Here we have a sample of what can happen when you just use your imagination...  Herve Tullet came out with a picture book called Press Here. 

I love this book.  Lovelovelovelovelove.  There has been so much fuss about INTERACTIVITY lately; kids won't love a book unless it whizzes and bangs, right?  Well, what if you could pretend that it was interactive? 

Every child I have given this to (boys, girls, grownups who can pretend for a while) has laughed out loud and wanted to read it again. 

The "book trailer" for this picture book is a realistic portrail of what happens when kids open the first page: Enjoy!

The Incorrigible Children Of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood is available at a Library Near You! This is one of those interesting "Trailers" for books that have been showing up. 

Mars Needs Moms, a new film out this weekend from Disney, looks like it will be lots of fun action, but did you know it was based on a book?  Yep, the picture book Mars Needs Moms came out in 2007!  This book always makes me weepy, since it's all about love between a Mom and her child.  The author is one of my favorite comic strip writers, Berkley Breathed.  Mr. Breathed is probably best known for his Bloom County comics (although Opus the Penguin did get his own book - A Wish For Wings That Work.)  At any rate, the movie is out March 11th 2011, and looks like it will be a good time.  I will (probably) not weep when I watch it.

Brian Jacques, prolific author of the Redwall series, passed away last weekend.  His contribution to fantasy for kids 10 and up is well known to his many fans, but for those who don't know his work so well, let me sum up; Redwall is an epic adventure series that takes place during the middle ages. It centers on Redwall Abbey, and the characters who live in and around it.  The characters are all anthropomorphic animals.  The storyline is vast and dramatic, covering a total of 22 action filled novels.  Wow.  He has been writing this series since 1986, and the series ends now with his passing; Redwall had many more stories to tell, I am sure.  So, in honor of Mr. Jacques, come read (or re-read) one of his fine novels.

One of the best ways to find new books is to get someone to tell you what they read and enjoyed.  One entertaining way to find out about great books is the new video review site Rat Chat Reviews.  These book loving cartoon rats have a talk show and discuss great new books; it's really fun and cute.  So if you are tired of getting your book suggestions from plain old humans, try some Rat Chat.

Here is their most recent review; Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters.