Children’s Books: Gift Recommendations
By Marie Holmes

Faith’s Journey. By Christine Verney Issac. Advocate House: Sarasota, Florida (2001) $17.95.

Young readers curious about different faiths will enjoy this introduction to some of the world’s religions, in which a mysterious talking cat, Sofus, leads Faith on a magical journey through the spiritual world. As Faith is introduced to the beliefs and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, she discovers that learning leads to tolerance and understanding. Full of important information for all ages, this 112-page chapter book is tailored for readers ages 9-12, or for reading aloud to younger children.

Q is for Quark: A Science Alphabet Book. By David M. Schwartz. Illustrated by Kim Doner. Tricycle Press: Berkeley (2001) $15.95.

How is a black hole formed? What exactly is a quark, anyway? Stimulate young scientific minds with this informative alphabet book, which explains a number of scientific concepts, from Atom to Y chromosome, both in reader-friendly prose and cartoon illustrations. Designed for readers ages 9-12, Q is for Quark can be enjoyed by anyone who wants to learn more about these important scientific concepts.

The Grapes of Math: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles. By Greg Tang. Illustrated by Harry Briggs. Scholastic: New York (2001) $16.95.

A hardcover picture book written in rhyme – and full of math? This innovative text is author Greg Tang’s creative solution to the challenge of helping young children enjoy learning math. Through colorful illustrations and riddles, children are encouraged to find different ways to solve counting problems. Rather than the usual drill workbooks, which students complete in several sittings and don’t return to, the word-problems in The Grapes of Math can be solved again and again using different methods, helping children ages 5-10 acquire the skills needed for higher math through creative thinking rather than rote memorization.

Hide and Seek Birthday Treat. By Linda Jennings. Illustrated by Joanne Partis. Barron’s: Happauge, New York (2001) $12.95.

Whether you know a child with a winter birthday or not, this beautiful picture book makes a nice gift for any preschooler. Brightly-colored, full-page illustrations accompany the story of Leopard’s birthday. As Leopard searches for his friends, children can find Zebra, Lion and others hiding in the book’s pages. Leopard worries that he may have to celebrate his birthday alone, but it seems that his friends have a surprise in store for him. Perfect for reading aloud to very young children; older children can also engage in the “hide and seek” game without an adult’s help .

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All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of the publisher. © 2001.