The Official Pokemon Handbook
Zen masters never said, "You must learn as much as you can  about your Pokémon," but Professor Oak certainly did. The grand teacher of  Pokémon introduces this handy book about the Japanese craze that took over  America in the form of a video game, trading cards, and a popular TV show. The handbook--written as if the young reader were a Pokémon trainer  like Ash, Misty, and Brock--teaches kids which cards are the best to win a game  and illuminates the stories behind the TV show. Geared to young readers,  this engaging, colorful book is not for the Pokémon expert who has  copious spreadsheets of statistics. You'll find fun facts about each  Pokémon (Charmander is two feet tall and its element is fire, in case you  didn't know), a clear guide to the evolution of certain characters, and a  helpful pronunciation guide (great for parents). The book could have used a pictorial index of all 150 characters, but that won't stop fans from wearing out this handbook during their adventures as a Pokémon  trainer.--Doug Thomas