Fiction, paperbacks, book boxes for kids this year

Box sets of popular series, off-kilter encyclopedias and beloved classics in special editions make books a good way to take the edge off all the electronic games and plastic toys that wash ashore for kids at the holidays.

And there's the price tag. Children's and young adult book sales were up in the early part of the year, according to the American Association of Publishers, and book sellers see a glimmer of hope for the holidays.

"What I'm hoping is that this holiday season will not be as bad as the last one in which there seemed to be a lot of people pulling back and scaling back really rapidly," said Michael Norris, a senior analyst for the media and publishing research firm Simba Information. "Parents understand the value of a book."

Some suggestions:

AGES 0-3

"A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes" (Simon & Schuster, $26.99) by Matthew Reinhart.

Look for this gem in the Little Simon Classic Collectible Pop-Up series to avoid serious sticker shock over a far pricier limited edition. Intricate paperwork with multiple pops per page. Fifteen rhymes in all.

"The Nursery Rhyme Book: Remember the Rhymes of Yesterday" (Scholastic, $9.99) illustrated by Anne Anderson and Lisa Jackson, compiled by Helen Cumberbatch.

Portable classics for new or otherwise sleep-deprived parents who need help conjuring ALL the words to "Little Miss Muffett" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Nearly 100 rhymes.

"A Children's Treasury of Poems" (Sterling, $12.95) illustrations by Linda Bleck.

Oversized board book merrily illustrated with work of Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear and more. Nineteen poems.

"How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Cats" (Scholastic, $6.99) by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mark Teague.

Delightful look at caring for kitties with dinosaurs that are nurturing, lovable and not at all scary.

"A Little Books Boxed Set" (Chronicle, $19.99) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace.

Board book versions of "Little Pea," "Little Hoot" and "Little Oink," all packed with life lessons on dinner, bed and cleaning up. Babies might not care but toddlers will. Good for slightly older kids, too.

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