Little knitted creatures : 26 amigurumi designs by Amy Gaines — Of all the books I've seen on knitting cute little creations, this one is the most friendly to beginning knitters and would be ideal for tweens and kids who want to make their own critters. The instructions are clear, the techniques are not complicated, and the results are adorable.

Northern knits : designs inspired by the knitting traditions of Scandinavia, Iceland, and the Shetland Isles by Lucinda Guy — Is the cold weather starting to get to you? Look no further than this book, which offers a variety of cozy knitted items to warm you up. Sweaters, socks, mittens, and hats are just some of the things you can make, all with a Nordic style.

Knitwit : 20 fun projects for beginners and seasoned knitters by Katie Boyette — Looking for something cute but with a little edge? The sarcastic and slightly ostentatious creatures in this book might be up your alley. They've got some attitude but they won't take a lot of training to create. You can also read up on Boyette's other creations and get some free patterns (right sidebar) at her blog, Caffaknitted, or check out her Etsy shop for pre-made goodies.

The Ohio Knitting Mills knitting book by Steven Tatar with Denise Grollmus ; fashion photography by Anna Wolf — Have you heard of the Ohio Knitting Mills? Even if you haven't, you've probably seen or even worn their products (Mr. Rogers often wore one!). This book takes inspiration from original OKM designs of the forties through the seventies and offers patterns for sweaters, dresses, and bags that are retro-inspired but appropriate for everyday wear now.