Gift guides for kids + Black Friday SALE!!
Book gift ideas and a major deal!
Happy post-thanksgiving! This post is something of an annual tradition with Sarah Miller from Can we Read? a fantastic newsletter about creating meaningful relationships with books and reading with your family.
This year we teamed up to bring you a gift guide of books for readers of all ages. We can all agree that getting a book as a gift is one of life’s immeasurable pleasures. Picking the right one can be tough, so we did the legwork and offer to you these delicious recommendations!
Also worth mentioning is that we are having a Black Friday Sale. 30% off for a year of creative and educational guides for young learners. Redeem by December 29th :)
📚 Books for little kids (from Sarah)
3-12 months old
Baby Play by Skye Silver
Babies love looking at photos of other babies, and this sweet, inclusive book is an easy way to give them what they want, with page after page of eye-catching black-and-white photos that show babies of all kinds having fun with their loved ones, playing, dancing, building, swinging, splashing, and much more.
12-18 months old
Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang
There’s a reason this book is still in print 40 years after it was published. This tender countdown bedtime story, where a little girl and her father review all the small but wonderful things in her world —“10 small toes all washed and warm, 9 soft friends in a quiet room,” ending with “1 big girl all ready for bed” is as perennially comforting as a soft blanket, and just as welcome at tuck-in time, too.
2-3 year-olds
Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin
It’s never too early to celebrate the skin you’re in, and this vibrant, rhyming picture book does exactly that. Emphasizing the fact that “this is how we all begin: small and happy in our skin,” Manushkin’s joyful observance of all different kinds of skin in all different kinds of families and places — on a picnic, in the park, at the pool, at a block party — is a lot of fun for littles to look at and listen to, again and again.
4-5 year-olds
Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning
When a small girl wakes in the night to the sound of soft singing coming from the kitchen, she and her big brother tiptoe downstairs to investigate, only to be scooped up into the arms — and the dance — going on between their parents as they clean up for the night. This cheerful snapshot of family fun and togetherness is a warm winner for preschoolers, who are willingly swept into the story (and the song).
6-7 year-olds
Mean Margaret by Tor Seidler
What would happen if a horrible toddler escaped her horrible family only to go live in a burrow with two woodchucks, one of whom loves her and wants to adopt her, and the other of whom barely tolerates her, though he tries? This hilarious story — full of one unbelievable happening after another and a supporting cast of various woodland creatures with big personalities (and opinions) of their own — is that tale, not to be missed by any young reader who loves nature and laughing a lot.
8-year-olds
Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
The inimitable Lindgren created more lovable protagonists than just Pippi Longstocking, and I highly recommend getting to know Ronia. She’s a courageous young girl living in her criminal father’s crumbling castle and exploring the wild woods beyond every chance she gets — when she stumbles upon an intruder her own age, the son of her father’s sworn enemy to boot, things get complicated fast. This adventure story is beautifully written, but it’s the relationships at its heart that will leave you — and your young readers — begging for one more page.
📚 Books for older kids (from Olivia)
9-year+
Little Women By Louisa May Alcott
I’m coming out swinging on this one. I’m a forever fan of this book. A part of me hesitates to put this into a category for younger readers. Firstly, it’s massive. Second, it might feel more mature. But recently I met a cohort of 8-year-olds who say this is their hands down favorite book, so naturally I was swayed. This story of Jo the writer and her sisters is historic, tender, brutal, real and fantastic. It is a classic in every sense: it shouldn’t only be read, it should be adored.
The Lightning Thief By Rick Riordan
If you have ever spent time with 8 to 13 year olds, you know this is a fan favorite. Originally inspired by telling bedtime stories to his son, the author uses Greek myths in a fascinating new way. This book is the first in a series that gives you Harry Potter-like immersion into magic worlds. Let this book be the gateway into adventure and history that will not disappoint.
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz
In this story, a young girl fights back after the book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg gets banned from her library. Ban This Book was written in 2018, and sadly, gets more relevant and necessary every year. I’ve fallen in love with this feisty and emotionally intelligent character who gives voice back to the kids who are stepping up for the perspectives and education of their peers.
Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes
The form and language of this book are so amazing that it deserves special mention — but the plot is really where it’s at. Told from the tomboy protagonist who expertly describes that strange, awkward, and sometimes revelatory experience of transitioning from kid to tween. Always down to wear baggy clothes and play sports with her guy friends, Joy suddenly is more self-conscious about her body and relationship and how she is seen and sees herself. A beautiful book that is worth owning and sharing with a 12-year-old in your life.
Ender’s Game By Orson Scott Card
Categorically, this is a sci-fi book. And not gonna lie, it’s not usually my “taste.” That said, this book has a lot to offer a reader who is a technical thinker, a strategist, and a thrill seeker. If you are looking to get your kid off video games for a few minutes, or want to bond over a book with your middle schooler, this is the right pick. Ender is a compassionate and seriously smart kid who goes to battle school to destroy the aliens that have taken over Earth. How this happens, how he builds character and friendships and self-belief is inspiring and remarkable. A lovely hard hitting classic for the reader 10-15yo.
We hope this guide has helped you find some fun new titles to give to your young loved ones this season.