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Here is a book full of surprise and delight. My Man Blue is a compilation of narrative poetry and illustrations that will lead young readers through a splendid story of a young boy’s relationship with his mother’s friend, Blue. My Man Blue begins with Damon and his mother moving to his mother’s old neighborhood, where Damon meets Blue. Damon, reluctant to befriend his mother’s old pal, soon finds that Blue is actually quite gentle. The relationship between the two evolves, and Blue becomes a surrogate father figure for Damon. Blue, too, is in need: he lost his son Zeke to the streets. Damon is leery of becoming a replacement, and Blue responds, I know . . . but your laugh sure helps conjure his face! Together they traverse milestones in Damon’s life. Blue teaches Damon tolerance, trust, how to temper his anger, and most of all, what it means to become a man. My Man Blue is poignant not only because it depicts a solid relationship between African-American males, but because the relationship literally and figuratively is life-altering and life-saving. The relationship follows as most do: first impressions, laying of ground rules, personal history, moral and value judgments, and finally, admiration and respect. The book ends with Damon’s moving depiction of his newfound buddy, Blue: One day/I’ll be like Blue/Not fierce/In black leather/Or built like/A heavyweight/Boxing machine/But like that/Other Blue I’ve seen/The one who/Says he cares/And shows it./The one who/Flashes gold/Every time he smiles. Ultimately, through Nikki Grime’s poems, we come to understand that Blue, for Damon, is a symbol of trust and a beacon of light in difficult situations. Jerome Lagarrigue’s illustrations prove equally powerful. Dark and pensive, they challenge children’s imaginations. Lagarrigue’s slightly abstracted characters prove essential to the underlying message of My Man Blue, which is that Blue could be anyone even someone young readers might know.

(Ages 6 and up) Crystal Williams is a poet living in Ithaca, New York.

As the mother of month-old twins, I think I opened the pages of About Twins even more eagerly than did my five-year-old son.

Inside are lively, adorable photographs of twins identical and fraternal, newborns to older children engaged in everything from infant sleep to squabbling over toys and being buddies.

One can’t help being fascinated by these duos, so here is a book for all children, whether twins themselves, a sibling to twins, or simply those interested in the phenomenon.

The text is sparse yet thoughtful, often pairing simple statements such as Some twins like to dress the same; others don’t, with direct quotations from twins, such as this one on dressing alike: It’s fun, but you shouldn’t have to. The authors cover not only twin basics such as fraternal, identical, and boy-girl combinations but also the emotions of twins and those around them. They celebrate the joys of twinship ( Other people might be lonely. We hardly ever are. ) to the trials ( It can be a pain to be a twin, especially when you’re left out. ). Certainly the bond between twins is intriguing, as are their similarities. But in a note to parents at the beginning of the book, the authors emphasize the importance of reinforcing the separate identities of twins. And later, in the text, they note: Twins don’t always feel the same way or like the same things. And they can be good at different things. They bring home the point by showing two identical boys, one of whom excels in basketball, the other in soccer.

Last but not least, non-twin siblings are not forgotten. One older sister to twins laments: My twin sisters cry a lot. When they’re not around I get a turn with my parents. About Twins is a straightforward, sensitively written book for young children. It was an excellent primer for me, too. Wish me luck! (Ages 4-7) Alice Cary writes from her home in Groton, Massachusetts.

Making familiar Bible stories come alive for children can be a real challenge. After the third or fourth reading, a Bible storybook about characters such as Moses and Pharaoh, Joseph and his brothers, or David and Goliath may have lost some appeal for the young elementary gang.

Author Joel Anderson piques the interest of these readers in his series, Mr. Grungy’s Seek and Find Bible Stories, by using rhymed text and illustrations created from trash, junk, and ordinary household items. Following the earlier success of the first in the series, Jonah’s Trash . . . God’s Treasure, comes his latest title David and the Trash-Talkin’ Giant. Mr. Grungy opens the book holding a box full of such ephemera. Then, using simple, rhymed text, he tells the familiar story of the shepherd boy who killed the Philistine giant with a single, well-aimed stone. The story stops short of mentioning that David beheaded Goliath after he falls, and the giant’s trashy talk is more braggadocio than foul, so parents have nothing to fear if they are reading the book to young pre-schoolers. But there’s plenty to intrigue young readers in the unusual artwork, which may remind them of the popular I Spy books. As they follow the directions given in a Trash and Treasure Hunt verse, they will have to look hard among the peanuts, paper clips, phone cords, candles, pennies, peas, salt shakers, socks, and such in order to find the different items called for on each spread. Mr. Grungy closes the book with final instructions for a last hunt among the items in his box, including a photo of Anderson and Goolsby.

David and the Trash-Talkin’ Giant may have more appeal for boys, especially those who are sports enthusiasts. (David’s head is a golf ball, while Goliath sports a split baseball head atop a football body.) On the other hand, girls may be inspired to try their hand at creating scenes, biblical or otherwise, from trinkets and trash. At least, they might pick up their rooms! (Ages 4 and up) Etta Wilson is a children’s book enthusiast in Nashville, Tennessee.