A treasury of art reproductions, literary excerpts, and suggestions for family activities with young children includes options for occasions ranging from outdoor play to bedtime reading, including rainy-day games, cooking, and imaginative activities.

A treasury of art reproductions, literary excerpts, and suggestions for family activities with young children includes options for occasions ranging from outdoor play to bedtime reading, including rainy-day games, cooking, and imaginative activities.

This rich and nostalgic book of wonders is a collection of art, literature, and activities custom-made for the family bookshelf. It is broken into five sections that illuminate a child's world and interests--Magic and Make-Believe, Outdoor Exploring, Crafts and Construction, Yummy for the Tummy, and Bedtime, Bathtime, and Dreamtime. Children and parents will share together time as they read poetry selections, nursery rhymes, and more at bedtime, pull out the book on a rainy day for instantly accessible activities, or simply browse and savor the lovely art at any time. Childhood Wonders is a unique and lasting gift for kids, families, and new parents and grandparents.

From early, beloved classics such as Goodnight Moon and Harold and the Purple Crayon to such recent treasures as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Pete's a Pizza, this collection assembles twelve of the greatest picture books ever published. Parents can share the joy of introducing young children to many timeless favorites that have already enchanted millions of readers. This volume offers a wonder-filled opportunity for preschoolers and families to own and share "the best of the best." All royalties for HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics: A Child's First Collection will be donated to First Book, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their own new books. The primary goal of First Book is to work with existing literacy programs to distribute new books to children who, for economic reasons, have little or no access to books. In this way, First Book effectively leverages the heroic efforts of local tutoring, mentoring, and family literacy organizations as they work to reach children who need help the most. First Book distributes millions of books to hundreds of thousands of children nationwide each year. For more information on First Book, please visit www.firstbook.org.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A life-altering journey through the science of neuroaesthetics, which offers proof for how our brains and bodies transform when we participate in the arts—and how this knowledge can improve our health, enable us to flourish, and build stronger communities. “This book blew my mind!”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit A BLOOMBERG BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • Finalist for the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award and the Porchlight Business Book Award What is art? Many of us think of the arts as entertainment—a luxury of some kind. In Your Brain on Art, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross show how activities from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture, and more are essential to our lives. We’re on the verge of a cultural shift in which the arts can deliver potent, accessible, and proven solutions for the well-being of everyone. Magsamen and Ross offer compelling research that shows how engaging in an art project for as little as forty-five minutes reduces the stress hormone cortisol, no matter your skill level, and just one art experience per month can extend your life by ten years. They expand our understanding of how playing music builds cognitive skills and enhances learning; the vibrations of a tuning fork create sound waves to counteract stress; virtual reality can provide cutting-edge therapeutic benefit; and interactive exhibits dissolve the boundaries between art and viewers, engaging all of our senses and strengthening memory. Doctors have even been prescribing museum visits to address loneliness, dementia, and many other physical and mental health concerns. Your Brain on Art is a portal into this new understanding about how the arts and aesthetics can help us transform traditional medicine, build healthier communities, and mend an aching planet. Featuring conversations with artists such as David Byrne, Renée Fleming, and evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson, Your Brain on Art is an authoritative guide to neuroaesthetics. The book weaves a tapestry of breakthrough research, insights from multidisciplinary pioneers, and compelling stories from people who are using the arts to enhance their lives.