When it comes to children’s books, I love collecting vintage classics such as The Snowy Day, The Velveteen Rabbit, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Caps for Sale, and more. There are many “hidden gems” out there that may not be as popular or as mainstream as the literary classics, but are still heartwarming in their own special way. (My favorite children’s book will always be Russell Hobson’s A Bargain For Frances, which I cannot wait to read to my daughter when she’s a bit older.) This holiday season, give a great gift and read a new book to the children in your life—it’s precious bonding time they’ll cherish. Or encourage a tween to read more, for pleasure, school, or both!

Below is a list of newly-released children’s books. I hope the children in your life enjoy reading these “hidden gems” and personalized books as much as I enjoyed writing about them.

As far back as I can remember, my mother would break out a series of crafting books and allow us to choose an afternoon activity. Pipe cleaners, egg cartons, pom poms and glue littered the table (and floor!). And while our handmade treasures weren't the most pleasing to the eye, my mother always put them on display. In fact, 30-plus years later, she still has them in storage totes in the basement. 

With the holidays here, parents are thinking about what to give their children's teachers. Many of us opt for the gift card (it's definitely the easiest way to go!), but these past few years I've chosen to draw on my childhood experiences and give our gifts a more personal touch. If you'd like to give it a try, here is a roundup of ideas to get you started--and they're easy enough that the kids can help out. So break out those glue guns and glitter. And for more kid-friendly activities, be sure to check out our Holiday Guide.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had the day off every time the kids got a day off from school?  If you’re scrambling to find childcare for December vacation, take a look at these camps in and around Boston. You may not have the day off, but you can rest easy, knowing that your kids are safe, staying active and having fun (while you toil away at work).

If you're planning to be home for the holidays and need some fun things to do with the kids during those long school-free days, check out our Holiday Fun Guide for ideas aplenty.

STEM isn't just a big education buzzword. Hands-on science, technology, engineering and math experiences for kids are all the rage outside the classroom, too, from interactive makerspaces, to studios for aspiring inventors, to state-of-the-art museums focused on math, technology and science.

But you don't need to leave your apartment to inspire a love of STEM subjects. A few months back I shared some of my family's favorite board games that make math fun. Today, I'm highlighting educational toys that teach kids of all ages engineering basics in an engaging way, and go way beyond the ubiquitous Legos. You can find more great gift ideas in our Holiday Shopping Guide.

You're always close to great restaurants when you're in Bay Ridge. It's one of the many reasons we love living here. In fact, there are so many diverse culinary choices, my husband and I have been known to spend the first hour of our date nights strolling up and down Third Avenue before finally settling on a spot, always delicious.

But when we have our four kids in tow, indecisiveness is not an option. They don't want to walk and they want to eat now! Here are my family's top 11 kid-friendly restaurants in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Shopping is mandatory during the holiday season, though its probably the part that kids like the least. They would rather be having fun around town, taking in a performance of the Nutcracker or checking out a cool holiday train display. So what to do when shopping duty calls?

There are a few ways to approach holiday shopping with your children in tow. You've got the twin options of bribery and coercion, or the combination of those two into one for maximum effect. Well how about scouting out the shopping centers with play spaces and entertainment to help make the experience more fun? We've rounded up your best bets for getting loads of shopping done in and around Westchester with kids in tow along with tips for keeping them happy while (or after) you shop!

Is it a holly, jolly Christmas if there isn't a picture with Santa to prove it?  Despite the effort (crinoline, curdoroys, etc.), sometimes inordinate cost and perhaps dark memories of your own (you've seen the Christmas Story, haven't you?), most parents can't resist the lure of a Santa on set, waiting to kindly try and convince your tot he's indeed the greatest guy on the planet.  I speak from experience. I've got a 5-year-old who's finally come around, an almost 3-year-old who would have none of it in 2012 (after two banner years), and a near one-year-old who will, no doubt, freak.  God only knows how this year's pic will turn out ... and therein lies the draw.

There are several spots across Fairfield County where your little ones can whisper in Santa's ear, pretty much every day until Christmas.  Or, you can keep an eye out for one-day Winter Festivals in your local schools -- they often feature a Santa photo op. We've also rounded up the Top 25 Santa Activities in CT. You might want to check that out, too!

It's beginning to look a lot like... well, you know. Over the past week, my daughter and I have been rushing around playing tourist, seeing all of NYC's iconic holiday sights like Santa at Macy's, the spectacular department store holiday windows and the tree at Rockefeller Center. Admittedly, we experienced that last one from the comfort of an MTA bus. We're not crazy enough to try to get close!

Our NYC Holiday Guide includes all kinds of festive fun in the city as well as links to our tri-state-area Holiday Guides. There are some seasonal experiences you can only have outside of the five boroughs, like Polar Express Santa trains and cutting your own Christmas tree.

Since it's a new month, we also posted our December Go Lists highlighting the absolute best things to do throughout the month in NYC, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. The sheer number of activities in December is overwhelming and we hope these Go Lists help you plan out your family's calendar so you don't miss the really special stuff.

And a couple of cool odds and ends: There's still time to enter this week's awesome giveaway: a family-four pack to Sahara Sam's indoor water park in New Jersey. Got a car? Then you may want to plan a night trip to see some of the best holiday displays in the outer boroughs, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. And our Travel site has a wonderful post about spending Christmas in Dublin, Ireland.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week: