New Review Tuesday: The Holiday Jitters

By now, everyone's feeling ramped up for the Thanksgiving vacation. With thoughts of turkey, mashed potatoes, and hugs from Great Aunt Shirley on the brain, it can be tough for kids to concentrate on just about anything else. These new books are perfect for just such an occasion. Kids can pick them up instead of pulling each other's hair while you wait for the last bell to ring.

Zany Miscellany is just what it sounds like...a fun compilation of totally wierd facts and figures that are sure to captivate even the most antsy readers. You might challenge kids to find the strangest tidbit or a fact that somehow relates to them--one that pertains to their favorite animal or food, for instance. Or make a fun fact bulletin board, using information from the book, to keep wandering minds focused during quiet time.

Spot 7 Toys is the latest in the Spot 7 series, similar to the I Spy books, but each two-page spread offers a challenge to find seven specific items. If you have five or ten minutes, partners can compete to find the objects in an individual spread, or work together to go through the entire book.

Do you use encyclopedias, trivia books, or other compilations to hook kids? If so, what are your favorites?