How about going with a themed gift package for that special child in your life? Pair a special book or CD with a toy — and thrill the little dinosaur or Elmo fan this holiday season. Below are some ideas for toys and book combinations for kids with particular interests. I'm leaving off most prices of the toys, as my research indicated a wide array of costs depending on stores and coupons.

"Fisher-Price and Imaginext's Spike the Ultra Dinosaur"

Certainly a "wow" gift, the walking, talking, light up dinosaur relies on a wireless remote control to activate and doesn't require reading skills. Kids ages 3 to even 10 will marvel at how realistic, energetic and big (27 inches tall) Spike is; they only have to push buttons with pictures to get him to do what they want. He also comes with a rechargeable battery.

"How Do Dinosaurs ... Pocket Library" by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague; Scholastic; $12.99.

The ultra-popular "How Do Dinosaurs ..." series returns with a stocking stuffer-sized set of four board books in a sturdy box. The titles are "How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms," "... Play With Their Friends," "... Learn Their Colors" and "... Count to Ten."

Another sealed book set — "The Most Dinosaur Fun Ever!" by Bernard Most and Red Wagon Books/Harcourt; $14.95 — includes four funny, fact-filled books, two sticker sheets and a foldout growth chart, for ages 3 to 7.

Another Jurassic "wow" gift needed? Give Fisher-Price and Nickelodeon's new "Go, Diego, Go Dinosaur Rescue Mountain," which transforms from a big toy dinosaur skull into a play set complete with vehicles, a Diego figure and plenty of animals and accessories.

"Mickey's Motor Raceway," from Fisher-Price and Disney, lets young kids charge rev-and-go vehicles and watch them race around a colorful, loopy track. Twenty Mickey Mouse phrases and plenty of silly songs sing out when the cars race, making this a fabulous racing set for the preschool Mickey-loving crowd.

Add "Clubhouse Christmas," from Disney and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ($6.99). This board book has die-cut spaces that add zest as Mickey and his pals prepare for their favorite holiday.

And if a trip to Disneyland is in order, "Birnbaum Guides 2009: Disneyland Resort," ($14.95) is a must-have with invaluable tips and coupons.

"Disney Handy Manny 2-in-1 Transforming Tool Truck" is a toy truck and tool kit in one, with lots of interactivity. Kids will love when they get a "call" that a repair's needed. They can zoom the construction truck to the site, then transform the truck to produce working tot-friendly tools.

"Fix-It Duck" by Jez Alborough; Kane/Miller Publishers (32 pages; $7.99) is a read-aloud romp about a tool-wielding fowl with lots of good-natured bad luck, and a rhyming tale of persistence and humor.

Slightly older kids will love the "Matchbox Mega Rig Shuttle," a build-your-own adventure that enables ages 4 and up to concoct 30 different space vehicles with astronaut and alien, too. Space sounds ensue, and this interactive Matchbox set certainly offers hours of imaginative, planetary play.

"11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System" by David A. Aguilar; National Geographic; 48 pages; $16.95.

You can't go wrong with National Geographic books. Bold, top-rate photography meshes with clearly penned informative text. The "new" solar system is revealed in this book for kids. Minus dwarf planet Pluto, plus two new dwarf planets called Ceres and Eris, the solar system has many other surprises, and David Aguilar introduces them with vigor.

"Elmo Live," from Fisher-Price and Sesame Street, dances, kisses, squats down and sings; it is the most realistic interactive toy Elmo to date.

Pair him with these "Play-a-Sound" books from Publications International. Featuring Elmo and his Sesame Street pals, "Fun at the Farm" entices tots to press 18 buttons to hear farm sounds and see animations.

"Elmo's Countdown to Bedtime" includes a digital clock that counts down from 15 minutes to help kids with bedtime rituals. Sound buttons say things like, "12! Very good! Elmo used the potty! Did you?" and "5! Elmo's teeth are brushed. Are yours?" Book pages offer the bedtime story, showing preschoolers the numbers being counted down. Both books include three replaceable AAA batteries and retail for about $20.

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

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