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Ages 4–8
 A WISH FOR ELVES by Mark Gonyea
Henry Holt, $12.99 (ages 4–8)
Ho, Ho, Ho – Where did Santa's elves go? The holiday season can be stressful, even for a kid. But when one boy makes a wish for a little holiday help, he gets more than he bargained for! Kinda leaves Santa in a bind, but what's a kid to do? Bold, op art illustrations and a decidedly quirky sense of humor make this great fun for everyone!
 THE SILLY BOOK by Stoo Hample
Candlewick Press, $16.99 (with CD!) (Ages 4-8)
By overwhelming popular demand, Stoo Hample's 1961 classic now features a reissue of the recording that inspired a generation of gigglers. There are songy sills (oops!)– silly songs, silly stories, silly poems, silly secrets, silly things to do, a silly good-night, and even silly nothings. First published almost fifty years ago, when it became an uproariously silly success, THE SILLY BOOK is guaranteed to cause children (and nostalgic adults) to giggle like gigglecopters, roll on the floor, and cheer "Boodleheimer, Boodleheimer" (CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!).
 MONSTERS EAT WHINY CHILDREN by Bruce Eric Kaplan
Simon & Schuster, $15.99 (ages 4–8) (signed first edition)
This cautionary tale about whiny children being eaten by monsters is upended when the monsters cannot decide how best to prepare their meal. A whiny child salad doesn't work because there's paprika in the dressing. A whiny child cake won't do because the flour spills all over the floor. Whiny child burgers are out of the question because the grill is too hard to light. When the persnickety monsters finally decide that whiny child cucumber sandwiches are the perfect solution, their whiny children have escaped. At least the children have learned their lesson – for now.
 IT'S CHRISTMAS, DAVID! by David Shannon
Blue Sky Press, $16.99 (ages 4–8)
Readers of all ages will vividly remember trying to peek at hidden gift packages; writing scrolls of wish lists to Santa; and struggling to behave at formal Christmas dinner parties. Always in the background, we know Santa Claus is watching, soon to decide if David deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, here are common Christmas activities – but with David's naughty trimmings.
 IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME: Slide and Play Board Book by Salina Yoon
Scholastic, $9.99 (ages 4–8)
Christmas is coming and it's time to celebrate! Use the six play pieces to dress up snowmen, decorated Christmas "cookies" and even light up the Christmas tree with sparkling foil colors. A sturdy board book sure to entertain busy little fingers!
Ages 8–12
 MOVIE MAKER: The Ultimate Guide to Making Films
Candlewick Press, $19.99 (ages 9–12)
Action! Open the working clapper board to find everything an aspiring filmmaker needs to make a cool movie using a digital camera or cell phone. Do you know the difference between a close-up and a mid shot? What does a camera's point of view have to do with telling a story? From gathering simple equipment to outlining a script, from choosing a location to mastering the art of lighting and directing with finesse, MOVIE MAKER offers expert guidance to help kids create short dramas, comedies, documentaries, and even animations. Its special features include: a working clapper–board/chalkboard; a 48–page, illustrated director's handbook; a fill–in storyboard; a CD of sound effects; costuming and props such as push–out mustaches and tattoo stickers; animation aids, including a push–out studio set and characters; premiere night essentials: push–out tickets, a poster template, and more! (extra shipping due to size)
 THREE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORIES by James Donnelly; drawings by Edward Gorey
Pomegranate, $17.95 (ages 9–12)
Three timeless favorites – Little Red Riding Hood, Jack the Giant–Killer, and Rumpelstiltskin – come together in this enchanting collection of read–aloud fun. Illustrated in charming detail by Edward Gorey and retold with engaging wit by James Donnelly, these unique renditions offer a fresh take on age–old tales. What happens when Little Red Riding Hood ignores her mother's advice to 'Keep yourself to yourself'? How will young Jack fight the Giant who gobbles children by the fistful? And how will Queen Omoline save her baby from the devious Rumpelstiltskin? Gorey's expressive and often macabre drawings and Donnelly's breezy text prove that good stories never grow old: rather, the tales in Three Classic Children's Stories are better than ever.
Ages 12 and Up (Young Adult)
 Morganville Vampires #9: GHOST TOWN by Rachel Caine
New American Library, $17.99 (ages young adult, 12 or 14 and up) (signed first edition with special edition bookmark)
While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re–establish the field around this vampire–infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders. But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are – even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full–on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment – before she forgets how to save Morganville.
 MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press, $17.99 (ages 12 and up)
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.
Also, a special item:
 THE HUNGER GAMES JOURNAL
NECA, $12.00
This blank journal is sure to inspire your own adventures!
 REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly
Delacorte, $18.99 (unsigned first edition) (ages 14 and up)
Linda predicts: This is the book everyone will be reading over holiday break! In present–day Brooklyn, Andi Alpers is on the edge. She's angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. And she's about to be expelled from private school when her father intervenes and takes her off to Paris for winter break. In Paris, 200 years ago, Alexandrine Paradis dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn't want – and couldn't escape. Two girls, two centuries apart. But when Andi finds Alexandrine's diary, she is moved to the point of obsession. There's comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal's antique pages – until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine's words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.
 BEHEMOTH by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse, $18.99 (ages 12 and up)
In this sequel to LEVIATHAN, the behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead. We also have copies of Leviathan in trade paperback ($9.99). Because of this book's weight, extra shipping charges will apply.
 LEVIATHAN, by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse, $9.99, (trade paperback) (ages 12 and up)
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