Lee Littlewood is a nationally syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate. This is a collection of the very best of Kids’ Home Library from 2014.

A backlist gem unavailable for over 20 years gets a new look! This delightful Dr. Seuss book has come back—with a brand new look! Written in 1966, this multi-cultural Beginner Book about home and friendship features the good doctor's signature rhyme and all-new, charming artwork by award-winning illustrator Katie Kath. A great choice for beginning readers as well as for read-alouds, the message of the book—that kids are the same all over the world—is as true today as it was 50 years ago. Perfect for expanding a child's worldview—and home library—it's ideal for birthdays, holidays, and happy occasions of all kinds! Launched in 1957 with The Cat in the Hat and written specifically for emergent readers, Beginner Books combine an exacting blend of simple words and fun pictures that encourage children to read—all by themselves.

Originally published from 1932 to 1943, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books are classics of children’s literature, beloved by millions. But readers who last enjoyed them as children may be astonished at the quiet poetry of Wilder’s prose and the force and poignancy of her portrait of the lives of American pioneers. Now The Library of America and editor Caroline Fraser present a new two-volume edition that affirms Wilder’s place in the American canon, reintroducing these enduring works to readers young and old. Here, for the first time in two collectible hardcover volumes, are all eight Little House novels—brilliant narratives of the early life of Laura Ingalls and her family as they grow up with the country in the woods, on the plains, and finally in the small towns of the advancing American frontier—plus the posthumous novella The First Four Years, which recounts the early years of the author’s marriage to Almanzo Wilder. This first volume includes Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, Little House on the Prairie,and On the Banks of Plum Creek, plus two rare autobiographical pieces that address the need for historical accuracy in children’s literature and reveal real life events not included in the novels. A companion volume gathers By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years Each volume features a newly-researched chronology of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and career, and helpful notes. The volumes are also available in a deluxe collector’s boxed set, The Little House Books: The Library of America Collection. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

The library mouse learns about architecture, homes, and renovations in this illustrated adventure. When Sam the library mouse and his friend Sarah wake to find the library being packed up to prepare for a major renovation, they realize they won’t have a home during the construction. So off they go in search of a new place to live. Sam knows research is key, so he finds books about architectural styles to get ideas for building a temporary home from objects found around the library. They build and live in a variety of houses: a castle, an igloo, a yurt, a modern house, and even a geodesic dome. But none feels like home to Sam. Finally, though, the renovation of the library is complete, and they can move back to their true home, the library! The book includes photos of the real house styles discussed in the text and a relevant glossary of architectural terms. Praise for Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home “Kirk’s familiar gouache illustrations maintain a mouse perspective filled with library details. This clever presentation of world housing types has three pages of backmatter that describes each style and its location. Not only is the story amusing, but the information will be useful in classrooms.” —Kirkus Reviews “Newcomers and fans of the previous titles will welcome this tale, and librarians will put it to good use in their research lessons.” —School Library Journal “This is a fine use of light fantasy to teach a little lesson about building structures, and it will be especially useful to those preparing children for the disruptions that come with home renovations.” —Booklist