Have I saved the best for last? Giving books and bookish gifts is obviously what I love to do! Here are some great ideas for the kids in your life, plus a give-away!
Litograph t-shirts
Text and illustrations make up these clever t-shirts. I am partial to Blueberries for Sal, but there are lots of choices so check them out.
Out of Print t-shirts
Favorites old and new beautifully printed.
Bookplates for those special books
I had bookplates as a child. It is lovely to feel ownership of a really special book, one to keep for always.
Anorak magazine or Dot magazine subscription
Magazine subscriptions sashay into a child’s mailbox all year long.
I recently discovered these tremendously creative magazines coming out of the UK. Gorgeous graphic design. A lalapalooza of imagination-sparking, brain-fizzing stuff for ages 2-5 (Dot) and 6-12 (Anorak.)
Visit their awesome webpage to get the details. Keep in mind these are British magazines so embrace the British English and some UK-oriented features. To me, that is an added bonus!
GIVE AWAY ALERT! If you’d like to win the two copies Anorak so graciously sent me — the Food issue of Dot and the Art issue of Anorak — just comment with a “sign me up!”. Winner will be notified on the blog, December 4th, so don’t delay! U.S. mailing addresses only, please.
Literary cookbooks
Jama Rattigan’s delectable blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup, has a round-up of delightful cookbooks based on favorite characters from Goldilocks to Star Wars. Kids will love mixing up Diana Barry’s Favorite Raspberry Cordial or Hans Soloatmeal!! You can find Jama’s entire list here.
A boxed set of classics
Wow. Gorgeous design work courtesy of Rifle Paper Company. Many happy getting-lost-in-a-book moments all packaged up for you! I love tempting new readers with old classics.
Amazon Link
And a few more ideas for book-giving — one classic and one new title for each age group. I had to limit myself or the list would get too long! Browse through my blog for gobs more ideas.
One for the whole family: The Lost Words
Read my review here to see what’s in store in this gorgeous, remarkable book.
Amazon Link
Ages 0-2:
something old: More More More Said the Baby (regular and board)
Amazon Link
review here
something new: Night and Day: A Book of Opposites, by Julie Safirstein
published in 2017 by Princeton Architectural Press
I haven’t reviewed this on my blog but it’s exploding in clever, exciting pop-ups for careful fingers! And yes, many small children can be careful with books. Plus: tape.
Amazon Link
Ages 2-5:
something old: My Father’s Dragon
Amazon Link
review here
something new: The Street Beneath My Feet
Amazon Link
review here
Ages 5-8:
something old: A Bear Called Paddington
Amazon Link
review here
something new: This Is How We Do It
Amazon Link
review here
Ages 8-12:
something old: Swallows and Amazons
(The new paperback from David Godine has a wretched cover! Here’s a link for this one which is available from 3rd party sellers.)
Amazon Link
review here
something new: The Wonderling
Amazon Link
review here
If you are able — please shop at a local Independent Bookstore. That’s who will keep the great books coming to us, trust me.
If you’re going to shop at Amazon anyway, then consider using my Amazon affiliate links. If you click through to Amazon on one of my links, I get a small dab back from Amazon no matter what you purchase. Thanks to those of you who do.
That’s it for 2017’s gift lists.
I’ll be back next week with some cheery new Christmas titles!
orange marmalade 
Sign me up! Thanks for your extremely helpful lists. I refer to them through the year with picking out gifts or just finding library books for my daughter’s first grade students and our grandkids. ~Lou Ann
So nice to hear. Thanks, Lou Ann!
Sign me up! Wonderful ideas! I especially love the boxed set of classics – beautiful!
Yes, aren’t they beautiful?! Anna Bond’s work on them turns these books into keepsakes.
Sign me up!
I got the Wonderling! It’s on my stack to hopefully read in December 🙂 I bought The Lost Words on your recommendation as well 🙂
I have and love that illustrated Paddington book and I have but haven’t read My Fathers Dragon (a theme in my life, clearly lol). Love that Swallows and Amazons cover — I’m intrigued by that series but intimidated by the sheer number of books with all the series I have going already — maybe someday!
We just need another month in the calendar that magically opens up for reading 🙂 You don’t have to read the whole Swallows and Amazons series. The first one hooked us into the whole series but it can be read as a stand alone as well.
That’s good to know! Thanks 🙂
What a wonderful list — thanks for the link love, too. 🙂
Hope your holiday baking is merry and bright, Jama 🙂
Please sign me up! (I have a US address in spite of the fact I live in Canada.) And thank you so much for the time and thought you put into all your reviews. I use them as a gift buying guide for my grandchildren’s birthday and Christmas presents.
You are most welcome, Kristie. And you’re in.
Sign me up! Thanks for a wonderful blog. 🙂
You got it.
“sign me up!” please! I love your blog. Thanks for all of the great suggestions!
Sure thing! And you’re welcome 🙂
Sign me up!
Done!
Sign me up! I bought The Wonderling for a Christmas gift–it looks great!!!
Yay for Christmas books 🙂 And you’re in.
Sign me up!
Okay, you’re on, Andrea!
[…] first order of business today is awarding the give-aways of that splendid nature journal and those jazzy magazines. As always with these giveaways, I wish I could give one to everyone who enters! […]