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Babies are the courageous explorers of brave new worlds–so why not name them after the most memorable characters in science fiction? Sci-Fi Baby Names compiles more than 500 distinctive names from movies, books, and television shows into a handy illustrated reference. Choose “James” to honor the captain of the starship Enterprise. Choose “Leia” (or Leah) to honor the sister of Luke Skywalker. Choose “Neo” to salute the ultra-cool messiah from The Matrix. Hardcore fans can go even further with exotic names like “Barbarella,” “Beldar,” and “Tron” (just don’t send us the therapy bills).

Arranged by category for quick reference–with chapters such as Power Names, Feminine Names, and Intellectual Names–Sci-Fi Baby Names is a terrific gift for expecting parents and a wonderful roll call of our favorite science-fiction characters.

ROBERT SCHNAKENBERG loves science fiction so much, he wrote an entire book about William Shatner: The Encyclopedia Shatnerica. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

When it comes to buying a car, fixing a clogged drain, and barbecuing the juiciest steak, Dad has all the answers-but when you’re living on your own, Pocket Dad is the handiest next-best-thing. Here are more than 50 essential how-tos of fatherly know-how, including:

• How to fix a flat tire
• How to dress for success
• How to carve a turkey

And much, much more. Complete with whimsical illustrations and a fun “dial-a-dad” cover wheel, Pocket Dad makes a great gift for anyone leaving home for the first time. Whether you’re fixing things around the house, getting ready to conquer the great outdoors, or learning the ABCs of financial security, one thing will be clear: Father really does know best!

DINA FAYER is a San Francisco Bay-area writer and editor who frequently turns to her dad for car advice. She is the author of Pocket Mom (Quirk, 2004).

DR. BOB (DAD) FAYER is a retired general/trauma surgeon; he lives across the Bay from Dina in Walnut Creek, California.

When it comes to cooking rice, ironing shirts, making chicken soup, or installing shelf paper, Mom really does know best-and now her most valuable advice has been distilled into this handy, pocket-sized companion. Pocket Mom features dozens of essential skills relating to cooking, housekeeping, safety, hygiene, life, love, and getting along. You’ll discover how to:

• Prevent mold and mildew
• Make a perfect cup of coffee
• Choose a vitamin supplement
• Make a budget
• Dress for a first date
• Recognize true love
• And much, much more.

With Pocket Mom’s practical instructions and whimsical illustrations, you can bring the best of Mom wherever you go-and we promise she’ll never say things like, “Honey, have you been putting on weight?”

DINA FAYER is a San Francisco Bay Area writer and editor. She is finally glad that her mother was right.

The Pregnancy Countdown Book starts on Day 280 and counts down all the major milestones—with one page of helpful information for each day of pregnancy. Here are tips from doctors and midwives, amusing anecdotes from new moms, and occasional icky-but-important medical information (if you’re familiar with lochia, you know what we mean).

Every page offers interesting revelations. On Day 231, your baby will be the size of a blueberry—but by Day 168, she’ll be the size of a large avocado. By Day 124, you’ll need to stop sleeping on your back; by Day 90, air travel becomes a dicey proposition. And if you haven’t planned the nursery by Day 45, you’re playing with fire.

The perfect gift for expecting moms, The Pregnancy Countdown Book will help women navigate the most bewildering but exciting forty weeks of their lives.

SUSAN MAGEE is the author of several nonfiction books; she lives in Philadelphia.

KARA NAKISBENDI, M.D., is a board-certified ob-gyn, a board-certified nutrition specialist, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the mother of two children.

Pregnancy is a time of excitement, joy, and no small amount of anxiety. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone! The Pregnancy Instruction Manual is a comprehensive yet irreverent guide to everything you need to know, with information and advice on:

–Your baby’s-and your-growth, trimester by trimester
–What to expect from your doctor’s visits
–The joys of “pregnancy brain” and what to do about it
–Separating fact from fiction when it comes to labor and delivery

Each chapter is brimming with essential tips for expectant moms and dads and illustrated in the fresh, award-winning visual style that has made our Baby Owner’s Manual (more than 350,000 copies sold!) a huge hit with readers everywhere.

SARAH JORDAN has written on parenting for magazines and newspapers and is the coauthor of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting and The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Weddings. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

DAVID UFBERG, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist at Pennsylvania Hospital and father of three, has delivered thousands of babies. He lives outside Philadelphia.

Expecting moms have plenty of weird and blush-worthy questions they’d rather not ask their doctors:

    * Is it okay to get a bikini wax?

    * Can my baby cry in the womb?

    * Why have I gained so much weight?

The Pregnancy Test turns these questions and others into a delightful multiple-choice guessing game, complete with carefully researched and informative responses to the wildest and most outrageous concerns.

Authors Melissa Heckscher and Dr. Emily Sikking test readers’ knowledge of everything from fetal development to labor and delivery—and along the way, you’ll learn why pregnant women should stay off roller coasters and go easy on caffeine.

The perfect gift for new moms (and a terrific refresher course for seasoned veterans), The Pregnancy Test answers everything you’ve ever wondered while expecting.

MELISSA H ECKSCHER is the mother of a wonderful 1½-year-old boy. She also writes for several newspapers in the Los Angeles area, including The Los Angeles Daily News and the San Bernadino Sun. DR. EMILY SIKKING is a board-certified ob-gyn at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.