"Extreme Nature! Q&A" by Melissa Stewart boasts 43 questions with answers, as well as photographs, Web sites and suggested reading. It's a brand-new series for curious minds.

Did you ever wonder why some people are more inclined toward adventure and exploration, why they don't possess a lot of fear about life, trying new things, taking chances?

Much of that attitude stems from a fascination and excitement for learning new things every day. We are all born that way; it's called curiosity.

Unfortunately, adults can stymie a child's efforts, instill fear and chip away at their independent spirit and ingenuity, diminishing the courage to explore.

The willingness to meet life head-on is an immeasurable gift. With that is the understanding that mistakes, even miserable ones, will be made and are part of learning.

If a child is ridiculed for making mistakes or for wanting to try something that an adult thinks ridiculous, fear will override the desire to try because all children want approval and fear rejection.

Great learning takes place when a child is encouraged to use their own creative energies to figure things out, express their interests and discover all the wonderful things life has to offer.

The following book is available at many public libraries.<B>"Yoko"</B> written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells; Hyperion; 32 pages; read aloud: age 3 to 7; read yourself: age 8.Yoko goes to school with lots of boys and girls. One day at lunch time as the children are eating their favorite foods — egg salad, peanut butter and honey, franks and beans — they notice Yoko eating her favorite food — sushi. The children tease Yoko over and over, making Yoko quite upset."Ick! It's green! It's seaweed!" "Don't tell me that's raw fish!" "Watch out! It's moving!" "Yuck-o-rama!"Yoko's teacher knows she has to do something to help Yoko and change the other children's attitude, and her solution proves to be both clever and delicious.Another well-executed book by master author/illustrator Rosemary Wells, this charming little gem carries an important message about making unfounded judgments, accepting differences and broadening one's horizons.

<B>Library:</B> Prospect Community Library, Prospect<B>Library Director:</B> Jeanne Sarnese<B>Choices this week:</B> "A Silent Night for Peef" by Tom Hegg; "Peef the Christmas Bear" by Tom Hegg; "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>"Extreme Nature! Q & A"</B> by Melissa Stewart; photographs by various photographers; Collins, 2006; $6.99 paperback; read aloud: age 5 to 9; read yourself: age 8 to 9.In conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute, publisher Collins launches a brand-new series for curious minds. "Extreme Nature! Q & A" is certain to dazzle kids with crazy and amazing facts and color photographs.For example, Q: "Which animal has the largest eyes?" A: The colossal squid, packing eyes more than 2 feet wide!Q: "Which animal has the longest life?" A: Six-foot-tall tube worms living in the Gulf of Mexico are at least 250 years old! And for a really bizarre example, try this question: "Which animal lives in another animal's mouth?" You'll never believe the answer until you read it in this fascinating book.Boasting 43 questions with answers, awesome photographs, a quick visit with curator Dr. Don Wilson, a glossary, and "Places to Visit," featuring Web sites and suggested reading, this little gem of a book guarantees to leave readers spellbound and intrigued with the world of nature.<B>"baby einstein Flip Flap Colors Book"</B> concept by Julie Aigner-Clark; illustrations by Nadeem Zaidi; Hyperion, 2006; 12 pages; $6.99 hardback; read aloud: age 9 months and older; read yourself: age 6 to 7.There's a lot more to this little book than initially meets the mind. Specifically designed for babies and toddlers and their insatiably curious minds, "Flip Flap Colors" features photographs of familiar objects and prompts the child to guess the color of the object.To enhance the learning, sturdy flaps are opened to reveal the color and corresponding word. Add to that a fun rhyme that sets the stage for color exploration, and you've got one terrific book packed with learning made fun.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail: kendal@sunlink.net.