If Kids Ruled the World — Linda Bailey

This original, fun picture book delightfully describes, in hilarious detail, a small child's idea of utopia. Every two-page spread offers something new about this fantasy life, including, "If kids ruled the world, every day would be your birthday! Birthday cake would be good for you. Your doctor would say, 'Don't forget to eat your birthday cake so you'll grow up strong and healthy!'" And, "You could go to any kind of school you like -- Circus School. Fairy School. Inventing School. Lots of kids would go to Recess School."

The topics that bestselling, award-winning author Linda Bailey has chosen are pitch-perfect for young children, from bedtime and baths (none!) to pets and tree houses (lots!). And illustrator David Huyck's detailed, brightly hued artwork is full of energy, joy and humor that gets right to the heart of a child's view of the world. While this is a book that would happily be enjoyed from cover to cover, it's not hard to envision an enthralled child spending long stretches of time daydreaming about one particular scenario. In the classroom, this book would make an excellent springboard for art projects or creative writing assignments that explore children's own unique image of the perfect world. Particularly gratifying is the emphasis throughout on sharing all the good things brought to life in a world of a child's own making. This book is a truly exuberant celebration of childhood, play and imagination. It's sure to become a classic.