A Christmas Gift Giving Guide

I don’t know about you, but I’m a major book nerd.  You know, the one who always gives kids books for their birthday.  I’m also the mom who gives books for Christmas. And because I have such a great love for book, I thought I’d put together this Gift Giving Guide. By no means is this an exhaustive list. This is but a sample of the books my children as well as students have enjoyed throughout the years.  These books are also some of my favorites.

Concerning the suggested age levels, they are just that, suggested. Different children read books at different ages.

This guide leans heavy on classic literature. I did add one or two modern books to each category (with the exception of the preschool) because kids do enjoy the storyline of modern themed books as well as the tried and true classics.

Please note, I am not affiliated with any book company or internet site and will get no compensation for any books listed.  For that reason, I did not provide links to any of the book.  All of the books listed should be available through your favorite book store or internet book provider.

PRESCHOOL (AGES 1-5)

1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin and Eric Carle When I taught Kindergarten, this was one of my favorite books. It teaches rhyming words with excellence and is a  fun and beautifully illustrated book.
2.  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom By Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault; illustrated by Lois Ehlert A hilarious alphabet book that will delight your little ones.  I have read this book to many little ones and they all enjoyed it.
3.  Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle This book is a counting book, a book about colors and a whole lot more.  A classic book that I read to my children.  It should be in your family library.
4. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss All Dr. Seuss books are great. When I taught Kindergarten, we always made green eggs and ham with scrambled eggs and sliced ham. Such fun!
5.  The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper  The classic tale of a little train that broke down while delivering toys for children.  In spite of her size, the train tries her best and is successful in delivering the toys. I remember my 1st grade teacher reading this book to us and the message “I think I can, I think I can” stuck with me after all those years.

EARLY READERS (AGES 4-6) or so

1.  Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel  The first in a series. Such a sweet book about friendship. My kindergarten students loved it every time I read the book.
2. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat  The first in a series.  Nate the Great is a detective who is ready to solve the next case. A great series for all those little detectives out there. My son loved this series.
3.  Great Day For Up by Dr. Seuss A book of “happy” that celebrates life. All kids love Dr. Seuss.
4. Bob Books by Bobby Lynn Masien and John R. Maslen  Four sets with  four books each beginning with Volume A going through Volume D (16 tiny books in all) with a controlled vocabulary. I used these books to teach my children to read. In addition to reading the books, you can use the vocabulary words to make up your own stories or have you children make up stories and play games using the controlled vocabulary.
5. Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman All kinds of dogs head to a party in this classic. I remember this one from my childhood.

EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS (AGES 6-8) or so

1.  Ramona the Pest By Beverly Cleary (the first in a series) This particular book is about when Ramona became a Kindergarten drop out. The first time I previewed this book I was teaching fifth grade and I laughed until I cried. My daughter enjoyed this series.
   2. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish (the first in a series) In this book, Amelia takes the job as a maid and does ridiculous things around the house. A laugh out loud book that the kids I taught as well as my own kids enjoyed.
   3. Junie B. June by Barbara Park  A series of books about one silly girl. This is a new series, so my kids did not read these. The kids in the tutoring program where I volunteer clammer around these books during our silent reading times.
   4. The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson (the first in a series) When my son was first learning to read, we checked out the audio versions of these books from the library and he loved them.
   5. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Gardner A beloved series of books about four orphaned children who create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar. My kids read these books and thoroughly enjoyed them.

OLDER ELEMENTARY CHAPTER BOOKS (AGES 7-10) or so

1. Tales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume Fudge The young brother drives his older brother crazy with all his wild antics. These books were published while I was teaching and were the “it books” back in the day.
2. The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis  The second and most beloved of the Narnia series.  Four children step inside a magical wardrobe and enter the mythical land of Narnia.  A classic that is a must read for all children.  A great read aloud also.
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl A beloved book about Charlie and his adventures in the chocolate factory. Who can forget this quote from Mr. Wonka, “Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted.”  This was a favorite of my daughter.
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Each book in the series is a journal of a main character. The books tackle problems kids face in a satirical, easy to understand way. These books were not available when my kids were growing up, but they were a favorite of the kids in the homeschool co-op as well in the tutoring program.
5. The Borrowers by Mary Norton A delightful tale about a tiny family who lives underneath the kitchen floor in an English manor. Everything is going great until a member of the family is spotted upstairs by a human boy. This book is also a series. The original book is one of my favorite books from my childhood.
6. Charlotte’s Webb by E.B. White The touching story of the friendship between Wilber the pig and Charlotte the spider. This will bring a tear to the eye, so it may not be appropriate for your extremely sensitive child. With that being said, I do think this is a must read for all children and is my all time favorite children’s book.

TWEEN (AGES 10-12) or so

1. Holes by Louis Sachar  Stanley Yelnats, the main character is sent to a juvenile detention facility for a crime he didn’t commit. For punishment, the inmates are required to dig holes in a dried up desert lake. Read the story to find out why Stanley and the other inmates are digging the holes and the mystery that surrounds them. My daughter took this book to Africa for her students to read as they were learning English and they loved it.
2. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson The story of a friendship between Jess Aarons and the new girl in school,  Leslie Burke. This one pulls at your heartstrings and may not be appropriate for the more sensitive child. This book was a favorite of the 5th grade students I taught my 2nd year of teaching.
3. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery The beloved story of the orphan Anne and her adoptive parents Marilla and Matthew,  an unlikely pair as elderly brother and sister. This was my daughter’s favorite book while growing up. As a matter of fact, she teaches it to her 5th graders. As a side note, the Netflix series does not closely resemble the book.  (The book is much better.)
4. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien The enchanting tale where Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit, embarks upon a dangerous mission to reclaim a hoard of gold stolen from the dwarfs by the evil dragon, Smaug. A classic tale, the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. Such a beloved story; another book that my daughter teaches to her 5th graders.
5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle Three children cross time and space to rescue Meg’s Father. I taught this book in the Homeschool co-op and it was a favorite.
6. Wonder by R.J. Palacio August (Augie) was born with numerous disabilities that affected the way he looked.  He was homeschooled until Middle School when his parents decided to put him in a traditional school.  Palacio does an excellent job depicting how Augie  felt as he went through the social trial and tribulations of Middle School. This book is one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read in a long time (actually I listen to the audio book).  I recommend listening to the audio book as a family and discussing children with disabilities.

TEENS (AGES 13 AND UP) (teens enjoy series books such as Twilight, Divergent, Hunger Games, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, etc.)

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak This book is a powerful portrayal of life in Nazi Germany and does not paint a pretty picture. There’s lots of grief, sadness, violence and cruelty throughout. However, the overall themes of heroism, friendship, and courage win out over the evil portrayed by the Nazi’s.  A must read for students studying WWII or anyone who is interested in that time. Soon to be a classic.
2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee A coming of age story of Scout, her brother Jim, and father Atticus set in 1930’s Alabama. I recently re-read this while tutoring a homeschool student and it was just as good as I remembered. This book is on almost every Freshman English book list and in my opinion, is one of the best books ever written.
3. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart Four gifted students are sent on a secret mission to investigate a mysterious organization where they learn that the only rule is no rules. This is a fun, easy read (I read it in a few hours).
4. Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs This book is very unique, a little difficult to follow and is definitely a page turner. I’m not a big fan of gothic, dark books, yet I found this book compelling. Note: There is mention of adultery, incest and drinking to drown pain. There is also quite a bit of violence. In spite of the adult themes, I do recommend it for the teen who likes dark books.
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin The  love story of the witty and well spoken Elizabeth Bennett and the haughty Mr. Darcy. The girls who I’ve taught this book to, including my daughter, have loved this timeless classic written over two centuries ago.

ADULT CHILDREN Every year I buy my children some kind of devotional/self help book that I think they will enjoy or will help them. Some suggestions are:

1. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey A great money management book.  This book helped my husband and I get a handle on our finances.
2. Wild at Heart by John Eldredge An must read for all men.  Eldredge delves into masculinity and how it plays out in the Christian world. My son has read this book numerous times and highly recommends it.
3. Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge A must read for all women.  Eldridge addresses the heart issues in women and the wounds we carry around. When I read this book, it looked like a highlighter bled on it.
4. What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles A job search book that is great for that young person new to the job market as well as anyone attempting to change jobs. I first read this book when I was in my 20’s.  Did you know it is updated every year with current information about the job market?

Did you know I wrote a book?  It’s called 7 Prayers to Pray Over Your Homeschool.  It’s for the parent who wants to pray for their family but isn’t sure how.  It’s a great book for a homeschool mom (if I do say so myself) and is also suitable for the mom of kids who are in traditional schools.  To download a free copy, scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign up.

What about your children?  What books have they enjoyed reading?