Everything to spend the night--from A to Z

You never know what you're going to need to pack when you're spending the night at Grandpa's house. The little red-haired girl in this exuberant, rhyming story needs quite a bit of this and that, from apples to the zipper on her overnight bag, and everything in between. "'Here's my Quilt. / I drape it down / and cut gold paper / into crowns. / Ta-daaaaaa! I'm Queen. / ...and you're my king. / I even brought a royal Ring,'" she pronounces, as Grandpa humors her with a deep bow. This all-day, nonstop grandpa-granddaughter party bounds along at a breakneck pace as she breaks out the drums, earmuffs, feather, gum, hairbrush, inchworm, jigsaw puzzle, and more: "My Music box will play the song. / Let's twirl and spin / and sing along. / I'm not tired, Grandpa. See! / I packed more / things for you and me." She thoroughly exhausts Grandpa and the black-and-white cat (whose antics are hysterical to watch throughout the day's shenanigans), but they are both very good sports--even when it turns out that, after all that packing, their little Queen forgot her pajamas. (Ages 3 to 7) --Karin Snelson

Ann Whitford Paul had great fun packing an entire alphabet into this overnight bag after seeing all the "necessary" things her four children and their friends brought along on their sleepovers. She is the author of several picture books, including Hello Toes! Hello Feet!, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, which Kirkus Reviews praised as having "the exuberance of a charmingly extended jump-rope chant... simple and carefree activities are described form a foot's-eye view...(all) in perfect accord with reader's interests and perspectives." Ms. Paul lives in Los Angeles. Maggie Smith has treasured memories of childhood sleep-aways, especially those to Grandma's, for which she was sure to pack her elephant sweater, her red-flowered swimsuit, and Lamby. She is the author/illustrator of several picture books, including This Is Your Garden and Counting Our Way to Maine, an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists that School Library Journal praised as "More than a counting book, this lively summer vacation story will be a welcome addition to anyone's bookshelf..." Ms. Smith lives in New York City.