THE NEW YORK TIMES GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT in New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut

The title tells it all: this is a prime collection of places to visit, which lists admission fees and hours, addresses and highway exits, telephone numbers and age limits, as well as the specific attractions of each place. Arranged by subject and then by locale, the contents include the expectable museums, zoos, and rides as well as the (few) restaurants that amuse children, industrial tours still available, all kinds of theatrical events, and area maps with each place indicated by number. Besides knowing when to make reservations, you'll know where to bring insect repellent, which planetarium has a teenage director, and where kids can have magic with their meal. An unusually helpful handbook.