Wrapping paper-worthy reads

'Tis the season to string up lights and let the wrapping of books begin!

HANUKKAH LIGHTS. By David Martin. Candlewick. Ages 1-3. $5.99.

MY CHANUKAH PLAYBOOK. By Salina Yoon. Simon & Schuster. Ages 4-6. $10.99.

Both books introduce the lighting of candles and the significance behind them. My Chanukah Playbook is a colorful, interactive book. Young readers are invited to pull out a tray of golden coins from the cover and insert them in various places. The coins become the shields as Jewish Maccabees fight against a larger army for the glory of God. The gold circles become the center of latkes. They serve as gelt, or money, inserted into the tzedekah box. And finally, the coins become the light in the menorah.

Hanukkah Lights is a nice way for the youngest of preschoolers to enjoy a board book about Hanukkah, which begins Dec. 11.

Give books this holiday season ...

... For Star Wars Lovers:

DRAW STAR WARS: The Clone Wars. By the editors of Klutz & Bonnie Burton. Klutz. Ages 8 and up. 92 pages. $16.95.

LEGO STAR WARS: The Visual Dictionary. By Simon Beecroft. DK Publishing. Ages 7 and up. 96 pages. $21.99.

Fans of the Star Wars movies should be on the lookout for these books. The first teaches readers how to draw their favorite characters, such as Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Step-by-step instructions teach budding artists how to nail the tricky characters. Learn about whom you've drawn in DK's Star Wars dictionary, a must for collectors and Lego builders. Included is an exclusive Lego minifigure of Luke Skywalker.

The dictionary is sprinkled with "Brick Facts," assorted trivia about Star Wars Lego history.

... For Cartoon Readers:

THE MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the Marvel Universe. Marvel. DK Publishing. Ages 10 and up. 400 pages. $40.

Wow! All 400 pages of this bright, colorful encyclopedia are packed with different Marvel characters. Thousands of heroes and villains line the pages, with a brief history of each one. Any character that has ever appeared in a Marvel comic has its space. Seventy years of Marvel Comics are chronicled alphabetically in this book, making it a treasure for several generations to enjoy together.

Wrap up with some current comic books (great tools to get reluctant readers -- especially boys -- hooked).

... For the Aspiring Writer:

TODAY I WILL: A Year of Quotes, Notes and Promises to Myself. By Eileen & Jerry Spinelli. Random House. Ages 8 and up. 370 pages. $15.99.

Writers must, must, must read to become adept, a fact evident in writing classrooms across America. Treasured authors and husband-and-wife Eileen and Jerry Spinelli have teamed up for the first time in their illustrious careers to create this one-a-day literary inspirational book.

Each day's page begins with a quote from a work of children's literature, some well-known and others worth investigating, followed by a couple of paragraphs designed to get readers thinking. Great for the classroom or bedside table.

MY [NOT-SO] PERFECT LIFE ... A Fill-in-the-Blanks Journal. By Karen Phillips. Klutz. Ages 8 and up. $16.95.

A pink sparkly pencil accompanies this girl-centric journal. Perfect for recording great days and those days no girl wants to repeat, this journal reflects the modern tween's lifestyle, dreams and life in 2010.

From fashion to rule-making to autobiographical details, this journal, when finished, will provide a treasured keepsake to recall what it was like growing up. Several versions of this type of book exist; we think this is one of the best.

... For the Animal Lover:

CAT. By Matthew Van Fleet. Photography by Brian Stanton. Simon & Shuster. Ages 2 and up. $16.99.

Future vets, put Cat on your wish list! Every breed imaginable is featured in this interactive book. Flaps, fur, pulls and more keep the reader flipping the pages. Even dog people will love Cat, a cute, interactive book for all kids.

We love the cover page with a cat reaching into a fish bowl. You can push a little tab to make the cat's paw extend into the bowl and to make the fish swim away.

LIFE IN THE WILD. Photographs by Thomas Marent & Scubazoo. DK Publishing. All ages. $35.

We doubt Life in the Wild left out a single animal with its photographic coverage of the world's creatures. From jellyfish to rhinos, these up-close and personal pictures show every minute detail. Brilliantly colored birds and fierce wild cats fill the pages, all photographed in their natural habitats. Tropical fish with radiant scales swim through coral reefs where sea anemones' fans wave in the current.

This book probably has some of the best wildlife photography we have ever seen published. Some might term this a coffee-table book, but we can't imagine a single kid passing by the opportunity to flip these pages.

cyoung9@triad.rr.com. View book reviews at the Journal in Education site at www.jie.journalnow.com.