New CTW Book List Examines Ways Kids Deal with Scary Things

The fall recommended book list of the Children's Television Workshop is something to be scared of - because that's what the "Sesame Street" producer has in mind.

The ten books on the list deal with things that scare children - from a first haircut to a new baby to being a new kid in town. "Whether you're a child or an adult, it's never easy going into an unknown situation," says Nina Link, president of CTW's publishing and new media group. "These books demonstrate that it's okay to be scared and encourage kids to meet the challenges head on."

The two books for kids ages 3 and under are "Baby's First Haircut," a picture book by Elizabeth Hanlon, and "Bean," a board book about a cat-baby encounter written by Sarah Hines-Stephens and illustrated by Anna Grossnickle Hines.

For children in the preschool years, CTW recommends "Alexander, Who's Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move", written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser and about, predictably, a boy who doesn't want to move. There's also "Julius, the Baby of the World," by Kevin Henkes about a mouse who hates her baby brother, and "Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten", a book written by Joseph Slate and illustrated by Ashley Wolff about a teacher dog who gets ready for her new class.

The "Sesame Street" book recommended this quarter is "It's Not Easy Being Big!" Written by Stephanie St. Pierre and illustrated by John Lund, the book is about the problems Big Bird and Elmo have with their respective sizes and the toys they play with.

For children ages six and up, CTW recommends four books. There's "I'm New Here," about a girl from El Salvador finding her way through an American school; it's written and photographed by Bud Howlett. A second book about the perils of a new school, this time from a kindergartener's perspective, is "Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus," written by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus.

Also for older kids is "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson", written by Betty Bao Lord and illustrated by Marc Simont, about a girl from China who settles with her parents in post-war Brooklyn. And there's the Newbery Award-winning "A View from Saturday," written by E.L. Konigsburg, about a 6th grader's struggle for acceptance.

CTW recommends books on a quarterly basis as part of its effort to encourage kids to read - both by themselves and with their parents.