My Christmas gift to you, dear reader, is a list of books.
Lately, I’ve had several requests from other moms, looking for some gift ideas (of the readable variety) for their kids. So I took the time to put together a ‘favorites’ list with links to Amazon. I figure everybody already knows Curious George and Little House on the Prairie are essentials, but here are some that you might not have discovered yet. The ages have varied with each of my kids, so please consider them approximate. I do get a modest commission when you purchase using my links, but my goal in putting together this list truly is to serve you and your kids. Also, please feel free to add your book suggestions in the comments!
Age 3-5:
These books are collections of stories written by Ella K. Lindvall. As the titles suggest, these are written the way a master story-teller would tell the stories to preschoolers. The words are lyrical, repetitive, and sweet. We have a video of Cole when he was about three, reading ‘The Sheep Story’ from Parables Jesus Told, page by page, verbatim. It’s one of my most treasured video clips.
Ages 5-7:
Kevin Henkes is another master story-teller. I love his characterizations… You’re sure to find one of his mice friends that remind you of a little someone at your house! Here are our favorites:
Jez Alborough is a great story-teller and his pictures always make us laugh! Here are some of our favorites:
And this last book, by Helen Lester, makes me laugh every single time I wead it. Love this book:
Ages 7-10, Boys and Girls:
Hands down, our favorites stories are C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. (My kids varied from age 8 to age 11 when they started reading these on their own.)
Andrew Clements is one of our favorite authors ever! Here are some of our favorites:
Age 7-10 Girls:
We loved the books by Martha Finley, but Lindsay didn’t enjoy the older version… too hard to get past the old English. The new updated books, by ‘A Life of Faith’ made her fall in love with good hearted characters. I was so sad that it looks like these have gone out of print! Hurry and get these last copies!
- Elsie Dinsmore, books 1-4 (or book 1, book 2, book 3, book 4, book 5, book 6, book 7, book 8) OR books 1-8
- Millie Series (book 1, book 2, book 3, book 4, book 5, book 6, book 7, book 8)
- Violet Series (book 1, book 2, book 3, book 4, book 5, book 6, book 7, book 8,)
- A Life of Faith Collection–this includes the first book of each character.
(By the way, I would have paid money for this list, when I was probing through websites and library lists, trying to figure out which one was the next in the series!!)
Also, here is ‘A Life of Faith’ website.
Boys (and girls) 9-13
Probably my favorite juvenile fiction book of all:
My kids absolutely LOVED the Wingfeather Saga, written by Christian songwriter, Andrew Peterson. When they received the last book for Christmas one year, it was the present that got the biggest whoops and hollers of the day:
Suzanne Collins has made quite a stir in our house over the last year or so. Cole discovered the Gregor series first, and then Lindsay began reading the Hunger Games series. This is the age where my kids began out-reading me (ie: they sit by the fire with a good book while I make their dinner and fold their clothes!) so I haven’t read these. But I have heard lots of synopses, and the books are filled with adventure and don’t seem to conflict with faith and virtues.
(UPDATE: For my review of Hunger Games, read what I liked, and didn’t like.)
For Girls, Age 10-13
go to:
Happy shopping, Moms! And to your kids: Happy READING!!! Is there anything better than a new BOOK to fall in love with over Christmas break?
Hi,
Books are really very nice gift for everyone. Thanks and keep sharing your ideas :)i liked it.