Here are two fun books on rescue and fire: Chief Rhino to the Rescue and Fire Trucks and the Rescue Vehicles.  If you have a boy, they are bound to love these two titles.  Chief Rhino to the Rescue is by Sam Lloyd the author of Mr Pusskins: A Love Story, Mr Pusskins and Little Whiskers: Another Love Story, and What Color is Your Underwear? all of which are sure to please your little ones.  Her drawings are dramatic, and her stories are exaggerated in the way a small child sees the world: the world is so cold and wet when a kitty wanders off on his own.  In the Chief Rhino to the Rescue, the Rhino is devasted to learn that his fire is not really one.  The humor is so evident to the adult, and not really to the child.  A great read, I recommend this to the little ones.

Fire Trucks and the Rescue Vehicles, the second title, is a non-fiction title by Jean Coppendale.  This book has easy-to-understand text and large, clear pictures to illustrate the point.  The book looks at all the various vehicles that may be brought on scene to put out a fire or to rescue people.  There are suggested activities at the back and a glossary for children to use.  This is simply a great book to explain to little ones about the various vehicles at an emergency site.

Regardless of whether you are a parent-to-be or an experienced parent, choosing the right baby product for your child can be extremely challenging. Specifically, good baby products might be cheaper than you expect or they might be unneeded for a baby. Consumer Reports Best Baby Products will give you a list of brands which will be essential for your baby. They will also list what safety issues need to be addressed and the correct price for a good baby product. Not only do they list brands, but this is a how-to-book which emphasizes the pros and cons of general products. Can’t find this book? There are similar books, such as Baby Bargains by Denise & Alan Fields, which provide similar information.

After buying everything essential for your baby, you wonder what’s next. Questions such as when is the correct age to potty train your baby, how do you get your baby to sleep, and most importantly, how to get through your first year of parenting? Books, such as, Johnsons’ Your Baby’s First Year, Pantley’s The No-cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers, Christine Gross-Loh’s The Diaper Free Baby, Fisher-Price’s My Very Own Potty!, and MacGregor’s The Everything Get Your Baby to Sleep Book can be extremely helpful for both new and old parents. These books will guide you throughout your first year of parenting and help you tackle the next years.

These books are available at the San José Public Library and can be requested.

Martha Doesn't Say Sorry!

by Samantha Berger

This is a cute story to help pre-schoolers to learn to say sorry. Under no circumstances would Martha apologize to her parents or her siblings. Through the course of the story, she learns the meaning and power of the word "sorry."

Berger's excellent followup to this book is Martha Doesn't Share! , which involves a selfish Martha and her baby brother.