Quail Ridge Books and Music in Raleigh has come out with its Biggest Books of 2008 for kids 3 and up.

"Breaking Dawn" is on there and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling (anybody read that? Curious. I'll confess to being a Harry Potter fan).

For the younger set, there's "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake," by Laura Numeroff and "Gingerbread Fans," by Jan Brett, among others. My daughter has loved all the books by Numeroff and Brett that we've read. I especially love Brett's illustrations. Beautiful.

The store's great children's staff also makes a couple of recommendations for new books:

POSY by Linda Newbery (Atheneum)
POSY is here, and she's adorable. You'll never find a kitten more perfectly defined. For ages 2 and up.

INCREDIBLE ANIMALS: EYE-OPENING PHOTOS OF ANIMALS IN ACTION (Play Bac)
Eye-opening photographs of the planet's most amazing animals and extraordinary landscapes. From leaping lemurs and remarkable rocks to slowmoving sloths and glassy glaciers, the Incredible series is a round-the-world journey that is as fantastic as it is fascinating. Jaw-dropping photographs dominate each double-page spread and instantly draw the reader into the wonder of the natural world. For ages 6 and up.

The store's regular 10 a.m. story times on Mondays are back on the schedule. They're always a lot of fun for young kids and usually include a cute little craft.

Every weekend, look for new ways to relax with your kids on TriangleMom2Mom.

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!
WEEKEND: Relax!