PETRUCELLI PICKS: 2018 GIFT GUIDE: BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE YOUNG (AND YOUNG-AT-HEART) WITH THESE CHILDREN’S BOOK

School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester’s fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary.

Audrey Penn’s The Kissing Hand 25th Anniversary Family Edition (Tanglewood Publishing , $19.99, tanglewoodbooks.com) has found its way into the hearts of teachers, librarians, parents, and children around the world, especially during times of separation like starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp.

Celebrate the special Kissing Hand anniversary with Chester and his mother in this limited edition family keepsake with a dedication page, Letters to Chester booklet download and, of course, heart stickers.


After witnessing an act of domestic terrorism while training on his bike, Jake is found near death, with a serious head injury and unable to remember the plane crash or the aftermath that landed him in the hospital.Nobody believes Jake. Except the terrorists

A terrorist leader’s teenage daughter, Betsy, is sent to kill Jake and eliminate him as a possible witness. When Jake’s mother blames his head injury for his tales of attempted murder, he has to rely on his girlfriend, Laurissa, to help him escape the killers and the law enforcement agents convinced that Jake himself had a role in the crash.

In Surface Tension (Tanglewood Publishing, $17.99), Mike Mullin, author of the Ashfall series, delivers a gripping story with memorable characters and all-too-real scenarios.


Sibling 1 throws blenders and plays guitar. Sibling 2 is allergic to everything and is into magic. Sibling 3 is a varsity swimmer with a group of female fans.  The only thing they have in common is their biological father, and the only thing they can agree on is that they all want to meet him.806: A Novel Hardcover

Welcome to 806: A Novel (Tanglewood Publishing, $16.99). With the help of a broken-down, “borrowed” Jeep, KT, Jesse, and Gabe make their way across the country evading police, trying their luck on the slots, and meeting a life-changing pig, all to track down Donor 806, their father. Any hope of success requires smarts, luck, and ingenuity. Good thing they have each other…even if they don’t see it that way.

The book is written by Cynthia Weil, one of musicdom’s most famous and honored songwriters. We will never lose our lovin’ feeling for her!


Hello There, Do You Still Know Me? (Prospecta Press, $9.99, LaurieArnoldBooks.com), Laurie B. Arnold’s sequel to the popular kids novel, Hello There, We’ve Been Waiting For You!, Madison McGee and her best friends are visiting her old neighbor Rosalie Claire in Costa Rica. Their dreams of lazy summer beach days end quickly when Madison’s wacky grandmother, Florida, shows up on their doorstep dangerously ill with a mysterious ailment. Hello There, Do You Still Know Me? by [Arnold, Laurie B.]When the MegaPix 6000 shows up again, Madison and her friends have to figure out a way to turn the magic TV into a time machine so they can save Florida. Once the intrepid trio hurtles into the past, a dizzying adventure unfolds, filled with heart-filled, unexpected consequences. More news: Coming Spring 2019, the final book in this charming and magical kids’ trilogy.


The weasel and boy are back! Space travel was a breeze compared to their latest challenge: obedience school. But can a weasel be trained? Find out what happens when wild animals go to school, just like kids. Salvo Lavis & James Munn’s Wild Wild Weasel (Spitball Studio, $15.95, WorldOfTheWeasel.com) is a follow-up to Once Upon a Weasel and the second book in the World of the Weasel series.

World of the Weasel presents picture books about a young boy and his pet weasel who injects excitement into the boy’s quiet life and helps stimulate his imagination. Filled with rich illustrations for younger kids and great vocabulary words for budding readers, our books are ideal for kids 4-10 and the adults who read with them.