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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1975)
Page 4 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17, 1975 Paperbacks are plentiful Gift idea: give a kid a book By CHAROL SHAKESHATT Looking for a present for a kid this Christmas? Try books. This year the number of good books available for young readers is too tempting to pass by. They aren’t all expensive hardcover editions either since pub lishers have caught on that children’s books will sell just as well in paper back editions. A survey of the book shops in the Bryan-College Station area confirmed the availability of ex cellent children’s books, in addition to the usual trash that is passed on to parents not familiar with children’s literature. One of the places to shop for children’s books is World of Books, where owner Polly Howard takes special care over her choices. She even took a course in children’s literature at Texas A&M so that her selections would be right. Now on to the titles: The Whole Kids Catalog is one of the more excit ing books out this year. It will appeal to the reader and nonreader alike. It is a sourcebook filled with ideas of things to do, make, and write away for. Want to know how to build a model car, where to write for a free map of the universe, how to con struct a treehouse, a greenhouse, grow plants in a terrarium, fly kites, read Tarot cards, put on a magic show, or hundreds of other things? It’s all in the Catalog. This is a book for both adults and kids and will pro vide hours of creative, challenging fun for any kid. This year the “scratch and smell’ books are a big item for younger readers. There are several titles, but they all tell a story through smells. Although short on plot, the gimmick is enjoyed by children when the ap propriate spot is scratched and ev erything from the smell of skunks to paints tease their nostrils. An interesting picture book for an older reader (or perhaps a favorite architecture student) is Pyramid by David MaCaulay. This book tells and shows in black and white drawings how the pyramids were constructed and how the Pharoah was prepared for burial. It is his third book of this type following City and Cathedral. Another picture book is William Steig’s Farmer Palmer’s Wagon in which a prosperous pig and his hired hand, a donkey, go to town to sell vegetables. This is a slapstick farce and is filled with hilarious misadven tures to make an entertaining well written story. The Kidnapping of Coffee Pot, by Kay Saair, is a picture book whodun nit. The characters, Lawn Mower, Old Shoes, Kerosene Lamp, and Coffee Pot, are castouts in the jun kyard. When Coffee Pot is kidnap ped, things begin to happen in this exciting, funny and touching tale. Finally, a picture book for Christ mas. The Story of Christmas, retold by Felix Hoffman, recreates the Christmas story according to St. Luke. The beautiful and simple illus trations will make this book a yearly tradition. ALLEN Oldsmobile Cadillac SALES - SERVICE 'Where satisfaction is standard equipment" 2401 Texas Ave. 823-8002 Embrey’s Jewelry We Specialize In Aggie Rings. Diamonds Set — Sizing — Reoxidizing — All types watch/jewelry Repair Aggie Charge Accounts 9-5:30 846-5816 'JupfnamBa 9® Eddie Dominguez ’66 Joe Arciniega ’74 Greg Price [imim irniEtt If you want the real thing, not frozen or canned ... We call It “Mexican Food Supreme." For the older child, there is an abundance of good fiction available. First for the new titles, and then a look at some of the oldies but goodies that are now available in paperback. Is That You, Miss Blue?, is the touching story of 15-year-old Flan ders Brown and her year in Charles, a private school. Flanders’ personal difficulties become secondary for her as she begins to be aware of the poli tics of the small minds that force the firing of “the best teacher at Charles” because she happens to commune with Jesus. This is a touching, power ful novel, balancing humor with a message. Lloyd Alexander returns this year with The Wizard in the Tree, the story of a wizard, Aribcan, rescued from a tree by a young girl, Mallory, and their efforts to transport the wizard back to Vale Innis, the Land of Heart’s Desire, with the help of some mortal magic. A simple, magi cal story in the fine Alexander tradi tion. One of the nicest sets of children’s books in paperback is by C. S. Lewis and is his Narnia Chronicles. Al- Dallas location: 3071 Northwest Hwy 352-8570 though each volume tells a complete story, every one is an essential part of a larger epic. In the seven books, human children find themselves in Narnia, battling a world not of our own universe, hut one in which we can clearly see ourselves. These books are fantasy, adventure, moral tales, and Christian analogies — but more important, they are excellent reading. The Little House on the Prairie books are also being sold as a set in paperback. They are much better than the TV version by the same name and the story of Laura and her pioneer family is the story of our her itage and is exciting and appropriate reading for any child. Although not sold as a set, Lloyd Alexander’s Story of Pyrydain is a terrific blend of Welsh myth and fan tasy. In these five books, Taran, the assistant pig keeper battles evil for the side of good and although he eventually receives his reward, it is not without a price. If it is science fiction the young reader wants, there are several good paperback selections. John Christ opher has written several science fic tion books for kids and any of his titles are recommended. One story in three volumes. The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead and The Pool of Fire, tells of three boys a 100 years from now and their fight to save the world from tripods. Enchantress from the Stars is one of the few science fiction books in which a girl is the chief character. This books tells the story of Elena who has come to destroy a terrible dragon. Besides being exciting and well written, this book is interesting because it tells the story from differ ent points of view and three different time periods. What is a dragon to one person in a primitive time is some thing else to a more advanced soci ety. Natalie Babbit’s The Search for Delicious is available in paperback and is the charming story of the search for the most delicious thing in the world. The answer is a delightful surprise. Julie of the Wolves, the story of an Eskimo girl left to die in the snow but who is saved by wolves, is an exciting adventure filled with interesting facts about wolves and the Eskimo culture. M. C. Higgins the Great is the story of a boy who sits on a gleaming forty foot pole towering over his home on Sarah’s Mountain. It is a story of growing up, of assuming re sponsibility, and of understanding the importance of saving the earth. A powerful book for a mature young reader. About the B’Nai Bagels is a sports story of sorts. It is all about Mark who was doing OK until his mother be came manager and his brother coach of the Little League team he was on. There are hundreds of other lovely books to give for Christmas. A walk through the children’s section when looking for a gift for a kid could mean that you give that child a trip to another land, a new way of seeing the world, an hour of high adventure. THE GREATEST SANDWICH The greatest sandwiches in the Southwest are served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day Monday through Fridayoo floor 11M, Conference Tower. The greatness of these sand wiches is no accident. There are several types of meats and you can select your choice and mix or match any three pieces for your sandwich on the bread of your choice. Two of the several types of bread are sour dough and baked fresh daily in our Duncan bakery. Further, these breads are prepared without shortening for the diet conscious guest For the greatest taste tempting delight just make your sandwicti exactly like you want it and pop it into one of the handy micro-wave ovens. This wonderful sandwich and a bowl of soup for only $1.50 plus tax will place you on cloud 11M We agree this is a bit of a long story, but it is difficult to stop talking about our tasty sandwiches. Doi Mil Loc 28 J Open Sunday 11:00 A.M- - 1:30 P.M. for regular meal only. “QUALITY FIRST” espppsis [a[ SKAGGS ALBERTSONS DRUGS & FOODS oara' STORE HOURS: MONDAY - SATURDAY 8 A.M. -12 P.M. SUNDAY 9 A.M. -10 P.M. EFFECTIVE OATES: WEDNESDAY SATURDAY, DEC. 17 20 ENTIRE SELECTION TIMEX WATCHES OFF MIC AND BRUSH SHAVE SET COMPIETE WITH SHAVING MUG. MUSH AND SHAVE SOAP. y WONDURA FUEL LENGTH DOOR MIRROR ELECTW COPPER-PLATED FLOAT PLATE CLASS. 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