By Charley Harper

This chunky board book introduces youngsters to the ABCs--and to a famous Ohio artist! Parents also will revel in this stunning collection of Harper's animal and nature prints, featuring stark color contrasts and precise lines. The association between the letter and the illustration is very clear, thanks to the simple text--"A is for Ape, B is for Bird"--and makes the book a great teaching tool. Ages 0-4.

Peg Leg Peke

By Brie Spangler

Poor Peke! He's a Pekingese puppy with a broken leg. But that doesn't stop him from having imaginative fun by pretending to be a pirate seeking hidden treasure. Fans of Mo Willems' Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus will enjoy the conversational style of this book and the adorable pup's attempts to take his mind off his boo-boo. Ages 2-6.

Look Out, Suzy Goose

By Petr Horacek

"Honk! Honk! Honk!" The geese are so noisy today and Suzy Goose needs to find some peace and quiet! Off she goes for a walk in the woods, flip flop flip flop. But Suzy Goose is not alone! Vibrant illustrations and lively text create suspense as Suzy Goose walks deeper and deeper into the woods until her adventure concludes with an uproarious "honk!" Ages 2-6.

Hide & Seek: Nature's Best Vanishing Acts

By Andrea Helman; photographs by Gavriel Jecan

The whole family will be intrigued by this book, which takes readers on a game of hide and seek around the world. The incredible photographs give an up-close glimpse of animals, reptiles and insects who survive in the wild by hiding in plain sight, thanks to their amazing camouflaging abilities. Each page tells a fascinating story about many rare animals, like the owl butterfly, whose wing imitates an owl's eye in order to scare off birds of prey. Ages 4-11.

Bad Kitty Needs a Bath

By Nick Bruel

Bad Kitty is back and more mischievous than ever in this hilarious new book for chapter book readers. With a great sense of humor and laugh-out-loud cartoons, Bruel demonstrates the ordeal of giving a kitty a bath--beginning with lesson #1: Cats hate baths. Whether or not you'll ever have to bathe a cat, you won't want to miss the comical drawings, fun facts and pure chaos in this book. Ages 7-12.

Shift

By Jennifer Bradbury

Best friends Chris and Win set out on a cross-country bike trek the summer after they graduate from high school. Along the way Win begins acting strangely and before reaching Seattle, they have a fight and stop riding together. Chris finishes the trip and returns home, shocked to discover that Win is missing. Win's dad and the FBI have questions for Chris, but does he have the answers? Teen.

www.rif.org

The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) website is an interactive place of discovery for all ages, with a focus on literacy. Parents and young children can explore the animated stories, games and action rhymes together. Kids ages 6-15 can enter the Reading Planet to play games, enter contests, create a virtual bookshelf of their favorites, and write reviews. RIF's one-stop shop approach is complete with unique activities for bilingual families as well as parents and teachers.

Reviews by Katie Leonard, Youth Services Library Assistant, Columbus Metropolitan Library