When older siblings head back to school, younger siblings often feel lonely and sad. These new innovative board tales should help them do just what their brothers and sisters are doing — reading and enjoying books.

"Dinoblock" by Christopher Franceschelli; art by Peskimo; Abrams Appleseed; 46 pages; $16.95.

This talented pair's predecessor, "Alphablock," was voted one of 2013's best books of the year by several news outlets. "Dinoblock," too, is graphically sophisticated and fun — fun like a toy. Designed almost like a big building block, the vintage-style board book is thick and full of sturdy foldout pages, with cool muted retro colors and friendly characters. Tots will first read a clue such as, "I have a neck like a goose..." and then turn the die-cut page to reveal the dinosaur the Coelophysis (which does, in fact, resemble a goose). Other similarities between present-time animals and dinosaurs are presented across the many easy-to-turn pages of "Dinoblock."

The end features a four-page foldout with all the presented dinosaurs in one display, as well as the two children along for the museum visit. Very hip, heavy-ish and satisfyingly mod, "Dinoblock" is a winner.

"Whose Tools?" by Toni Buzzeo and Jim Datz; Abrams Appleseed; 14 pages; $9.95.

With 14 page spreads, plus at least another 14 in foldouts, "Whose Tools?" is a zesty guessing game featuring 24 tools. The nonfiction ode to building a house from the ground up features six craftsmen — men and women of different sizes, shapes, ages and ethnic backgrounds — with the 24 tools they use, all labeled clearly. Using a fun guessing game, this tool book adds a deeper level to the genre, encouraging preschoolers to match tool to craftsman.

Stylized, modern artwork that's not jarring or babyish should please children and adults, while the foldout layout adds many more pages and hours to the book's enjoyment factor.

"Who's There?" and "All Shook Up!" by Alain Crozon; Chronicle Books; 12 pages and $10.99 each.

In "Who's There?" surprises hide behind flaps of flowers, fruit and animals. The chicken that says "Cheep! Cheep!" hides a baby chick under her wing, but other surprises aren't so obvious. "Glub! Glub!" accompanies "What is inside that fearless fish?" The answer: a hook! He's smiling, so we assume he outsmarted the fisherman. A banana's peel reveals a bite already taken, while a nesting doll foldout goes on and on to reveal several more nesting dolls.

"All Shook Up!" is even more active, as readers are encouraged to make animals shimmy and shake by moving flaps about. They can "wag those wings" on a butterfly, flutter a bird's feathers, even turn a dog's hairstyle ("Hat hair hangs low ... Spiky hair stands high!") Tots will laugh with the hilarity presented by Alain Crozon in both books, while parents will appreciate the graphic appeal and hands-on fun.

"Busy Baby: Friends" and "Busy Baby: Trucks" by Sara Gillingham; Chronicle Books; 10 pages and $9.99 each.

Featuring a sturdy circular cardboard face that spins, Sara Gillingham's innovative book series is playful and action-packed. In "Friends," Baby shares his tambourine with his band mate, helps clean up paint and assists a lion-faced friend off the floor. With a sharing/helping theme and muted, vintage graphics, plus a super-cool baby face that can twirl from happy to sad, this book is full of fun.

"Trucks" also features the spinning face, so tots can switch the baby's expression when he stops to fix a crack in the sidewalk from concerned to happy. He also rides in a recycling truck and ice cream, fire and tow trucks too. I love the helping themes of the books, the gentle retro look, and the fun spinning baby face.

"Little Owl's 1-2-3" and "Little Owl's Colors" by Divya Srinivasan; Penguin Random House; 16 pages; $5.99.

This pair of a counting and a color book features first a huge-eyed owl in a friendly night forest full of animals; and then the same forest in the colorful daytime. Vivid, bright colors and rounded, big-eyed characters will please babies and toddlers. There's also a first book in the series, "Little Owl's Day," and altogether they make a perfect baby-shower or first-birthday gift.

"Seven Orange Pumpkins" by Stephen Savage; Dial/Penguin; 30 pages; $6.99.

Halloween is two months away, but it's never too early for brightly colored pumpkin-themed books. This rhyming board book, initially published as a picture book, stars a sneaky spider, a wily witch, a silly scarecrow and a mysterious mummy as seven orange pumpkins disappear one by one. A fun countdown to gently introduce toddlers to the excitement of Halloween, Stephen Savage's spirited read-aloud is sure to become a seasonal classic.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.