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This homage to the writing life gives new meaning to the educational precept known as “language acquisition.” Max’s brother Benjamin collects stamps; his other brother, Karl, collects coins; and Max wants a collection of his own. In a sly dig at reviewers and reviewing, he cuts up a publication that looks — suspiciously — like the New York Times Book Review and collects piles of words in a potpourri of fonts. Words, of course, lead to story … and pretty soon all three brothers are happily engaged in creating a tale about a brown worm, a green snake and a mean crocodile.

Perfect for: Kids who like realism.

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Prunella’s unending knowledge of insects saves her class from disaster. As her classmates celebrate, Prunella presents a show-and-tell surprise, much to the delight of the students.

Perfect for: Kids who like nature.

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Dead center in the fish-eye lens on the cover of this fantastic visual voyage floats another lens centered in the face of an old-fashioned brownie-style box camera. Nary a word is needed to tell the story of a young boy’s trip to the beach, the discovery of a camera washed up by a rogue wave, a trip to the one-hour film developers, a set of mysterious underwater images, and a final photograph showing a child who is holding a picture of a child who is holding a picture of a child who is holding a picture of a child and so on… It’s an intriguing metaphor for looking at history through a progressive series of lenses. A treat from beginning to end.

Perfect for: Kids who like fantasy stories.

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Comic-style pictures and uproarious text keep kids interested. Is it possible for a few words and squiggles to convey both humor and emotion? Presto, chango! Jules Feiffer does the impossible!

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

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This is a cleverly written and delightfully illustrated book that enables children to investigate their fears and anxieties. An easy introduction to discussion about creative problem solving.

Perfect for: Kids who like realism.

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The Apple Pie that Papa Baked is as homey as Grandma’s kitchen, yet it’s modern, rich and even scientific. In simple language that is also poetic and true, Thompson tells the heartwarming story of how the apple pie comes to be, including a quick introduction to the whole ecological web of life. And, as a final loving touch, she adds that the true enjoyment comes in sharing the pie with all the creatures on the farm. With that, the circle is made complete.

Perfect for: Kids who like nature.

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In this book, a word-loving boy spreads the wealth. Parents need to know that there’s nothing to be concerned about and much to be learned in this introduction to the joy of words. Families who read this book could discuss words. What makes some words so much fun? How does knowing a lot of words help? What are some of your favorite words? Together you can also learn the words in the book’s glossary and try using them in everyday life whenever you can. Also, how about starting your own collections of wonderful words?

Perfect for: Budding Scrabble players and kids who laugh at a good pun.

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Frogs. Lots of them. It all starts around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday. Almost totally wordless, Tuesday takes us into a magical, funny and flighty experience. The frogs start their flights of fancy in a three-panel page that shows them sleeping. Then one is surprised by his floating-into-the-air-lily pad, while the rest watch him in delight. A turtle on a log notices something above him. Turn the page, and the frogs are calmly flying by on their magic lily pad carpets! Look for startled fish and harassed birds! The expressions on the frogs’ faces are priceless, and the artwork is bounding with energy. Tuesday won the 1992 Caldecott Medal and was named as an ALA Notable Children’s Book.

Perfect for: Kids who like fantasy stories.

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It’s young Sam’s first snowfall, and he has plenty of questions. Do snow angels sing? Where do snowmen sleep? Luckily for him, his big sister Stella has a seemingly endless supply of imaginative answers. For instance, Sam asks why does breath turn into fog when it’s cold out? Well, according to Stella, that’s because your words freeze and “every word has a different fog shape.” With her quirky outlook and boundless imagination, Stella offers young readers a fun and unconventional take on winter.

Perfect for: Kids with an imagination.

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A great way to learn about all kinds of words, this picture book explains the meaning of 13 words: bird, despondent, cake, dog, busy, convertible, goat, hat, haberdashery, scarlet, baby, panache, and mezzo-soprano.

Perfect for: Inspiring young ‘uns to learn new words.

Find at your local library.