>NEW TITLES FOR YOUNG READERS
HERE'S TO YOU, RACHEL ROBINSON, by Judy Blume In this terrific sequel to Blume's 1987 best-seller, Just As Long As We're Together, A-student Rachel has to cope with her annoying brother, Charles, who is expelled from boarding school. Worse: Pals Alison and Stephanie think Charles is cute. A perfect cure for preteen blues. Ages 10 and up (Orchard Books, $14.95)
TUMBLE TOWER, by Anne Tyler, illust. by Mitra Modarressi Tyler's first children's book is a witty ode to a messy room, featuring the kind of quirky characters that make her adult fiction (Breathing Lessons and The Accidental Tourist) so smashing. Tyler's daughter, Mitra, 26, adds to the story's chaos with her delightful water-colors. Ages 3 to 7 (Orchard Books, $14.95)
MERMAID TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, Retold by Mary Pope Osborne, illust. by Troy Howell Fans of the little mermaid will meet her international cousins: The German girl-fish makes a deal with a miller—but is outsmarted by his grown son; a Japanese archer pleases his Sea Queen, who rewards him with a visit to a palace on seaweed grounds; and of course Hans Christian Andersen's mermaid tale is here—with its original tragic ending. Howell's illustrations have an imaginative touch. Ages 7 and up (Scholastic, $16.95)
THE KINGFISHER SCIENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA With pictures guaranteed to grab a kid's attention (see "mutation"), the editors explain nearly 1,000 scientific terms and offer instructions for 200 projects. Ages 8 and up (Kingfisher Books, $35)
THE KINGFISHER ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE WORLD As exciting as a ride in Epcot Center, this splashy survey begins with the Ice Age and the Pyramids and brings us up to Michael Jackson and the Concorde. Ages 8 and up (Kingfisher Books, $35)
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