books

Author/illustrator David Shannon gets some of his best children's-book ideas from his family.

I've often called this the Golden Age of Reprints. And if I'm right, it may have ridden in on a Dark Horse.

Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber, 33, has teamed up with twin brother Tiki for their fifth book, a tweener chapter book called "Go Long!'' Ronde is still picking off passes on the Bucs defense, while brother Tiki is in his second year as a broadcaster after retiring from the New York Giants.

Let's just say it flat-out: "Our White House" (Candlewick Press, $29.99) is a stunning gathering of children's-book stars, all with a single goal of illuminating a national treasure for young readers.

"Embrace change."

You might have heard that on ESPN2 or MTV, where commercials with this message have aired. Or you might have seen it in the many house ads in Marvel Comics. There's even a Web site devoted to it (see below), including screen savers, webisodes and a Twitter link.

What does that mean, to embrace change?

'INDIGNATION." BY PHILIP ROTH (HOUGHTON MIFFLIN, $26.)

In Philip Roth's America, the Jew continues the Diaspora, never secure, never completely at home. The closest Roth's characters come to a brief haven is his native Newark -- "hard-working, coarse-grained, bribe-ridden, semi-xenophobic Irish-Italian-German-Slavic-Jewish-Negro Newark."

With Wall Street imploding, the obvious question on everybody's mind is: How will this affect fictional gazillionaires?

OK, maybe not. But it's fun, and we've got a guide to help us figure it out: the annual "Forbes Fictional 15" (Forbes.com), which lists the richest characters who exist only in our imagination -- and in comics, movies, videogames, etc.

Robie Harris tackles all kinds of issues in her books for kids -- everything from sibling rivalry to sex.

"WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS?" By Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown; $24.99)

"EXIT MUSIC." By Ian Rankin (Little, Brown; $24.99)

The history of Scotland is rife with bloodshed, poverty, betrayal and mystery, as Shakespeare reminded us, and things haven't changed much for the 21st-century Scots if these authors are accurate judges.

Danger lurks on the road, for sure; but it may not be where we think it is.

Stop signs, for instance, can lead to bad crashes. But a curvy, cliff-side road with no guardrails may have few mishaps.