The Kissing Hand
By Audrey Penn
(Tanglewood Press, $17, amazon.com)
Good for: Reassuring your child that you’re thinking of him when he heads off to school that first day―and giving him a trick (placing his mom-kissed palm to his cheek) for times he misses you.
How to Be a Baby ... by Me, the Big Sister
(Random House Children’s Books, $16, bn.com)
Good for: Previewing the feeding, diapering, crying, and cooing that come with a new baby―and just how special it is to be the older (wiser!) sibling.
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
By Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $8, amazon.com)
Good for: Explaining why someone dies, the rituals that might take place, and pretty much everything else there is to know about death.
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, $16, bn.com)
Good for: Helping children focus on the happy times with their deceased pets and teaching them that everyone has a different idea of heaven.
Sam Is Not a Loser
By Thierry Robberecht
(Clarion Books, $12, amazon.com)
Good for: Teaching sportsmanship in different game situations and showing kids that playing and not winning is more fun than never playing at all.
The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter
By Stan and Jan Berenstain
(Random House Children’s Books, $4, amazon.com)
Good for: Revealing just how much fun a night with a new baby-sitter can be, even if she seems really scary at first.
