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Well meerkats aren’t exactly magical, but there are certainly fun to watch either at the zoo or on Animal Planet’s Meerkat Manor. Sometimes I think Meerkat Manor is a little too PG-13 for younger kids - too much death, sex and violence. So if you’re looking for something “meerkat-ish” for children three to six, check out Meet the Meerkat by Darrin Lunde from Charlesbridge Publishing.

Meet the Meerkat uses a question and answer format that should appeal to little children:

Hello, little animal. What is your name?

My name is Little Meerkat. I am a kind of a mongoose.

This would be a great book to read before a trip to the zoo. You’ll follow Little Meerkat into the Kalahari desert and learn about his life and habitat. Patricia J. Wynee provides scientifically accurate - and charming - illustrations. (Click here to download a coloring page PDF.)

Also by Darrin Lunde and perfect for Halloween is Hello, Bumblebee Bat (for children three to six). Again using the question and answer format, children are introduced into the life and habitat of the exotic and endangered Bumblebee Bat.

Speaking of bats, why not try baking up a batch of Martha Stewart’s Dulce De Leche Bat Cookies? These would be perfect to bring to the zoo for a meerkat or bat watching trip - or a Halloween party!

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I loved this bookmark idea from Martha Stewart. My kids are always pulling out my bookmarks. Lucie finds this terribly amusing. I don’t. So when Martha claims this bookmark will stay put, I hope she’s right.

This is a great craft to make with your kids. Have them pick out the paper and cut it into strips. Make several if you’re like me and are reading many books at once.

Directions to make Martha’s Stay Put Bookmark:

1. Laminate a strip of decorative paper, leaving an inch on each side. Thick wrapping paper, a strip from a postcard or greeting cord, or even an ad from a magazine would work.
2. Round the corners with a corner punch.
3. Punch a 1/8-inch hole on each end.
4. Cut 2 pieces of thick elastic cord. Cord like this come in either black or white and can be found at any craft, fabric or beading store.
5. Thread one end of each cord through one hole, and tie ends in a knot. Repeat on opposite end.
6. Use one elastic cord to mark your page, and wrap the other around the entire book to secure it.

Directions and photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Are your children getting nervous about school? A great book for ages 4 to 8 for overcoming the first-day-of-school jitters, is The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, the book is about little girl Lizzy who is very nervous about starting school. To feel better, she picks an apple and creates a makeshift doll named Susanna to accompany her. Lizzy’s mom then shows her how to make  a real apple doll, and with Susanna’s help, Lizzy finds a way to overcome her shyness and make friends at school.

The book comes with instructions on how to make an apple doll. (Click here to download the apple doll instructions from the book.) You can learn more about apple dolls at Apple Dolls, An American Folk Doll website. FamilyFun.com also has instructions for making apple dolls.

If you’re interested in reading more about apples - how they’re planted, grown, and harvested - check out Apples by Jacqueline Farmer (illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes). From Charlesbridge Publishing, this book is for aes 4 to 8. However, you’ll learn something about apples too. For instance, do you know what the difference is between cider and apple juice? (I didn’t until I read the book.) Cider is unfiltered apple juice. I dunno, the stuff at the store looks pretty filtered to me. The book also includes a recipe for apple pie.

Apple Recipes from A Readable Feast:

• Vulcan Apple Pastry
• Abigail Adams Apple Pan Dowdy
• Apple Recipes from Around the World

Other Sources:

• Apple recipes from Martha Stewart
• Two apple dishes from Simply Recipes - kid friendly Apple Chicken Quesadillas and Apple Turnovers
• Old-fashioned apple recipes from the Apple Journal
• Apple dishes from Allrecipes.com