Books published by publisher Lark Books,U.S.

The huge success of Spy Kids and other similar movies makes it clear: children love watching young agents who are smart enough and tough enough to beat the bad guys--and they fantasize about doing it themselves. That's why they'll be thrilled to hear about Agent O, the world's most top-secret secret agent. No one knows Agent O's true identity--especially that O is still a kid! And budding sleuths can get in on the fun, because this fully illustrated handbook gives them the opportunity to help Agent O fight a criminal mastermind, crack the codes that reveal a perilous scheme for world domination, and make all sorts of cool gadgets and disguises.

Docktopus, the aquatic nibbler; Skeeterman, the campground creep; and Spook Ook, the attic thumper: these and other creatures lurk on the pages of this quirky how-to. And they’ll reach out and grab kids, “drawing” them into the world of monster art. There’s a ton of great information here on creating weird eyes, strange skin textures, bizarre legs and arms, and a host of creepy facial features so kids will have no trouble creating their very own freaks of nature. See how to add extra limbs, tails, horns, wings, scales, and other effects too! It won’t be long before you’ve brought to life a gallery of fleshed-out monsters.

The youngest children will love this—and so will adults who enjoy sharing reading time with them. Each picture in A Circle Here, A Square There brings out the angles, curves, and lines in objects both everyday and unexpected. Artist David Diehl creates engagingly active graphic designs: whether it’s the secretive square of a wrapped gift, the surprising crescent of a moon, or the (nibbled) triangle of a piece of pizza, all the illustrations are striking and exuberantly colorful. Kids will make exciting connections between the letters of the simple words on the page, the exciting images, and the common shapes of the world around them.

With an off-beat sense of humor that makes learning fun, Jay Stephens shows kids how to draw a wide range of marvelous mechanical creatures complete with hardwired heads, bionic bodies, and lots of electrical extras. Budding cartoonists will be pleased to meet and illustrate such unique characters as Automa Tom, the cyborg Cyborella, Astralux, and Gokin 9. The design data Stephens wittily lays out include everything from wheels and transforming parts to jets, dials, levers, and weapon systems, all of which children can use to “build” their own creations. Kids get to decide whether their robots will have armor, be able to slide into small spaces, have the ability to shoot projectiles, or anything else their imaginations can dream up!

Freeze Tag, Capture the Flag, Balloon Blanket Toss: nothing says childhood more than afternoons spent playing outdoors. With the 200 super activities in this comprehensive collection, the fun never ends. Color photos showing happy-looking boys and girls having a fine time invite young readers to join in. So let the games—both classic and new, with variations too—begin. Children will have a blast with timeless amusements such as Tug of War, Ultimate Frisbee, Hopscotch, Jump Rope, and cool pool-time ideas. From Hackey Sack to Water Limbo, each game is great, and the simple instructions and other tips make them easy to play.

Here is a real “jewel” of a guide that no girl can resist! From simple bead stringing to working with wire, there’s a wide variety of fabulous jewelry to make, and lots of creative techniques to try. Every attractively photographed page encourages experimentation, imagination, and personal artistic expression at the same time. Imagine a bracelet made of copper washers from the hardware store or from old wooden game pieces. Add small metal flower embellishments to a ribbon for a funky choker. “Elegant” describes the glittery Illusion Necklace with sparkly beads that seem to float around the neck. Each piece is as unique and special as the girl who makes it. The author lives in Asheville, NC.

Jam-packed with 200 captivating games, this brightly illustrated collection will make sure that no kid ever whines "I'm bored!" again. Even better, these are zippy, energy-burning activities--not the typical quiet indoor fare. Youngsters will have a blast with scavenger hunts, ball games guaranteed not to break anything, and even a nose-pushing popcorn race. They can test their reflexes with Footsieball (volleyball played with a balloon and one foot) or Hallway Alligator (try to get past the alligator without getting munched). Most of the activities need only minimal set-up time and supplies found around the house. Game variations are included to multiply the fun.

What could be more entertaining than grossing out parents with a homemade batch of disgusting, runny slime? These 50 irresistible experiments, explained in terms that children will appreciate, show how enjoyable science can be. All the activities appear on colorful, illustrated spreads with an engaging cast of kid characters who show how the science fun is done. Most of the experiments use ordinary household materials, and they provide some cool visual and tactile effects.

Sometimes art can seem intimidating to kids—but collage, with its layering of already-existing images and materials, feels like something they can master. With this exciting new entry in Lark’s My Very Favorite Art Book series, readers aged five and up will have a blast learning basic techniques and producing fabulous finished pieces. Young artists will get creative as they cut out facial features from magazines and rearrange them in whimsical portraits; weave strips of paper together to form interesting visual patterns; and design a cityscape from geometric shapes. They can even make personalized greeting cards for friends and family. Each finished project is showcased in a full-page photo or illustration—and because the text is kept to a minimum, even pre-readers can follow along.

Sneezing! Stuffy! Ears a-pop!And from your nose, a drippy-dropSuch green and slimy yucky glop!Can anybody make it stop? It’s one thing when a toy breaks—but what about when a part of you isn’t working right? This delightful, involving sequel to The Boo Boo Book cures children’s fears when they’re sick, and explains exactly what’s going on with their bodies. The rhyming text and colorfully-designed interactive pages are just so much fun that kids won’t focus on how bad they feel, but on why they’ll soon get better. They’ll lift a sheet of transparent pink plastic to cure pink eye; slide the mercury in a thermometer to take a temperature; and touch the embossed sneeze spray. From runny noses to rashes, earaches to stomachaches, a host of typical children’s ailments are all illustrated and described.

New in PaperIt's coming sooner than you think--the time to prepare for the next science fair! For projects, for presentation, for blue-ribbon winning ideas, there's no better place to come than here. From thinking of a unique science fair experiment to putting fabulous finishing touches on the display, this cool collection of smart and illustrated projects gives budding scientists everything they need to put together a winner--and have fun doing it, too. Kids have seen all the tricks, and they're tired of science fair books that show them (yawn) how to make the "been there, done that" volcano or another boring model of the solar system. Here are experiments they really want to do, on subjects such as slime, magic sand, video games, mummies, dog germs, horoscopes, bicycles, and more. The whole science fair experience is broken down into small, manageable steps, so youngsters won't feel overwhelmed. All safety precautions are taken, with notes on parental supervision, when necessary.