EMILY POST’S TABLE MANNERS FOR KIDS

This deceptively slim guide teems with advice about everything from meal courses to table settings, from the art of conversation to dining out. The tone is measured and mildly proscriptive, offset by Björkman’s amusing cartoons. While the writing is smoothly expository, there’s an occasional, awkward attempt to court the modern child’s sensibility, as in intermittent “Picture This” scenarios. (“Picture this. You have planned an awesome party. Your parents are going to help you with preparing a special meal. You have a DVD of the best concert given by your favorite group.”) The organization somewhat randomly mixes paragraphs, bulleted lists, Q-and-A sections and text boxes, yet it seems curiously, and perhaps intentionally, old-fashioned. A strength: the excellent troubleshooting for specific concerns, such as eating fondue and using chopsticks. While geared to those already possessing a few manners—what with concerns for lemon wedges and dessert forks—there’s plenty to chew on here. (Nonfiction. 8-12)