Do you have guidelines for Christmas shopping? I tend to loosely follow the rhyme ‘Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read‘. Every year our girls get:
Pajamas to open and wear on Christmas Eve
A special gift or two to open Christmas morning
Assorted books
A stocking full of fun little items
This year Big Sis and Little Sis are getting four books each. Big Sis is in 2nd grade and loves chapter books about animals, mysteries, and girls her age. Little Sis is in kindergarten and isn’t quite ready for regular chapter books, but can read easy books independently. She also likes books about animals and any story that is funny/silly.
Shopping for their Christmas books is so hard for me because I always have a list a mile long. I put about 15 books in my cart this year and then slowly whittled the number down to something that would fit in my budget. But I think the ones I ended up with are all winners that they will really enjoy!
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Books for Big Sis:
The Clippity-Cloppity Carnival
The American Girl company has a new set of books out with present day storylines called The Wellie Wishers and she loves them. They are cute books that teach life lessons in a relatable way.
Amazon Description: The WellieWishers couldn’t be more excited because they’re making a carnival in the garden! There will be games and cotton candy, balloons and baby chicks. Best of all, there will be a real horse to ride! There’s only one problem: Ashlyn refuses to come. She’s afraid of horses. But the carnival just won’t be as much fun without Ashlyn! Can her friends convince her to give it a try?
The other thing I like about the Wellie Wishers is that they are just the right length for this age group. If a book is too long, a kid can get discouraged and stop reading. If it’s too short then they aren’t being challenged. At just under a hundred pages these books are perfect.
Amazon Description: The WellieWishers are going camping! Willa can’t wait to be surrounded by nature, sleeping under the stars. Ashlyn has prepared a list of camping supplies to bring, but Willa feels sure all that gear won’t be needed. When they get to the campsite, the girls discover they are missing some things. They don’t even have marshmallows for toasting! Just when their campout looks like a catastrophe, their friendship saves the day.
The Dr. Kitty Cat books are another fun series for young readers. They are great for that in-between stage when a kiddo is getting too old for picture books but isn’t quite at the middle-grade level yet. And the illustrations are very cute!
Amazon Description: When a call comes in that Posy the puppy has hurt her leg at the Paws and Prizes field day, Dr. KittyCat rushes to the scene. Without Dr. KittyCat’s help, Posy will be disqualified!
The Dr. Kitty Cat books are also educational in another way in that they introduce some easy medical terminology like clinic, infectious, and immune. There are descriptions of some of the tools Dr. Kitty Cat uses as she examines and treats her patients. I think being familiar with some of those things is great for helping kids not be anxious in medical settings.
Amazon Description: Clover the bunny and his friends are on their first camping trip. But when itchy spots appear on Clover’s paws, only Dr. KittyCat knows how to make him better.
Books for Little Sis:
We are die-hard fans of Mo Willems around here, just as I know many of you are. All his books are so funny for both kids and adults, but Piggie and Gerald are our favorites.
Amazon Description: Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In I’m a Frog! Piggie has some ribbiting news! Can Gerald make the leap required to accept Piggie’s new identity?
Remember when I said Little Sis likes books that are silly? When I saw the cover of this one and noticed Gerald’s quizzical expression as Piggie tugs at the corner of the page I knew I had to get this one for her.
Amazon Description: Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In We Are in a Book Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends? Using vocabulary perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a mind-bending story that is even more interactive than previous Elephant & Piggie adventures. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo won’t be able to put this book down–literally.
This might be the book I’m most excited about gifting, because Little Sis has been going through a P.D. Eastman phase (they are the perfect level for her to read all by herself), and she commented to me the other day that if she only had Flap Your Wings her P.D Eastman collection would be complete. It was all I could do not to tell her I’d already ordered it.
Amazon Description: When a strange egg appears in their nest, Mr. and Mrs. Bird kindly take it upon themselves to raise the “baby bird” inside. But when the egg hatches, the Birds are in for a big surprise–“Junior” is the oddest-looking baby bird they’ve ever seen–with big, long jaws full of teeth and an appetite to match. In fact, he looks more like a baby alligator than a baby bird! Nevertheless, the devoted Birds run themselves ragged feeding Junior until he gets so big, he must leave the nest or it will collapse underneath him. But how can Junior fly without wings? To the delight of the Birds–and readers!–the dilemma is solved when Junior takes off from a branch overlooking a pond.
Arnold Lobel is another beloved children’s book author that we all enjoy. Frog and Toad are a great example of friendship and the stories are simply written but still entertaining.
Amazon Description: Frog and Toad enjoy spending their days together. They fly kites, celebrate Toad’s birthday, and share the shivers when Frog tells a scary story. Most of all, they have fun together—every day of the year. Days with Frog and Toad is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the engaging stories, longer sentences, and language play of Level Two books are proven to help kids take their next steps toward reading success.
Do you like to give books as gifts? What books are you gifting this year?
I love your gift giving philosophy – want, need, wear, read. I wish I had thought of this when my kids were young! I always bought way too much! Books are always a winner! Great suggestions!
Yes, books are always a winner!
A good book is always a great present, sure they will be happy to receive all these x
I hope they will!
These look like such nice gifts! I’ll be suggesting them to my friends with kids for sure 😊
Awesome, thanks!
American girl books were my childhood! A good book is great at any age!
I know, I’ve loved sharing that part of my childhood with her! Very fun.
Such cute book ideas! I am a book lover, have always been. My 7 year old is not one but I am still trying to find good books to get her into reading.
It’s not always easy raising readers, but I’m sure you’ll find something that catches her attention!