BOOKSHELF

LITTLE ROCK — Night-Night, Baby!

Text by A.J. Wood and Emily Hawkins graphics by Mike Jolley and Emma Dodd (Silver Dolphin Books, $12.95, ages 6-18 months)

This hefty board book from the Amazing Baby series will appeal to parents who like to read to their babies, and to the babies, too.

Its larger than normal size (about 9 inches square) for a board book will allow tiny tots to hold it themselves, and they'll easily be able to "read" simple graphics of the moon and stars and sleepy babies. There are textures to touch, like the fuzzy belly of a teddy bear and cutouts of stars. Sweet black-and white photos of calm, tired and, finally, sound-asleep babies set the scene for this bedtime precursor. Parents may have to wrest it from their tiny one's grip to get them to bed, or, on second thought, let them fall asleep with it and then take their picture holding this darling little book.

The Ivy and Bean Secret Treasure Box

Annie Barrows, illustrations by Sophie Blackall (Chronicle Books, $19.99, ages 6-10)

This boxed set of the first three Ivy and Bean adventures comes with a secret treasure hiding box disguised to look like a fourth book in the set. It may be hard to keep the treasure box secret with it so boldly announced on the cover, but then again, maybe it's sneaky enough to fool nosy big sisters.

An introduction to Ivy and Bean - a spunky pair of neighbors never intended to be friends -is treasure enough.

Their story begins, "Before Bean met Ivy, she didn't like her." Bean was so sure the new girl on the block, with her pretty dresses and well-tamed curls, never stomped in puddles or broke rocks to find gold. But when Bean's about to get in big trouble, Ivy hides her. Then Bean learns that maybe Ivy's not so nice - she's trying to find a dead frog for an invisibility spell and she wants to be a witch. Once they join forces against Bean's "booger-head" big sister, their friendship is assured, as is the reader's pleasure.

Barrows' narrative is playful, the characters delightfully sassy, and ample and amusing illustrations keep the story moving merrily along. The Ivy and Bean Secret Treasure Box is a welcome introduction to the spunky pair and a perfect gift for youngsters moving up from beginning books.

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

Herman Parish, illustrations by Lynn Avril (Harper Collins, $16.99, ages 4-8)

Fans of the Amelia Bedelia books, about a fun-loving grown-up housekeeper who takes everything literally, should adore this new story that takes readers along with a young Amelia Bedelia on her first day of school.

Author Herman Parish says he was inspired by readers who asked, "Why does Amelia Bedelia take everything literally - did she always act like that?" The answer - we find in Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School - is a resounding "yes."

It begins the moment Amelia arrives at school and meets the woman who teaches gym ("I don't know Jim.") By recess everyone is jumping rope the Amelia Bedelia way by putting it on the ground and jumping over it. And finally her new teacher, inspired by Amelia Bedelia's endless bouncing around during craft time, tells her, "Please glue yourself to your seat." You can imagine what happens next.