Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

Aliso Viejo Library Children's Department's Favorites of 2004

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up cold, wet, and hungry. Simple, spare illustrations support a repetitive text perfect for sharing again and again.
(Ages 2-5)

Math Fables by Greg Tang
A collection of fables that gently relate math concepts to the real world, punctuated by bright, computer-generated illustrations.
(Ages 3-6)

Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson
Exuberant colors support a rhythmic text about expressing one?s self. Hilda the Hippo loves to dance, much to the chagrin of her jungle neighbors. Knitting and singing, among other suggestions, are tried and rejected, and Hilda just keeps dancing.
(Ages 3-7)

Don?t Forget to Come Back! By Robie H. Harris
A young child tries everything to keep her parents at home rather than going out and leaving her with a babysitter; her familiar fear is dealt with humorously and with dignity. Harry Bliss? sophisticated yet simple illustrations will appeal to children and their adults.
(Ages 3-8)

Roger, the Jolly Pirate by Brett Helquist
Roger is a bad pirate, and by that I mean good! Too nice to fight, Roger is sent below deck whenever there?s a battle; but he proves himself in a most unlikely way against a tough enemy. Fun for read alouds, with beautifully colored and detailed illustrations.
(Ages 3-8)

Gross Universe: Your Guide to All Disgusting Things Under the Sun by Jeff Szpirglas
Be the cool aunt or uncle and then get out of the house before the kid in your life starts sharing the disgusting and stomach-turning science connected to the human body. Not for the faint of heart!
(Ages 8-12)

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
Art, math, and mysteries abound. Give with a book of Vermeer?s paintings to encourage a budding connoisseur or a set of pentominoes for the mathematically minded.
(Ages 9-12)

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
Lighter, girlier fare ? 7th grader Emily inconveniently discovers she is half mermaid ? during swim class! Underwater adventure and mystery abound as she searches for the truth about her long-absent father.
(Ages 9-12)

Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing by Paul B. Janeczko
Janeczko offers an enthusiastic look at the history and use of codes, as well as tips for kids on creating and deciphering their own codes.
(Ages 9-12)

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg
In this warm companion to the more serious Silent to the Bone, 12 year old Margaret Rose Kane is rescued from summer camp and, in turn, saves her eccentric great-uncles? extraordinary towers from ?gentrification.?
(Ages 10-14)

Messenger by Lois Lowry
Uniting characters from the modern classic The Giver and Gathering Blue, this companion novel offers both a harsh look at utopia and hope. Serious readers will find much to ponder and discuss.
(Ages 11-14)

The Arthur Trilogy: The Seeing Stone; At the Crossing-Places; King of the Middle March by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Told through the eyes of a young Arthur, this trio of diaries gives a new spin to an old legend.
(Ages 11-14)

Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales edited by Deborah Noyes
These ten horror stories by some of the best in Teen Literature, including M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, and Vivian Vande Velde, blend the supernatural and the super funny in tales that bring traditional gothic motifs to the ?burbs.
(Ages 12 and up)

Pagan Chronicles: Pagan?s Crusade; Pagan in Exile; Pagan?s Vows (Pagan?s Scribe is due out in January) by Catherine Jinks
Wise-cracking Pagan is your guide to 12th century Jerusalem and the Crusades. Intrigue, mystery, and a healthy dose of sarcasm are the tricks of this medieval trade, perfect for teens.
(Ages 12 and up)

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
Caletti weaves a thoughtful and heartwarming story of broken hearts and intergenerational bonds. Through her mother?s book group for seniors, Ruby learns to trust herself and to insist on real love, not a shabby façade.
(Ages 14 and up)