'Dora' books loaded with holiday fare.

• Position: What's New? - Dora the Explorer books

Just in time for the 10th anniversary of top-rated "Dora the Explorer," comes Dora and Diego Let's Cook ($16.95), from Nickelodeon, published by Wiley. Guided by Dora and Diego, kids can experiment with 50 colorful and exciting recipes like Pirate Adventure Pizza Coins and Incan Quinoa Pudding, all while learning Spanish words and phrases just like in the animated shows.

With the intention to help youngsters understand how to create balance in their lives and make the right choices, the book includes main dish recipes such as Diego's Meatball Mountain Range using lean ground beef and brown rice, and suggests serving over whole-wheat spaghetti and broccoli florets. Chicken Fingers are coated with a light sour cream and egg mixture and crushed tortilla chips, and then baked, pairing with an easy-to-make mango-pineapple salsa. For breakfast, Birds' Nests are made with shredded hash browns, eggs, and low-fat cheddar. Dessert choices include Baby Sea Turtle Cupcakes, which use whole-wheat flour and low-fat plain yogurt, and the kids couldn't wait to decorate them to look like turtles with using aqua-tinted vanilla frosting and candy-ceated chocolates and gumdrops.

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To make the recipes easier for young children, some of the instructions use convenience foods for shortcuts, such as refrigerator biscuits and readymade pie crusts. The cookbook also gives tips on kitchen safety and warnings about...