While we'd like to encourage you to enjoy the prose stylings of the authors you'll find in this edition of PowellsBooks.kids, we'd also like to you marvel at the lyrical beauty of The List. Take this one, dropped by a distracted customer here in the store just the other day (go ahead, read it aloud, it's poetry to our ears):

Pecans
Corn syrup
Green beans
Those little onions
Toilet paper

This time of year, we in the kids' section at the City of Books like to take the time to appreciate the power of lists — and recommendations. So we offer you, our faithful customers, this holiday edition filled with hand-picked recommendations for every kid in your life.

KIDS' Q&A: DAVID WIESNER
David Wiesner seems to be a bottomless well of fantastic imagination, and we are so lucky for it. From his rollicking postmodern take on The Three Little Pigs to the flying frogs of Tuesday, Wiesner always captivates us. His two Caldecott medals attest to his artistry. Most of his books are wordless, rendering them wonderfully suitable to verbal embellishment by a child or adult. His latest, Flotsam, is sure to be a favorite with anyone who enjoyed Zoom and Re-Zoom by Istvan Banyai. Read our Kids' Q&A with David Wiesner and save 30% on Flotsam.

KIDS' Q&A: BLAKE NELSON
Blake Nelson remembers what it's like to be a teenager. Heartbreaking, wry, and hip, his novels read like real life the way modern kids experience it. His newest, Paranoid Park, takes place here in Portland, Oregon, home of the famous Burnside Skate Park. The young narrator tells the story of skating, friends, girls, and a fatal accident that changes his life. Aside from the fantastically detailed portrayal of Portland, this is a totally literate depiction of young adulthood: with a character named Paul Auster and echoes of Camus's The Stranger, both adults and teens will find something to appreciate. It is also worth a mention that Paranoid Park will soon be a feature-length film directed by another Portland native, Gus Van Sant. Read our Q&A with Blake Nelson and purchase Paranoid Park (at 30% off) for the budding existentialist in your life.

VOCABULARY INTERMISSION
wassail n. 1. a. a salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of goodwill at a festivity. b. The drink used in such toasting, commonly ale or wine spiced with roasted apples and sugar. 2. A festivity characterized by much drinking.

KIDS' Q&A: T. A. BARRON
The Great Tree of Avalon series has all the hallmarks of classic children's fantasy books: a world in peril, potent evil, and protagonists who must plumb their depths to fight the good fight. A page-turning adventure that draws on ancient folklore, the Great Tree of Avalon books can also be read as a parable for our times, when war and the destruction of the planet are constantly on our minds. In the final installment of the trilogy, Barron offers an inspiring model of courage and hope for the next generation. Read our Q&A with the wonderful T. A. Barron (really, we've met him and he's a delightful fellow), and buy The Great Tree of Avalon: The Eternal Flame at 30% off.

WIN A RED IPOD NANO!
Want a free 4GB red iPod Nano? Enter our kids' contest by January 9 for chance to win. Thanks to Running Press, publisher of Cathy's Book, for donating the iPod. Find out more details here, and read a sample of original content by Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman, the authors of Cathy's Book.

HOLIDAY CATALOG: 30% OFF
We know all of you fastidious online shoppers finished your holiday orders weeks ago, right? But just in case you're having trouble with tricky Uncle Sherman the Civil War nut, or Cousin Rainn the midwife, or perhaps even your doting domestically-challenged spouse, check out our holiday catalog for some great ideas. You'll find select new titles at 30% off.

GIFT IDEAS FOR KIDS
There are so many books in the Powell's universe that it can be a bit overwhelming. Never fear — we have lots of opinions and we love to share them with you! Explore these lists of excellent books handpicked by the hardworking Kids' Team at the City of Books. You'll find gift ideas for kids of all ages and interests, divided into helpful categories to guide you.

SCHOOLBOOK CHALLENGE
Powell's wants all kids to have access to a multitude of stupendous books. And we need your help! Through January 1, purchase a book pledge for $5.95 and Powell's will match the donation with ten more books! Our goal is to put 50,000 new books on local public school library shelves. Get all the details here.

VOCABULARY INTERMISSION
nog n. A drink consisting of milk or cream, sugar, and eggs beaten together and often mixed with an alcoholic liquor such as rum or brandy.

NEW ARRIVALS
Had enough yet? No? That's what we thought. Keep ahead of that speed-reader in your life by picking up the newest of the new. Browse the new arrivals for the latest, like Forging the Sword by Hilari Bell, In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L. A. Meyer, and The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones.

KAREN'S PICKS FOR GRAPHIC NOVEL FANS
Here in the kids' area of the City of Books, we are often asked for book recommendations for particular types of kids. We've decided to address these special requests in a series of columns over the next several months. Look for suggestions for kids who read above their level, those who read below their level, those who don't like to read, and more.

To start, we would like to offer book selections that would tempt kids who prefer graphic novels. Such novels are growing in popularity and availability; there are even books that alternate between regular text and graphic style, the perfect bridge between the two genres. Try Fog Mound #01: Travels of Thelonious by Susan Schade or Abadazad by J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Ploog (for the those of you who have already discovered Abadazad, the third book in the series is due out in March). There also are novels that are tailored specifically to appeal to the graphic novel aesthetic. For 8- to 12-year-olds, check out Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree by J. J. Hart, or try the Akiko series by Mark Crilley, which was originally published as a comic book. The first in the series is Akiko on the Planet Smoo and the newest (just out last month) is Pieces of Gax. For older kids, 12 and up, try the enchanting series that begins with Tales of the Otori #01: Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. Also, the publisher Tokyopop has some exciting new offerings. These include Duan Surk #01: Witches' Forest by Mishio Fukazawa and the truly brilliant Kino No Tabi: Book One of the Beautiful World by Keiichi Sigsawa.

KIDS' BESTSELLERS

1. Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (General) 2. Christmas Carol Mad Libs by Roger Price (Activities) 3. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems (Picture Books) 4. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (Holiday) 5. Christmas Fun Mad Libs by Roger Price (Activities) 6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Board Books) 7. The End by Lemony Snicket (Staff Favorites) 8. Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki (Beginning Readers) 9. Loser by Jerry Spinelli (Middle Readers) 10. Magic Tree House #33: Carnival at Candlelight by Mary Pope Osborne (Series)

Joy to the world.