Fun in Français: Putumayo World Music's terrific Putumayo Kids series has a new addition,

French Playground, that will take you and your little ones far past "Frére Jacques." The French and French Creole songs feature 12 artists from France, the Caribbean, Africa and Quebec. The complete lyrics of each song are printed in both English and French, and the full-color liner notes also include artist and cultural information. Musical styles vary from French chansons to gypsy jazz. One song tells of a little bus's journey past boulangeries and other neighborhood spots; another is about a young man's memories of staying with his grandparents. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will benefit Terre des Hommes, whose efforts provide support to disadvantaged children around the world.

Winter Wonderland: Local children's author and longtime Washington Parent children's book reviewer Mary Quattlebaum has written a new book that's perfect for your winter reading. Winter Friends, with dreamy watercolor illustrations by Hiroe Nakata, is a collection of poems to delight your child's senses. Celebrate the many aspects of the winter season, from the "first-time taste of floating flake" to the heavenliness of making snow angels, from the sound of the snow plow plodding down the street to the sight of yellow crocus peeking out as spring approaches. This book is full of special experiences you can share with your child this winter, and it will also start many a conversation about winters in Mommy or Daddy's past, too.

Kids Keeping the Faith: At this time of year where many of us are celebrating our diverse religious traditions, Dorling Kindersley has come along with a beautiful book to add to your classroom's library. A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World's Religions Through the Eyes of Children includes four major holidays each of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism, as well as some information on the religions and holidays of Zoroastrianism, Shintoism, Bahaism, Jainism and Taoism. For each holiday children can see colorful photographs and read about how it is celebrated in public and in the home, from a parade of elephants in the streets of Sri Lanka to an Eid lunch in a Jordanian household.

A Nice Neighborhood: He's gone but far from forgotten. Memories of watching Mister Rogers remain, along with his kind, gentle manner and his books and videos. Now there is another way to remember Fred Rogers and the longest running show on PBS with Songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers, a musical tribute to America's favorite neighbor. Twelve top award-winning artists, including Amy Grant, CeCe Winans, Crystal Gayle, Donna Summer, Jon Secada, Maureen McGovern and Roberta Flack, expressed their admiration for Mister Rogers by recording all-new arrangements of his songs. "The making of" DVD will also be included as a bonus, featuring artists performing their songs and candid interviews and stories about their favorite memories of Mister Rogers. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the set will go to the nonprofit Fred Rogers Fund, at Family Communications, Inc.

Warm Winter Quilts: Here's a book for children you may just want to give to an adult friend or family member who loves quilts and quilting, too. Art quilts and accompanying poems in Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts, by Anna Grossnickle Hines, illustrate the Swedish Santa Lucia celebration, Christmas trees, Chinese New Year, the early setting of the sun, the dance of flames in the fireplace and more. Hines sometimes spent more than 4,000 hours per quilt, cutting more than 8,450 triangles of fabric per quilt, and all in all using more than 11 miles of thread in stitching the original quilts in this book. The resulting 15 colorful creations are magnificent.

A Movie Tie-in Tidbit: If you and your child loved the movie Wallace & Gromit, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, here are some fun tie-ins to hold you over until the DVD comes out. DK's Ultimate Sticker Book--Wallace & Gromit, Curse of the Were-Rabbit has more than 60 reusable color stickers and backgrounds like Tottington Hall on which to stick them. Wallace & Gromit, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Essential Guide, with photos from the movie, is in that DK format kids will pore over for hours, with or without you, as bunny battles are relived, the Anti-Pesto S.W.A.T. team's van is packed, the town gears up for the Giant Vegetable Competition, the brain-changing Mind-o-matic is diagrammed and a cad is after Lady Tottington's money.