Not exactly catalog titles, as I found them in an ad in the latest issue of Booklist, but close enough. Here are some current (and upcoming) National Geographic titles for kids that look very appealing:

African Critters by Robert Haas: "A deadly hunter, the leopard is also a loving parent to its newborn cubs, and Haas shows both roles in his beautiful photo-essay about African wildlife, which features pictures he took over several years in southern African game reserves. The brief, chatty text and the unframed pictures catch the harsh reality of the animals’ life-and-death struggle: “No good guys, no bad guys; it’s about survival.� Haas’ writing is needlessly exclamatory; the zoology and the photos are astonishing enough all by themselves. There’s the poignant picture of a mother hyena carrying her cubs to a den, with the accompanying explanation that the cubs were later killed by a lion. Then there’s the shot of an angry bull elephant. Is the beast protecting a tiny new baby? What about the huge hippo, charging with its mouth wide open, or “Itty Bitty Critters,� such as the dung beetle? Each of the chapters, some of which are 10 pages long, provides fascinating details about animal behavior, and numerous boxed notes fill in more facts about numbers and anatomy."

Proceeds go to the Humane Society and it really looks amazing.

Bizarre Dinosaurs by Christopher Sloan: "Paleontologist Josh Smith uses clear and informed text to tell kids what we know and what we are still guessing about this collection of odd-looking monsters, including how scientists think they used their individual bizarre characteristics. In his introduction, life-long dinosaur enthusiast John Updike gives young readers a new perspective on the sheer weirdness of dinosaurs by turning our relationship with them on its head: How weird might a human body look to dinosaurs? he asks."

Cool dinosaurs and John Updike? I'm sold! (I saw the article by Updike in the magazine earlier this year and it was very good - I'm eager to see it bound for easier reading.)

The Planet Gods by Jacqueline Mitton: "With the addition of Ceres and Eres to our solar system, every library, school, and space-gazing, mythology-loving kid needs an updated look at the planets and the gods they represent. The Planet Gods is that volume: a new, reliable guide to the exciting recent developments in the world of astronomy from the experts here on planet Earth."

I do love an astronomy title that links mythology and science. This one looks lovely and informative and should make the stars that much more fascinating for young readers.

The Dinosaur Museum: "Young, eager paleontologists wanted. Apply within. We need Your expertise So step inside The Dinosaur Museum, the book where kids get to act like paleontologists. This amazing volume gives readers a behind-the-scenes peek at a museum, with an interactive experience that evokes a visit to a natural history museum. Forget about waiting in long lines for hours. This interactive guide takes you on a room-by-room tour of the most fun-packed museum you can imagine. Learning about prehistoric monsters becomes a practical challenge to the scientist in every reader. Each room points to a range of interactive investigations that can be carried out in the dino-lab gatefold flap. You can open the specimen drawer filled with fossils, look at specimen slides through the microscope, and use a whole host of interactive features: a pop-up fossil finds map, a dinosaur time line, and a sliding chart that allows you to compare the size of dinosaurs with modern animals."

If it follows through on half of that description it will be dazzling - it's certainly one to look for in the bookstores this fall and see if the awesomeness is real.

The Literary Adventures of Washington Irving by Cheryl Harness: "Cheryl Harness' lively narrative traces the development of both Irving's life and his literary imagination. The book's vivid illustrations invite readers to step back in time and find out how his creations helped lay the foundation for American folklore--the tales and traditions that help define the spirit of America. Along the way, readers meet other authors and their legendary characters, including Longfellow's Hiawatha and Evangeline, Davy Crockett and the heroes of the Alamo, Johnny Appleseed, Daniel Boone, Pecos Bill, Jesse James, Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox, John Henry and his hammer, Casey Jones, Clement Moore and many more."

I know beans about Irving although I think we read something by him in high school. (I've blocked as much of that American Lit class as possible.) I like any way to get kids excited about an author though - it makes the transition to the author's actual works that much easier.