Never bug a bear, by Carol mcTavish

Canmore author and teacher Carol McTavish continues her mission to educate kids and adults to respect animal habitat in Never Bug a Bear, her fourth book. Like her previous books In the Path of Great Bear, Magic in the Mountains and Where Wolves are Wild, this latest children's book celebrates the mountain environment and the animals that live there. Each page takes the reader on a tour of a different animal habitat, providing facts and details on everything from food sources to sleeping patterns. Humphrey the "tourist" bug is the book's narrator, popping up on each page (and providing an interactive tool as readers are asked to "spot" him in the animal's habitat). The illustrations are beautiful, and clever verses keep the lessons lighthearted.

Ages: four to eight

Oceanology:a True account of the Voyage of Nautilus, by Ferdinand Zoticus delessups

Got an inquisitive kid's birthday coming up? Check out Oceanology, a hefty tome that's packed full of folded notes, maps, illustrations and gimmicks that make it appear to be an original "sea-stained notebook documenting an extraordinary undersea journey"--specifically, the journey that inspired the fictional work 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. The premise? A 16-year-old assistant travelled on board the narwhal-shaped submarine in 1863, and he documented the journey in great detail. The result? A fascinating study of everything from shipwrecks to ice canyons, giant squid to underwater volcanoes, and even the lost city of Atlantis. The lavish illustrations and quirky details make this an irresistible read.

Ages: eight and up

Night-Night, little Pookie, written and illustrated by Sandra boynton

When it's time to cuddle up with toddlers and books, you'd be hard-pressed for a better companion than the latest Sandra Boynton book. In Night-Night, Little Pookie, the always charming Boynton turns her talents to the bedtime routine of a sweet little pig, and the story mimics his cosy bedtime ritual. There's a game of hide and seek, there are the usual teeth brushing and face washing and tucking in, and there are delightful rhymes on every page that inspire a bedtime routine of your own.

"Good night, Pookie ears. Good night, Pookie nose. Good night, Pookie eyes that are ready to close."

It's a book that keeps little ones smiling, and makes parents feel lucky to have a toddler to tuck in.

Ages: two to six

brothers, by michael mazo

Julius the elder is Top Dog. He must work tirelessly to maintain his status. William the Upstart is the little brother. He has much to learn.

Thus begins the story of two brothers. Sure, they're dogs, and their battles happen to be over bones in the backyard, tennis balls in the park, and just how one should drink from the toilet bowl. But the themes are universal. There is the matter of mealtime manners. "William . . . goes berserk the second he hears the clink of tin on counter-top. Despite my fine example, William is certain he must steal his food to eat it." It's enough to make a big brother hint that his sibling may have been left on the doorstep . . . "a foundling of--ahem --poor breeding." This is a book that will have any adult laughing along with the kids. Especially if they have a little brother or sister.

Ages: four to eight