Up in the Tree
Margaret Atwood
Groundwood Books
Ages 3-6, $14.95
Margaret Atwood is known for her novels and poetry for adults, but she has also written six books for children. Up in the Tree,which follows the adventures of two young children living in a tree, was first published in 1978. Atwood illustrated and hand-lettered the type for the original version. Faithfully reissued, the book whimsically celebrates the beauty of trees and the shelter they provide.

All in Just One Cookie
Susan E. Goodman
HarperCollins
Ages 5 and up, $16.99
Milk, eggs, flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips. While everyone knows the simple ingredients in America’s favorite cookie, this book offers a behind-the-scenes peek at where they all come from. Delightful illustrations and clever text show that chocolate chip cookies aren’t as simple as they seem.

Listen!
Stephanie S. Tolan
HarperCollins
Ages 10 and up, $15.99
Every once in awhile, a book comes along that truly touches readers of all ages. Listen! is such a book. Twelve-year-old Charley’s leg is shattered in a car accident. Already suffering from the loss of her mother two years before, Charley is left to heal with a silent father, who only adds to her loneliness. After a few brief excursions into the woods near her home, she finds a young wild dog who seems to have a similar life. Listen! teaches about love, trust, and enduring devotion.

Snow Apples
Mary Russell
Groundwood Books
Ages 14 and up, $15.95
Although Snow Apples was first published in 1984 in Canada, this is its first debut in the United States, which is wonderful news for fans of historical fiction. Toward the end of World War II, 16-year-old Sheila lives an isolated life with her family in a remote area of British Columbia. In addition to facing the unique challenges of wartime, Sheila also has to deal with complexity of a mother-daughter relationship and learn to define herself for others.

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