The Order of Things: How Everything in the World Is Organized into Hierarchies, Structures, and Pecking Orders

Author: Barbara Ann Kipfer

First line: From the inner workings of the smallest things to the complex system of the universe, The Order of Things is an attempt to cover all those things that we ourselves have organized, or what we have found naturally organized, into: hierarchies, structures, orders, classifications, branches, scales, divisions, successions, sequences, rankings.

Why you should read this book: Whether you're trying to remember the seven deadly sins or the seven wonders of the ancient world, all the dynasties of China or the structure of the US government, the order of poker hands or the order in which Shakespeare's plays were published, this book has an answer. From abacus to zoology, Kipfer has classified the known world according to its understood structure including science, religion, history, arts, sports, and philosophy. A remarkable reference for anyone reveling in natural curiosity or suffering from general forgetfulness.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're an anarchist.

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World

Author: Michael Pollan

First line: The seeds of this book were first planted in my garden--while I was planting seeds, as a matter of fact.

Why you should read this book: Beginning with the thesis that domestic agriculture is not a human invention, but rather something that grasses did to people to give them a leg up in their ongoing battle with trees, Pollan lays out the relationship between plants and people in terms of manipulation of desire: plants fulfilling some basic drives in exchange for most-favored status. Four plants and four corresponding desires are examined: apples and sweetness, tulips and beauty, marijuana and intoxication, and potatoes and control. This is an intense, well-researched and wonderfully written book that will necessarily change your perspective on the ideals of order and innovation, the place of man in nature, and the food you put into your mouth.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're a lawyer for Monsanto, currently litigating cases against farmers who have stolen your client's intellectual property (i.e. planted unlicensed spuds genetically impregnated with pesticide).

Fox

Author: Margaret Wild

First line: Through the charred forest, over hot ash, runs Dog, with a bird clamped in his big, gentle mouth.

Why you should read this book: Wild, weird, warm, and wonderful, this is a book about trust and betrayal, disability and adaptation, acceptance and desire, to wit, all the adult emotions you can possibly fit into a kid's picture book. Dog, blind in one eye, and Magpie, who has lost the power of flight, form a perfect partnership, until Fox makes them a trio and introduces doubt into the dynamic. It's deep and beautiful, written on the level of a fable so that kids can draw their own conclusions and take away a meaningful lesson about friendship.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You relish being a home wrecker.

Ralphie and the Swamp Baby

Author: Vicky Rubin

First line: Ralphie hurried home from school, happily clutching his mud-wrestling trophy.

Why you should read this book: When a young alligator finds his accomplishments upstaged by an unhatched egg, he determines to return the interloper from whence it came. Armed with a bit of misinformation, he absconds with his unborn sibling into the swamp in search of a stork's nest to engage in the ultimate act of sibling rivalry. Even before the stork sets Ralphie straight on the origin of eggs, the little gator realizes that the egg has some potential and learns to love his sister.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You told your kids about the stork and you plan to keep telling your kids about the stork, and you don't need any smarmy stork undermining your authority or encouraging your kids to ask difficult questions about animal reproduction.

Under the Table

Author: Marisabina Russo

First line: When there's nothing to do, I crawl under the table.

Why you should read this book: A little girl explains why her special place under the coffee table is a good place to be. She engages in typical under-the-table activities, until one day she decides to start decorating the underside of the table with her crayons, an act of vandalism that goes undiscovered until someone decides to move the table. Little kids identify with and are captivated by the protagonist and her activities in this charming and amusing book.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're too busy enjoying yourself under the table.

Who Will Go to School Today?

Author: Karl Ruhmann

First line: "Good morning, Sam!" called Mother. "Come on, time to get up!"

Why you should read this book: Sam considers sending a stuffed monkey dressed in his clothes to school so that he can sleep in. As he explains to the doll what to expect and how to behave so as to seamlessly uphold the charade, Sam realizes that switching places with a stuffed animal may not be all it's cracked up to be. A positive story for kids who have trouble getting out of bed.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're a truant officer.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella

Author: Paul Fleischman

First line: Once upon a time there lived a wealthy merchant whose wife had died.

Why you should read this book: The Cinderella story is among the oldest and best-disseminated of all fairy tales, and this book brings together seventeen different versions to create an international fable that highlights the universal nature of the yarn. The illustrations underline differences in style among the various sources, while the text provides multiple versions of certain elements, for instance, the components of the girl's finery or the dishes served at the wedding feast. Very clever, very enjoyable.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You know that Fairy Godmothers say, "Bibbity-boppity-boo," and you're not interested in another word on the subject.

The Invisible Princess

Author: Faith Ringgold

First line: Long ago, in the tiny Village of Visible, way down in the Deep South, there lived two slaves called Mama and Papa Love.

Why you should read this book: In a story rich with metaphor, an invisible princess defies the cruel slave master who torments her family, although she herself is protected from his wrath by the Powers of Nature. Even the master's blind daughter can see how beautiful and irenic the princess is, and when she learns her father's plan to harm the princess's family, the Queen of Bees and the Prince of Night devise a plan to free all the slaves. With intense, captivating illustrations and a strong message of love and equality, this is a perfect book for smart kids with a basic grasp of fairness and American history.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're still flying the Confederate flag and declaring that the South will rise again. On second thought, if you're still flying the Confederate flag and declaring that the South will rise again, you really need to read this book.

Harry on the Rock

Author: Susan Meddaugh

First line: It was a calm day when Harry floated out to see.

Why you should read this book: Harry the anthropomorphic dog has a hard time of it when a seagull drops a clam on his head, initiating a chain of events that leaves the hapless rower stranded on a desert island with a smashed boat, a single tree with foul-tasting leaves, and a strange, orange egg. Harry's original intention to eat the egg is thwarted when a very unusual lizard hatches from it. Although the lizard is friendly and useful, its ability to fly and breathe fire frighten Harry into ungrateful behavior, until he finally realizes the creature's true intention and potential.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You would have eaten the egg even after it hatched.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume 1

Author: Alan Moore

First line: Greetings, children of vanquished and colonised nations the world o'er.

Why you should read this book: With inimitable tongue-in-cheek genius, Moore delivers a delightful romp through a steampunk Victoria, peopled by the the heroes of that era's literature. The unflappable Mina Murray (since divorced from Jonathan Harker following the events of Bram Stoker's Dracula) leads a band of incorrigibles on a quest to save London from a science-fueled gang war between a Chinese opium lord and the undisputed mastermind of British crime. Moore nods his head to the literary greats, as well as the penny-dreadfuls, merging adventure, horror, and science fiction in a story that sucks the very marrow from the dawn of speculative fiction.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You thought the movie adaptation was brilliant, particularly the bit where Mina turns into a vampire.