My Beastie Book of ABC: Rhymes and Woodcuts by David Frampton (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8

Although it starts with alligator and ends with zebra, this is not like any alphabet book we've ever seen. For one thing, David Frampton's beastie woodcuts are truly fantastic: a blasé-eyed warthog gazes out at the reader; a kangaroo bounces gleefully, pink birthday cake tucked in her pouch; and a speckled and freckled grasshopper leans into someone's drink cup for a little sip.

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The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, Mary Engelbreit (Illustrator)

Clement C. Moore's beloved poem about Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve has been illustrated by hundreds of artists since its first publication in 1823. Two collectors of antique children's books have selected a variety of these charming pictures from Arthur Rackham, Jessie Willcox Smith, Thomas Nast, and other renowned children's illustrators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the images are from versions of the poem; a few are from antique postcards or magazines. Source notes for all the illustrations are included.

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Stories and Poems for Extremely Intelligent Children of All Ages by Harold Bloom (Editor)

Apart from the Extremely Pompous title, and the heavy bent toward masculine authors, this collection of classics by the likes of Tolstoy, Edith Wharton, O. Henry, and Lewis Carroll is vastly impressive. And editor Harold Bloom does, of course, explain his title in the introduction. He believes that all the included authors "make themselves open to authentic readers of any age." Despising most "commercially offered" contemporary children's literature, Bloom offers up the greats: Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Cat," Shakespeare's "The Lion in Winter," Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes," and dozens upon dozens more, organized on a seasonal scheme.

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Here Comes Mother Goose by Iona Archibald Opie (Editor), Rosemary Wells (Illustrator)
Reading level: Baby-Preschool

Ready or not, here she comes! That clever, mischievous, loving matriarch of the nursery knows more verses and ditties than you can shake a stick at. From the familiar "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater" and "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" to the more obscure "I'm Dusty Bill from Vinegar Hill," this lovely, good-humored collection of nursery rhymes is sure to find a place on the shelf of classics.

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Alligator Pie (Collector's Edition) by Dennis Lee, Frank Newfield (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 9-12

"Alligator Pie, alligator pie,
If I don't get some I think I'm gonna die.
Give away the green grass, give away the sky,
But don't give away my alligator pie!"

You savored it as a child. You served it every night to your children. Now it's back-the tasty, delicious nonsense of Alligator Pie, in a collector's edition complete with the original artwork from the classic 1974 edition.

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Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky (Editor), Marc Tolon Brown (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 2-7

Poems about picnics, pretending, and puppies make this book the book to introduce little ones to poetry about the world around them. Jack Prelutsky, one of today's most respected children's poets, has selected more than 200 short poems--old favorites, traditional rhymes, and humorous verses--that will delight young listeners. The poems cover a wide range of experiences in a young child's life, from everyday events to special days to the world of the imagination.

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Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes by Joanna Cole, Alan Tiegreen (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8

How many times can you jump rope? This rhyme makes the game of rope jumping even more fun. It's a counting rhyme, and there are lots of others like it. There are also red-hot pepper rhymes for jumping very fast, and rhymes for jumpingin and out of the rope. There are even fortune-telling rhymes that answer questions and help you predict the future!

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Ook the Book by Lissa Rovetch, Shannon McNeill (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 2-5

Ook the Book seems like it's been around forever, dog-eared from decades of readings and rereadings. It could be the jaunty Seussian rhythms at play, but it has a classic quirkiness all its own--a blend of Calef Brown's Polkabats and Octopus Slacks and the good Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat. With poem titles from "Ug the Bug" to "Eep the Sheep," you can see that the rhyme is not exactly subtle. Therein lies its charm.

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For Children between the ages 4â??8. First published in 1964, Hughesâ?? creation fables await discovery by a new generation in this beautiful edition. From his lyrical introduction, describing the brand new world...

"the flowers jumped up and stared around, astonished. Then...creatures began to appear"

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