Denise Fleming brings her trademark textured paintings and sense of wonder to The First Day of Winter (Henry Holt, 2005, ages 2 to 6, $17.95). The acclaimed author/illustrator whimsically adapts the cumulative pattern of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" to the crafting of a snowman. The snowman's "best friend" (a little boy) starts with "a red cap with a gold snap," adds "2 bright blue mittens" and finishes with "8 orange berries" for a mouth, "9 big black buttons" and "10 salty peanuts" for toes. Fleming further enlivens the wintry scene with curious wild creatures — squirrel, doe, field mice and birds — who crowd round to explore the "5 bird seed pockets" or perch on twig arms. Fleming crowns the child's snowy accomplishment with a big surprise. After the boy has waved good-bye, a series of wordless double-page spreads show the animals watching as the snowman lifts his peanut toes and dances across the white stuff to greet a snow buddy in a green top hat. A magical ending to a magical book.

Fine-feathered friends romp through the wintry chill in Duck Skates (Henry Holt, 2005, ages 2 to 6, $17.95). In rollicking verse, author Lynne Berry follows the snowy antics of five ducklings as they pull on boots, stumble across the ice, toss snowballs and finally, back indoors, sip cocoa and curl up to sleep. Preschoolers will love the lively rhymed couplets and the many opportunities to practice emerging counting skills: "Five little ducks land deep in snow/Three ducks duck when the first two THROW!" Hiroe Nakata's warm-hued palette casts a rosy glow on the playful friends. Kids will have a great time searching for the red bird and the bunnies that peek out from trees and bushes.

In Ice Bear (Candlewick, 2005, ages 3 to 8, $16.99), zoologist/author Nicola Davies follows one creature who dwells deep in the frozen north. Through lyrical prose and deft descriptions, Davies helps young readers visualize the size and fierce majesty of the polar bear. Its layer of warmth-giving fat is "four fingers deep," a "single paw would fill [a] page" and a newborn cub is as tiny "as a guinea pig." Gary Blythe does a wonderful job of rendering bear and Arctic environment in oil-and-pencil paintings. A white bear against a white background may not seem to offer much visually. But Blythe's array of cool colors beautifully capture the furry texture of the bear, the bluish tone of the sleek ice, the star-dappled midnight sky and the fluid, dark sapphire of the sea.

Those craving color when the sky turns gray should plunge into Dreamer from the Village (Henry Holt, 2005, ages 6 to 10, $16.95). Brimming with anecdotes, this picture book biography by Michelle Markel traces the life of Marc Chagall, the Russian painter renowned for his lively scenes of peasants, Jewish rituals and soaring homes and animals. Young readers learn how Chagall had to struggle against his family's disapproval and the rigid training of art school to paint what was in his heart. He didn't want to "draw neat copies of plaster statues" or paint with "the color of tobacco stains." "Jewel-green men," "see-through cows," "air shattered into windowpanes of color" — these were the stuff of his art. Emily Lisker's vivid acrylics draw inspiration from Chagall's own art — a fitting tribute to the artist's sense of color, subject matter and style.

When the cold winds howl, cozy up with your kids and A Family of Poems (Hyperion, 2005, ages 3 and up, $19.95). Editor Caroline Kennedy clearly understands children's delight in image and sound and doesn't shy away from challenging poems that can be savored by readers of all ages. The result is a rich compendium, with verse by masters such as William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Bishop, Walt Whitman and Christina Rosetti, along with a liberal sprinkling of work by Richard Wilbur, Nikki Giovanni and other contemporary wordsmiths. The organization by topic — "About Me," "That's So Silly," "Animals," "The Seasons," "The Seashore," "Adventure" and "Bedtime" — allows kids to read right through or dip into the volume at will. Watercolors by Jon Muth beautifully evoke the mood and images of the poems. Be sure to check out the umbrella-dancing girl that accompanies Langston Hughes's joyous "April Rain Song" and the mysterious orb that illuminates "The Moon" by Jorge Luis Borges.

Budding poets will relish Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme (Knopf, 2005, ages 7 to 12, $16.95). Editor Jack Prelutsky serves up verse by the acclaimed likes of Ogden Nash, Dr. Seuss and Douglas Florian and then offers writing exercises to jump start the muse. The kid-friendly subjects — animals, birthdays, feelings, snow — are sure to engage even the most resistant, especially when Meilo So's watercolors strike such a cheery note. This volume may well inspire verse by the whole family. You might even set aside a special time when family members can read, perform and write their own poetry. Put out a bowl of round, blue fruit, read "Eating Blueberries" and see what artistry emerges!

Kids curious about creative writing will embrace guides by Janie B. Cheaney. Both Wordsmith Apprentice (Common Sense Press, 1995, ages 9 to 12, $16) for grades 4 to 6 and Wordsmith (Common Sense Press, 2003, ages 13 to 15, $16) for grades 7 to 9 are self-directed programs that allow kids to hone writing skills at their own pace. With exercises on organizing and reporting, as well as using modifiers, developing dialogue and structuring sentences, Cheaney helps kids learn the art and craft of writing. Children's author Cheaney developed these guides while homeschooling her own children, so they have lots of practical application to the classroom and homeschooling environment, as well as being handy for an individual child. Kids will appreciate the humorous and imaginative approach, which includes experiments in point of view and strategies for overcoming writer's block.

A chilly day calls for a cup of hot tea and a good mystery, especially if it features the secret story behind America's favorite female detective. Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her (Harcourt, 2005, ages 12 and up, $27) will appeal to all those teens and adults who avidly followed Nancy's adventures in their elementary-school years. Author Melanie Rehak probes beneath the fictive Nancy and her equally fictive author Carolyn Keene (both the brainchild of Edward Stratemeyer, creator of the Hardy Boys), to reveal the two spunky women who helped give the character her strong personality. With more than 80 million books sold, Nancy remains as popular today as in her 1930 debut, The Secret of the Old Clock. Why? Rehak explores how Nancy has changed with the times without sacrificing her independence and integrity. Forget scholarly tome, this book is a real page turner!

Mary Quattlebaum is a mother and the author most recently of Winter Friends (Doubleday), a picture book of poems. You can contact her at www.maryquattlebaum.com, which has information on her 13 award-winning children's books and author presentations in schools.

This article is referenced from: http://washingtonparent.com