or sneaking around the farm in search of squirrel invaders. Snip is the accurate portrayal of at least one family pet in everyone's childhood, the dog (or cat...or fish, if you prefer) that, in unintentional ways, seemed almost human. Being one of those people who has been lucky enough to have two dogs who have been just that way, I found this story adorable, well-written, and a must for all pet-lovers and their kids.

The Sneakiest Pirates/The Heroes of Googly Woogly - Dalton James

In an adorably-illustrated set of tales following Pete and his father James, seven-year-old author and illustrator Dalton James paints a brilliant picture of adventure and fantasy in his two books, The Sneakiest Pirates and The Heroes of Googly Woogly.

In the first, Pete and James set out to sea to find the buried treasure of pirate Peg Leg Chuck and keep it out of the hands of the king. The father-son team quietly snatch the treasure as Peg Leg and the king are demolishing each other's ships; with their newfound wealth, James and Pete decide to leave the sea-faring careers of pirates and become rock stars.

Googly Woogly picks up where Pirates left off, this time following the pair in their desire to become astronauts. With a space refrigerator packed full of sweets, the pair jet off in a spaceship and arrive at Googly Woogly, a rectangular planet home to the SooDos and the SooDonts. In an effort to aid the SooDos, an alien race that helps the sick and unfortunate, Pete and James use their arsenal of gum to trap the SooDonts that are stealing the SooDos' spaceships. When given a trophy (shaped like wads of gum) made out of a mysterious substance (besilium ore), the pair decide to head back to Earth and become scientists to study it.

I may be nineteen years old, but I loved these books and can't wait for the next installment! James explores a world full of opportunities an imagination only as big as Googly Woogly could fathom. An excellent, out-of-this-world read for kids and adults alike.

The Bouncing Boy - ILIA

A boy confused for a bouncing ball helps save a village from a disease of head-grown flowers and sour-puss attitudes. Awkward concept, but it surprisingly works.

ILIA's unique tale of Jack, a full-faced and -bodied kid and victim of quite a jab and insult in his small village, leads the child to a life of glutton after being cast out of his village and into the wilderness beyond. But an old man, witness to the birth of the Sad Situation, a sudden growth of odiferous flowers atop the villagers' heads, seeks the boy's assistance in finding the disease's cure. The unlikely duo head out from the village into the unknown in search of the antidote, encountering many an obstacle along the way. But will their efforts be enough to save the villagers?

There's good moral behind the story, but it seems a little weirdly emphasized. The first few pages are almost dedicated solely to the teasing and insulting poor Jack receives from the villagers, highlighting the cruelness of the villagers and the slim likelihood that Jack would ever put one pinky finger towards helping them. But I guess that is the moral...not do unto others as they do unto you, but rather do unto those with stinky flowers on their heads.

Baron Thinks Dogs Are People Too! - Laurie Dean

What's a puppy to do when he can't find a best friend?

Laurie Dean writes of precocious puppy Baron, a family pet that, despite energetic and rowdy playing and caring from his owners, decided one day to wander into the road. Don't worry, he's okay - he just has to pass obedience school! When he finally makes it home, he finds some of his friends leaving, like Dad, who's in the Air Force, and the neighborhood kids that finished their fun and playing in the snow. Will Baron find the friend he's seeking?

This story is just too cute for its own good. Maybe it's my soft spot for dogs, but the concept is absolutely adorable. Kevin Collier's accompanying artwork just adds to the story, increasing the tale's impact. It's easy to understand and should be present on every dog-loving kiddo's bookshelf.

Too Tall Alice - Barbara Worton

Four inches can seem like four miles to an eight-year-old.

So is the case for Alice, who's had a little bit of a growth spurt and is now four inches taller than her classmates at Cherry Tree School. Like many of a similar age, Alice wishes only to fit in with her buddies and not be able to get a good look of the top of their heads. Her Mom and doctor say she's healthy and fine, but Alice doesn't feel that great. Things are made worse when, while in her bedroom, Alice overhears conversation between her neighbors and parents, who speak of their daughter's vertical advantage. When Alice falls asleep at last, she dreams of a place where only tall girls reside, girls with futures in basketball, modeling and the circus. Will Alice ever feel comfortable with her height?

Worton's writing is very fluid and light, but Alice's unsure sentiments are evident and strong. Its message of self-esteem even in times of difference or awkwardness is pure and influential, surely to help kids (and maybe even a few adults!) with issues of self-image. To be noted also is illustrator Dom Rodi's whimsical sketches and images accompanying the book, mixing various elements to create a crowded, yet thought-provoking tale.

Lady Flatterley - Linda Wagner

Who knew a caterpillar could be so self-conscious?

In this adorable, well-illustrated tale, Wagner's yellow jacket caterpillar Lady Flatterley longs for the wings that many a friend and passerby ride the winds on, but is a bit afraid of leaving the safety of her leafy nest and unaware of what to do to obtain her own wings. A knowledgeable butterfly informs her of the wonder of the cocoon, and soon, though not without trouble, Flatterley bears a pair of wings all her own.

The colorful, whimsical illustrations by Pearl Ollie add a child-like grace to the fluent rhymes, while photographer Jerry Hanzl's cloudy backdrops add an undeniably beautiful canvas for the story. Further, Ollie's additions of emotional expression to each present creature, whether fish or flyer, had relatable, human-like qualities to otherwise strange, placid nature-dwellers. 

An excellent read for the children of youth and the children of heart.

The Ark, the Reed, & The Fire Cloud - Jenny L. Cote

Even a non-religious person like myself can appreciate the beauty of this wonderful read.

Max, a Scottish terrier, and Liz, a beautiful black cat, are called from their individual homes to lead an ever-growing group of animals to Noah's recently-finished Ark. Along the way are many obstacles that, with a little help from the Maker and his trail-blazing fire cloud, the slew of furry creatures successfully cross. But once they board the ark and settle in, a controversy starts to brew. Are the reclusive wolves causing all the chaos that is slowly severing the friendly ties between the animals and the humans? If not them, who could be responsible for such a task? It's up to the brave and intelligent pairing of Max and Liz to find out before it's too late. 

This book had me flipping through chapter after chapter, anxiously following the creatures from distant and nearby lands to the Ark. Each character, no matter how big a part, has their own personality that shines through, providing humorous relief or a jaw-dropping twist to the story. Cote flawlessly links the details of the trip with the recordings of the Bible. The closing of the adventure is beautiful and tear-inducing. An amazing literary work. 

Scarecrow Finds a Friend - Blume J. Rifken

To have straw for brains, this scarecrow is one smart cookie.

Blume J. Rifken's crop protector finds himself in a hefty predicament when Tally the friendly witch exhausts her power to grant the scarecrow his wish of trick-or-treating with his family's children, Seth, Sue and Holly. To help her out, the scarecrow devises a plan to get a wish of her own granted with the help of a wishbone...that's in the farmhouse across the field. To retrieve the bone, scarecrow has Tally relieve him of some of his straw so the kids will take him inside to restuff him. Though their sneak-and-snatch trick initially seems unsuccessful, the book takes a twist and ends on a happy note.

The story is adorable, but different, not like many fantasy stories that have a reiterative, straight-forward concept and lesson hidden in its depths. Here, the concept of sharing and helping one another is prevalent right from the beginning, so the suspense of the tale allows the reader to derive more from the words and images than just a life lecture. The illustrations, done by Carl W. Wenzel, are exceptional, painting the exact picture the words portray. A beautiful story, perfect for the youngster in your life.

Little Bit & Big Byte: A Day at the Beach - Craig T. Feigh

Who knew computer chips could be so cute?

Craig T. Feigh's venture into authoring a computer-related children's book is a quite a gem, incorporating simple computer knowledge of cursors, the Internet, browsers, and viruses to tell of Little Bit and Big Byte's story of losing their dog and wave-surfing with a filthy-looking floppy disk.

The concept is extremely unique for a children's book, making it all the more interesting, even to a "seasoned" reader such as myself (at 18 years old). Yes, I actually quite enjoyed the book, and even preoccupied myself with finding the hidden bones in the illustrations, created by Patrick Carlson, found on each page. True, I am easily entertained, but that's not the point.

Kiddies who are showing an infinity for a keyboard can learn simple computer concepts from this book, including the incorporation of Webster's dictionary (who likes building sandcastles of book-shaped dinosaurs), the game joystick (Big Byte and Little Bit's younger sister), the aforementioned keyboard (a friend Big Byte has a massive crush on), and the mouse cursor (pet dog with a head shaped like a mouse's pointer arrow), just to name a few. Instead of the same old 'see-spot-run' tales, Feigh's delightful anecdote adds a fresh twist to a usually consistent genre.

However, I do wish the floppy disk crab had his own storyline. I just wanted to hug him to 'bits'!

Fiscal Pear and Shimmer in the Call of the River Whale - Olivia Brooks-Scrivanich

It's seriously a hard-knock life for a pear.

Poor little Fiscal Pear gets tangled up in a wild web of confusion in this adventurous tale of heroes and villains. Starring a motley cast of unusual characters and unlikely saviors, the story finds the fruit in a crosshairs of a scissor-happy fiend who wishes to enhance the business of the Bakery of Pears by using the little guy as a walking, talking attraction (as opposed to an integral ingredient in a delicious pie). But his lightning bug buddy Shimmer, along with several other odd land-dwellers, are bound and determined to keep him out of their foes' grasp, no matter what it takes.

Brooks-Scrivanich's simple, straight-forward writing makes this quick read ideal for youngsters who are refining their reading skills. Though the detail of some characters and settings are lacking, most of the story can be pictured immaculately by the reader as the chaos progresses. But, as most stories go, there is a happy ending for our heroes, delivering a valuable lesson in friendship and trust.

The Rabbit and the Snowman - Sally O. Lee

Who would've thought a bunny and balls of snow could get along so well?

In Sally O. Lee's delightful children's story, a rabbit discovers the long-abandoned snow creation of a group of children and quickly befriends the stocking-capped, coal-smiled figure. But when the seasons change and his friend is no longer there to welcome him in the lonely field, the bunny feels the loss of his stick-fingered pal. But as winter comes back around and the snowman is assembled once more, the two are reunited among the trees of the white-blanketed field.

The book is crammed with pleasingly colorful illustrations from the author, and they assist the story better than would images with fewer details and visual adornments. The pencil sketchiness of the pictures also provide a complementary kiddish feel to the book. The story is told in straight-forward grammar, but is delightfully (and ironically) warm, cozy and inviting, giving the fuzzies to readers of all ages.