Once there were four girls who were best friends: the perfect Beth; the clever Ruby; Alison, who hates everything; and Caddy, the brave. (“’Mostly because of spiders,’ said Caddy.”) They have known each other since kindergarten and have always been together, depending on each other's strengths to see them through childhood crisis. But in their 12th year these four girls face changes that test the very fabric and permanence of their friendship. Caddy's World is another brilliant book about friendship and families from author Hilary McKay.

This week, May 7 to 13, is Children’s Book Week, a time to celebrate books for young people and the transformative power of reading. To that end, I’ve put together a quiz quoting lines from picture books that you probably know from your childhood or that you’ve read a zillion times to your kids. How many can you identify from the excerpts below?

When it comes to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, “Hans-My-Hedgehog” doesn’t have the same recognition or beloved status as “Snow White,” “Hansel and Gretel,” or “The Frog Prince.” But if you’re familiar with the original tale, you’ll understand why. And after reading Kate Coombs' new version, you’ll also appreciate just how much she has transformed a harsh, cruel tale into a charming, heartwarming story.

It has been a while since I’ve plugged graphic novels. Here are just a few of the latest and greatest out this Spring.

It's that time of year where everyone gets dressed up and participates (or protests) the rite of passage that is the junior and senior prom. Here are a few prom-ready titles for youth readers to celebrate the season.

What are your favorite prom stories? I bet you have a few prom stories of your own share!

In Wolf Won’t Bite!, Emily Gravett takes the familiar tale of the three pigs and the big bad wolf and gives it a wickedly funny, fresh new spin. In her version, there are no straw, stick, or brick houses to blow down. Instead, Gravett’s elegant, expressive watercolor and oil–based pencil illustrations present us with three rotund circus pigs that have recently caught a thin, mangy-looking wolf (the beginning endpapers show the pigs running after the wolf with a huge butterfly net and circus cage on wheels).

Good news for machine- and truck-loving tots! Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock, the New Zealand duo behind Roadwork (more on that later) are back with a new picture book called Demolition. As you might have guessed from the title, this time the mighty machines are working together to tear down a building. As in their previous book, Sutton’s repetitive rhyming text and onomatopoetic sound effects make this an exciting, age-appropriate read-aloud: “Swing the ball. Swing the ball./ Thump and smash and whack./ Bring the top floors tumbling down./ Bang! Clang! Crack!”

Alexander McCall Smith has added a new book to his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Recognizing the multi-generatilnal appeal of his books and wanting to make sure the youngest readers were included, he's written The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case. Gorgeously illustrate and written for independent readers ages 7+ The Great Cake Mystery is an addition to the series all ages can share.

This Thursday, April 26, is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, which originally began as a day for parents to empower their daughters by showing them what they did at work. But the reality is, many employed parents don’t have the luxury of waiting for that one special day to bring their daughter or son to work. Snow days, school holidays, and childcare emergencies can require that they take their child to work with them. So, for parents who’ve had to bring their offspring to work or are planning to, here’s a fun new picture book to share with their wee worker bee:

This being National Poetry Month, I’m dedicating today’s post to two new poetry titles that I’m enjoying with my children. What I love about both books is that they celebrate the natural world (making them great for Earth Day too!) and get my kids excited about exploring their environment.