Chubby puppies, furry kittens, fuzzy chicks, downy ducklings: Gyo Fujikawa's
lovable baby animals will captivate children. They're big (elephants) and small (mice), plump (piglets), and playful (lambs). With each picture, kids learn a little bit about the animal--the sound it makes, how soft it might feel, and what it can do. Plus, they'll discover something else very important: that very young creatures have to be petted, snuggled, and hugged very gently...just like the children themselves.

Originally published in 1885, "A Child's Garden of Verses" has served as a wonderful introduction to poetry for each new generation. Stevenson's beloved poems celebrate childhood in all its complexity and joy, from "The Land of Nod" to the playful, ever-popular "My Shadow." Of the many available editions, Gyo Fujikawa's is one of the sweetest and most personal. Illustrated in 1957, it was her very first book - and she evokes a simpler, more innocent time that should profoundly appeal to today's audiences. It is a gift that every child will treasure.

Pat-a-Cake," "Simple Simon," "Rock-a-bye, Baby: " these and the many other rhymes that make up "Mother Goose" have become almost as much a staple of child-rearing as the rattle and the bottle. Little ones love its mix of lullabies and limericks, humor and sing-song verse, and they learn from it too. Gyo Fujikawa brought her inimitable style to this version, which features a mix of enchanting line drawings and warm color pictures. Adorable mice, led by a duck in uniform, man the boat in "I Saw a Ship a-Sailing." A multicultural group of children circle round "The Mulberry Bush." And "The Three Kittens" have never been cuter. Fujikawa has succeeded in creating a truly magical world for kids to enter.

William Blake, Kate Greenaway and Emily Dickinson are among literatures most beloved writers and all feature in this charming anthology of 200 poems - first published in 1969. Gyo Fujikawa's appealing illustrations help to enhance verses that children will love such as "The Owl and the Pussycat," "The Day is Done," and "Wynken, Blynken and Nod," along with proverbs, limericks, nursery rhymes and folk songs.

"I'm up I'm up ""It's going to be a busy day . . ." What a special treat Gyo Fujikawa has concocted a big, beautiful book that goes from morning till night, completely capturing a child's world along the way. Filled with silly jingles and fun rhymes; imaginative ideas for games; things for a daydreaming child to think about, and gentle little lessons on kindness and friendship, it will hold kids' attention for hours. And, as always, Fujikawa's sweet and appealing art features a diverse group of youngsters and a menagerie of delightful animals.