Holiday Gift Guide

BOOKS

Chowder
by Peter Brown
$16; ages 3-7
As much as he'd like to fit in, Chowder, the Wubbingtons' big, blubbery bulldog, just isn't a regular pet. For one thing, he uses the toilet. For another, he'd rather look through the telescope, or work on the computer, than play with his toys, which earns him scorn from the neighborhood dogs. It takes an extraordinary visit to the grocery store for him to finally make some friends. Brown's terrific illos and quirky, funny text combine to make this a real stand-out.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by Robert C. O'Brien
$18, hardcover; $6, paperback; ages 8-13
This year, Atheneum released a beautiful anniversary edition of the Newberry Award-winning classic. The magical tale follows the adventures of a widowed mouse named Mrs. Frisby, who must evacuate her home beneath Mr. Fitzgibbon's vegetable garden before he begins to plow. But because she cannot do it alone — her son Timothy is dangerously ill with pneumonia — Mrs. Frisby turns to some very special rats for help. O'Brien's novel has been enchanting young readers for 35 years now.

Trains: A Pop-Up Railroad Book
by Robert Crowther
$18; ages 5 to adult
Kids can not only examine engines (steam, electric, and diesel) and peer inside commuter double-deckers, they can pull a train through a tunnel (after learning all about how tunnels are built, of course) and then race two passenger trains through a pop-up station (a station, I might add, where even the baggage carts can zip across the page). Even adults become children again, oohing and aahing, when this magical book is placed in front of them.

DVDs

How to Eat Fried Worms
$28; ages 5 and up
When 11-year-old Billy is challenged by the class bully to eat 10 worms in a day, he does what any normal, red-blooded boy would do: Figure out a way to save face without barfing in front of everyone. A cute coming-of-age story where the good guy wins, and even the bad guy gets some understanding. Perfect for the kid who likes a good gross-out.

Boxed sets, etc.
Ages 3 and up
Now that Greg is leaving the Wiggles, it couldn't hurt to pick up The Wiggles: A Wiggle-tastic Collection (we smell collector's item!) ($30)… If you feel a teensy bit guilty about giving DVDs, there's always Scholastic Video Collection's Jumbo Box of Storybook Classics 2, featuring ''Good Night, Gorilla'' and ''How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight'' ($70)… They may be too sugary for you, but kids seem to like Hi-5's energy level, and they've got two new DVDs out with a handy carrying case: Action Heroes and Move Your Body ($20 each).

DVD Games

They may need to tap your well of all things four-legged and fairytale, but let the quizzing begin with Disney Dogs and Disney Princess ($30 each; ages 4 and up), and let it continue with Santa's Trivia: Think you know everything there is to know about our red-suited friend? Test your knowledge of Christmas in other countries and remind your little one not everyone is hoping for a PS3 under the tree ($15; ages 6 and up).

For more kids' gifts, check out the gift guide from the print edition of Entertainment Weekly here.