A dinner date with an unruly family aims to help introduce children ages 3 to 8 to the benefits and blessings of proper behavior in The Splatters Learn Some Manners (978-0-736-92558-7, $16.99, Harvest House Publishers), releasing next month.

The hosts are a wild, wacky and messy bunch who, while embracing a zany world of utter chaos, also excel in the sloppy, inconsiderate art of rudeness. Their meals usually lean more toward free-for-all food fights and near-fisticuffs, with more of mom’s cooking ending up on the floor—and on the walls and in the children’s hair—than anywhere else.

A case in point is The Creation Story for Children by David and Helen Haidle (978-0-890-51565-5, $14.99), which is being re-packaged and re-released next month by New Leaf Publishing Group to better reach a growing market, Christian education.

A squishy-texture gel pack that simulates waves will add an additional dimension to children’s learning about Noah’s faith and obe-dience in How Noah Knew What to Do (978-1-400-31441-6, $12.99). This novelty hardcover book by Karen Ann Moore will be re-leased by Thomas Nelson in May.

The book has changed noticeably since the company first published it as a hardcover edition in 2000, said Laura Minchew, vice president and publisher for Thomas Nelson’s specialty division. The book has been edited, revamped, refreshed in text and given a new format that will invite kids ages 4 to 8 to get their hands into the story as they listen or read along with a parent, teacher or older sibling.

Suspense, supernatural happenings and likable characters are the winning ingredients in Bill Myers’ latest tween series, “The Elijah Project.” Zonderkidz will release the first four books in May.

On the Run (978-0-310-71193-3), The Enemy Closes In (-4-0), Trapped by Shadows (-5-7) and The Chamber of Lies (-6-4) are geared for 9- to12-year-olds, a group that is showing increased interest in reading good books.

The fun of a field trip has been bound up in a series that involves the whole family. Next month, Master Books, an imprint of New Leaf Publishing Group, adds its third title, The Complete Aquarium Adventure: A Field Trip in a Book (978-0-890-51554-9, $18.99), to this inventive line.

Excellent photography of undersea creatures in their natural habitats accents the text. Puzzles, word games and educational activities that draw kids deeper into the experience of aquariums and oceanic realms —like constructing a diorama— make the book useful for homeschoolers as well as for interactive family times.

Creationists and educators Bill and Merilee Clifton wrote the text that takes kids ages 5 to 10 into the world’s water kingdoms. The Cliftons are qualified as Florida Master Naturalists—promoting awareness of the state’s natural world—and also own and operate Science Partners, a field trip and workshop organization designed to introduce students to animals and nature.

The Complete Aquarium Adventure is spiral-bound like Master Books’ previous “Field Trip” releases, which highlighted the creation museum and zoos. Master Books’ Editor in Chief Laura Welch said the first release, The Complete Zoo Adventure (2007), rose quickly to the top of the publisher’s children’s books for that year. The second title, The Complete Creation Museum Adventure, published in January 2009, benefited from interest in the Creation Museum in Kentucky, which opened in 2007.

“I think the success of these books can be attributed to being something unusual,” Welch said. “They’re creation-based, special activity-focused products that tie in with great family destinations.”

For more information or to order, call New Leaf Publishing Group at 800-999-3777.

Story by singer Cindy Morgan based on the popular Point of Grace song

Music and story come together in Dance Me, Daddy, (978-0-310-71762-1, $16.99) an endearing picture book celebrating the unique relationship between a girl and her father. Singer-songwriter Cindy Morgan wrote the story based on the song “King of the World,” recorded by Point of Grace.

Zonderkidz will publish the book in early April. Included with the jacketed hardcover book for 4- to 7-year-olds is an audio CD of Morgan reading the story with Point of Grace’s rendition of the song.

Vivid illustrations by Philomena O’Neill depict Morgan’s story of a young girl who dresses up in her princess costume—complete with tiara atop her pigtails—and begs her father to “dance her” by spinning her around as she stands on the tops of his feet.

The father-daughter relationship unfolds through the book as dad splashes in the kiddie pool with his girl, chases her and playfully sips tea at her make-believe tea party. As the daughter grows, she develops other interests and friends, but continues to revel in dancing with her dad until their final dance—at her wedding.

Morgan won the 2008 Dove Award for Country Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for “How You Live,” the title song for the Point of Grace album that also includes “King of the World.” Of the song, the group’s Denise Jones said: “All three of us have incredible fathers, and we’re thankful to have a song that pays tribute to them. There just aren’t a lot of songs out there that highlight the true importance of a father’s role in a girl’s life.”

Dance Me, Daddy may particularly appeal to fans of singer Steven Curtis Chapman’s popular “Cinderella” ballad, written to remind him to spend time with his daughters while they were still young.

Retailers can cross-promote the Point of Grace album with the book through a Zonderkidz introductory promotion. A 12-copy floor display is available to merchandise the book during the Father’s Day and wedding seasons and offers a pocket in which to display the group’s How You Live: Deluxe Edition CD along with $5 coupons toward the purchase of both the book and CD.

To order, call Zondervan at 800-727-1309, or visit www.zondervan.com.