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Book Gift Ideas Wanted – something you want, need, wear, read, give
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I love the want, need, wear, read idea! I’ve always gone overboard at Christmas and really want to simplify, so that is my plan for this year, but I’m adding give to the list. We will give the kids a set amount of $ as a gift to use to help others however they choose.
I need a few ideas…for books. I have a huge library so it makes picking special books more challenging sometimes.
Ds9 – I’m thinking Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and a copy of the first edition Boy Scout Handbook (he isn’t a scout, but likes scout type things). He is my kid who’d rather be outside than anything, but I think he will enjoy these. Thoughts?
Dd6 – reads at a 5th grade level. I need something really special. I bought older dd the Betsy-Tacy series last year and would like a special set for this dd.
Ds4 (at Christmas) – ??? Loves books, give me some ones I’m not likely to have. I need two ideas for this little man as he turns 4 next month and I do a birthday book too.
Dd12 – already done.
Hubby – loves biographies, Stephen Lawhead, McCullough. I need something unusual bc he is a big reader!
Ds9 – The Boys Handy Book. There are several others by Daniel Carter Beard.
Dd6 – Uh??? I have boys. The All-of-a-Kind Family series. Anne of Green Gable or Emily of New Moon. Elsie Dinsmore. Perhaps not a set, but a few books from Lamplighter.
Ds4 – Milk & Cookies by Frank Asch. May We Sleep Here Tonight? by Tan Koide. Is Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems too twaddle? My sons love the Raggedy Andy (and Ann) books. Look to the North: A Wolf Pup Tale by Jean Craighead George. I’m guessing you probably have beautiful copies of Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter’s stories, but those are favorites. Little Golden Books treasury. Brambly Hedge books by Jill Barklem.
Hubby – I’ve heard Brandon Sanderson recommended a lot by friends. Love McCullough, but am sure he’s read many of them.
Ds9 also consider the Dangerous Book for Boys. And how about the ones like The Art of the Catapult, Backyard Ballistics, Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Dd6–if she already has a Betsy-Tacy set (she’s at the perfect stage for the first 3 books!) I second All of a Kind Family. I’m gussing she already has a Chronicles of Narnia set–if so, w hat aout go-alongs for that? Thre are books out there that point out spiritual aspects, that provide more maps, back stories for characters, etc. Some people think they are twaddley–but what about Nancy Drews? Does she already have Miss Hickory? Flower fairiies? The “dancing shoes” books? The Grandmother’s Attic books? Sigh. Girls must be fun to shop for!
Hubby. Likes McCullough. That should be enough to get a bunch of new recommendations. Has he read the Joseph Ellis books on the Revolution? Despite Ellis’ shaky “scholar” status, he is a fine researcher and writer. How about something by Stephen Ambrose? Here is another American history writer who writes very well for a mass audience. Individual recent and very good history titles: The Destiny of the Republic (excellent book about the assassination of President Garfield) a really awesome newer book is out right now. Or how about the one on the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, I’ve been trying to get my hot little hands ont it but patrons keep getting to it first!!! I love McCullough too, but there is a big wide world out there. There has been some especially fine work out lately that still reads pretty well to a mass audience on WWI and WWII. LMK if you are interested. There are a number and I’d have to be at work to round them all up.
I have a book that goes along with with Little house on the Prairie books. It was mine as a child and I still love to look through it. It has recipes for things they made, it she’s where each house was and little things like how to make thimble pictures on snowy windows and how to sew a nine patch quilt.
I would probably have loved a book like that about Narnia! (If anyone or I had read them as a kid!)
I’m basically an echo.
Backyard Ballistics
All of a Kind Family series, Shoes series
Potter, Brambly Hedge, Burgess
Hey. What about Eric Metaxes titles? My favorite is Bonhoeffer…hoping to read 7 Men soon!
Thanks for the ideas! I own most of the suggested books, but I was able to glean a few new ones here. I’ve chosen the following:
DD6 – In Grandma’s Attic Treasury (1st 4 books) by Arleta Richardson. I own the first one, but I think dd will enjoy this set.
DS9 – The Boy’s Handy Book by Beard and Hatchet by Paulsen. I’m trying to help this boy learn to love reading. He reads, but only when I require it. He never chooses reading when it’s up to him. I’ve just built in some reading in the am time before school because he’s an early riser. He would rather start on school work, finish early and go outside. We have loads of good books which he does enjoy, but I’m still hopeful that reading will become a sometimes chosen past time.
DD12 – I was considering Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series, but I’m not sure as I’ve not read it yet. Go ahead and offer suggestions for her. She is a big reader. Loved Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, little Women, you name it. I need a set of books for her.
DS4 – still researching a couple of the suggestions for him
Hubby – Destiny of the Republic by Candace Milliard; he’s tough because he’s so well read. He just finished Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo so he is quite varied. I think he will enjoy this one.
Thank you everyone! Please feel free to keep adding suggestions. I love book lists almost as much as books!
Missceegee, I would read the Mark of the Lion series first depending on what you know your dd can handle. They are excellent books but they can be very graphic in places and, if I remember correctly, there are references to some se*ual immorality throughout the books as well as a couple of scenes where things like this take place. I know my dd 11 is not even CLOSE to being able to handle books like these yet.
This is just my very hunble opinion, though. My mother did not allow me to read these books until I was a teen.
-Miranda
Mark of the Lion is excellent but it definitely has very mature themes in it. I’d suggest you read them first to decide if/when you introduce those. What about Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series?
For ds4– what about nonfiction? Depending on his interests, that is. My son (just turned five this summer) LOVES Cool Stuff Exploded–no, not what it sounds like–it has pages of machines, vehicles, etc taken apart with cool diagrams. Or a good kids’ picture atlas, animal encyclopedia, etc.
Miranda & Vikingkirken – thank you for your feedback. I have enjoyed some of Francine Rivers other books, but haven’t had a chance to read these. My DD is very mature, but I think we will save this series for later given your feedback and my knowledge of her other books. Thanks again.
So I am still looking for dd12.
DS4 – he’s not crazy about non-fiction picture type books, but loves storybooks with good pictures. I’ll be checking those recommendations soon.
Thanks.
Janette Oak has many lovely and well written historical fiction books that I would consider very safe for preteens. You could try some of those and see if they appeal to you. I started reading and greatly enjoying her books at about that age. I think I started with the Love Comes Softly series, but there are MANY other to choose from. Roses for Mama, A Woman Named Damaris, a Gown of Spanish Lace… The list goes on and on!
Blessings!
Miranda
I found the entire series of Brambley Hedge in new condition as individual hardbacks! Score 1 for ds4 (almost). I also bought the Look to the North: Wolf Pup book for him bc I enjoy the author. Score 2 for Ds.
Woohoo, just dd12 now. I’m not sure what I want for her, I’m looking at the Janette Oke books, but I’m unsure about the romance genre. Hmmm.
Missceegee, just thought I should have mentioned this when I told of the books to begin with. Anything by Jannette Oak is VERY clean and innocent as far as Romance goes. They are very faith filled as well. I wouldn’t give a girl that age anything very “romance heavy” either. I would say, though, that if you just don’t want Romance. The “Love Comes Softly” series and the Gown od Spanish Lace are the most romance focused. Roses for Mama, a Woman Called Damaris and others are more just stories about people and families and faith and in that, sometimes, people fall in love and get married as a part of life. So you do have choices. Sometimes I don’t really even know why some of these books are classified as Romance! I just re-read A Bride for Donovan and enjoyed it just as much, if not more than the first time! Again, it sounds very “romancy” but it isn’t as much focused on the Romance part as it is on the living part.
-Miranda
I changed and ordered the Mr. Tucket series by Gary Paulsen instead of Hatchet (ds’s friend’s recommendation) in addition to the Handy Book.
Dd12 is getting a hardcover set of Jane Austen’s books. She loves old literature and I got a good deal on this set and know the material is good for her. I’ll read an Oke book to see what I think for her birthday in January. Miranda, thank you for the clarification!
I’m excited about this limitation on myself! It’s freeing and fun to think about each genre of gift.
Read for all – check! On to the other genres.
Thanks for whomever mentioned this idea. I love it!
My little girl loves the Flicka, Ricka and Dicka books. The author also wrote books about 3 little boys: http://www.amazon.com/Snipp-Snapp-Snurr-Yellow-Sled/dp/0807574996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381114781&sr=8-1&keywords=snip+snap+snurr
I ‘m planning on trying one of those for my little boy.
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