Told entirely through pictures, this adventurous look-and-find book features new stories to follow and items to discover. It’s a puzzle, a maze, an activity and much more. In each browsing, a new storyline will race through children’s heads as they follow the different lead-ins the illustrations present. This stimulating book encourages creative thought and was named a Junior Library Guild Selection. It is “a picture book with endless possibilities — the reader can follow a different storyline (or invent their own!) every time they crack open the book,” Publicity Assistant Valerie Ralph of Abrams Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2007.

Bestseller Graeme Base offers a brand new version of the classic book of serpentology, featuring eye-witness accounts of the most fascinating of creatures.  This new edition includes dragons newly discovered in America.  A visual and comic masterpiece, these convoluted, “historical” accounts and graphic representations of dragons around the world will entertain children and adults alike.  Launch Date: September 2007.

Library Mouse shows every child how to become a writer. Daniel Kirk brings to children the story of Sam, a library mouse who loves to read. Sam loves reading so much that one day he decides to start writing his own stories. He leaves these anonymous stories on a bookshelf each night and becomes an instant success. But when people want to meet this talented author, the shy little mouse doesn’t know what to do. The joy of reading, writing and sharing is brought to life in this warmhearted and inspirational tale for children. Launch date: September 2007.

Iggy Peck is creative, independent, and not afraid to express himself. He also has one passion: building. His parents are proud of his fabulous creations, though they’re sometimes surprised by his materials — a tower of dirty diapers? When his second-grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up. This title features Andrea Beaty’s rhyming text and David Roberts’s illustrations. It’s “a funny, rhyming, uniquely illustrated picture book that will appeal to creative kids,” Valerie Ralph of Abrams Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2007.

With this set, little explorers can join Hello Kitty as she discovers the excitement of nature in her own backyard. The kit includes binoculars, a compass, a magnifying glass, a butterfly net, a notebook and a pen, as well as an accompanying storybook. “The Hello Kitty kits are very popular with children: the Explorer Kit appeals to outdoorsy types and comes with all the gadgets necessary to discover and catalog the backyard, the forest, the lake, wherever!” Valerie Ralph of Abrams Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2007.

When Daddy Rabbit suggests skating on the frozen lake, Bella’s big brother and sister are excited. But little Bella is nervous. What if she falls over and everyone laughs? Gently encouraged by the others, Bella gains confidence and steps out onto the ice — and discovers that she loves skating. This book is written by Ian Whybrow and illustrated by Rosie Reeve. It’s “the perfect book to share with any child who has ever lacked confidence in his or her ability to do something,” Valerie Ralph of Abrams Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2007.

On Christmas Eve, Coyote wants to find some people to trick out of a hot meal, and he knows there’s one character people can’t refuse on Christmas Eve: Santa Claus. Using straw for a jolly belly and wool for his beard, the Trickster fools a family into welcoming him to their Christmas meal. But just when he thinks he’s gotten away with his ruse, he’s foiled by a strange occurrence. Could it be a Christmas miracle? This book is written and illustrated by S.D. Nelson. “This folktale offers an important message of comeuppance just in time for the holiday season,” Valerie Ralph of Abrams Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2007.

This book chronicles and describes the world’s greatest sights. Arranged by country, each of the beautifully photographed images of nature, architecture, cityscapes and more is accompanied by a story. The wonders of the world will inspire readers and encourage them to explore the world around them, without ever leaving their living room. Wonders of the World is “a comprehensive survey of the world’s greatest marvels — from Niagara Falls to the Eiffel Tower,” Valerie Ralph, publicity and marketing assistant at Abrams Books, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2007.

A companion to The Aspiring Writer’s Journal, this book offers budding young artists tips to help them grow every day of the year. Each page of the book offers ideas, space for sketching and words of encouragement. “A daily journal for young artists, [this book is] packed with creative ideas and inspiration,” Valerie Ralph, publicity and marketing assistant at Abrams Books, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007.

With each illustration accompanied by simple instructions such as coloring, drawing, designing and tracing, this book makes learning fun. These open-ended instructions enable kids to complete each picture in any way they like. These activities are designed not only to develop a child’s imagination and creativity, but also to improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills. “[This] fun and engaging book…promote[s] childhood development,” Valerie Ralph, publicity and marketing assistant at Abrams Books, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007.

This book tells a story from the perspective of a kid traveling to the Gold Rush. Full of Wild West adventure, this boook is part of the Golden Hour series, which has been praised especially for featuring African American children as its main characters. Launch date: October 2007.

In this follow up to the #1 New York Times Bestseller “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” Greg enters a new year in his middle school. He is eager to put his embarrassing summer behind him, but his brother Rodrick is ready to tell all, should Greg step out of line. Launch date: February 2008.

This manga-style adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic is designed for a new generation of readers. Shakespeare’s original words are preserved, with significant changes made only to the length of the piece. Launch date: April 2007.

The book, replete with haunting and bewitching illustrations, tells the story of a witch who longs for a child. The witch creates a child from straw, but repeatedly fails to bring it to life. One day, a little girl wanders into the witch’s house. Her love for the straw child brings it to life, and earns its protection when the frightening witch returns home. Launch date: October 2007.

The interactive journal is based on Greg Heffley’s own “diary,” and encourages children to express themselves in a new way. The book comes complete with a full-color comics section featuring the collected cartoons of Greg Heffley and his best friend, Rowley. Launch date: October 2008.

The full-color, illustrated book teaches kids the letters of the alphabet in a creative way. Kids learn the letter “M,” for example, by reading about “meticulous mice monitoring mysterious mathematical messages.” Launch date: September 1987.

The writing kit comes with 25 sheets of paper, 12 envelopes, five sticker sheets, two glitter pens and a corresponding 16-page storybook. Launch date: July 2008.

In the book, a mother reassures her baby that she would do anything for him, including sail around the world, climb Mount Everest and write his name in the sky. The 32-page book is full of rhymes accompanied by full-color, heart-warming illustrations. Launch date: April 2008.

The book is a classic tale of an unlikely friendship between two very different, but very lovable new characters. “This picture book features a comic friendship that will remind readers of such odd couples as Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet and leave them wishing for more adventures with Bumble and Beluga,” Abrams Books Publicity Assistant Laura Mihalick told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2008.

The story revolves around the town of Willamsburg, as they attempt to cheer up Garrick the Gardener’s sad horse. The book “includes a glossary that highlights period words and terms and features the adorable characters first created as plush toys,” Abrams Books Publicity Assistant Laura Mihalick told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2008.

This illustrated pop-up book offers a novel twist on The Night Before Christmas. Written by A. J. Wood, it's illustrated by Stephen Lambert.

Inspired by his children’s LEGO collection and his own love for New York City, author and illustrator Christoph Niemann created several minimalist LEGO representations of daily New York life. His photos and handwritten captions caused an instant sensation when they appeared in the New York Times online. Niemann has since expanded his work into a 32-page board book that is simultaneously sly, cynical, childlike and celebratory. Launch date: March 1, 2010.
— Geeksugar loved the book, calling it funny and a great gift. Although kids may not understand some of the wry New Yorker humor of the book, they are sure to find it charming and inspiring, said Vincent Daly of CuteMonster.

Eisner award-winning writer and illustrator Jason Shiga promises 3.856 story combinations in his Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style comic “Meanwhile.” Tabbed pages send readers backward, forward and even across alternate universes as they help main character Jimmy choose ice cream flavors and explore a mad scientist’s lab. “Meanwhile” features 80 full-color pages.
— Common Sense Media cautioned that some of the book’s paths do contain death, though only through simple, gore-less representations. Common Sense Media ultimately declared the book “Quirky, inventive, and absorbing.”
— Tanya of Books4yourkids liked the book’s thick, glossy pages — perfect for a book that will be flipped through time and time again. She said the comic “is IDEAL for long car/plane/train rides and should appeal to boys and girls alike.”

Straw, sticks and bricks are just the beginning in Steven Guarnaccia’s imaginative reinterpretation of the fairy tale classic. “The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale” transforms the pigs into representations of architects Phillip Johnson, Frank Gehry and Frank Lloyd Wright, complete with iconic houses that mirror those designed by the famous architects. The architecture may be different, but the wolf still huffs and puffs in this delightful adventure in modern design.
— The Kansas City Star’s Stacy Downs calls the tale “a squealing lesson in architecture.” The architectural twist made the book fascinating for Stacy, too, as she read it to her toddler sons.
— John Hill of A Weekly Dose of Architecture enjoyed the “landscape of modernism within the familiar story.” He also praised the learning potential of the story, explaining, “As the parent of a two-year-old girl I can see the myriad educational opportunities, from matching images to word association and even creating stories within the story.”

Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a phenomenon.  It started online and then moved to the The New York Times best-selling book series by author/illustrator Jeff Kinney. The first of two 20th Century Fox movies was released in early 2010, with a second due out in spring 2011. Wimpy Kid Greg even flew fly high in the 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time. In this latest book, Greg Heffley is having second thoughts about growing up fast. Greg suddenly finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older—all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side. Can Greg make it through on his own? Or will he have to face the “ugly truth”? Hardcover, 224 pages.