Grand birthday: Inside the 100-year-old train station

Every child understands the thrilling importance of a birthday party, but they may need a little help when it comes to understanding why a certain train station is special. And that’s why you should make tracks to the book shop to pick up Maira Kalman’s hardcover, “Next Stop Grand Central,” which has been reissued by Nancy Paulsen Books to coincide with the centennial celebration of that magnificent Manhattan landmark. Kalman’s colorful, delightfully quirky illustrations and kooky prose crowd the page — giving readers a fleeting glimpse of the passengers, who “walk, run, dash, rush,” and a behind-the-scenes introduction to the employees who keep the station running. Recommended for kids ages 4 and older.

“Next Stop Grand Central” by Maira Kalman, $16.99, www.barnesandnoble.com.