Can you believe there are just two weeks left until Christmas? December is flying by. Fortunately, I really only have to get gifts for my husband (the hardest person to shop for) and my in-laws and parents, so I’m feeling good about that.
One way I keep the stress low when buying Christmas gifts is stocking up on picture books throughout the year and saving them until Christmas. We check out A LOT of books from the library, and I keep an eye on the ones my kids absolutely loved. Then I order them from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or eBay (yes, I even buy gently used books as gifts) when they’re on sale and keep the stack in my closet until December.
Whether you need some last-minute gift ideas or just want some non-Christmas books to break up all the Santa stories right now, here’s the list of books my kids are actually getting for Christmas.
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School by Mo Willems. My kids love all of the Pigeon books (and they’re funny for adults, too), so I ordered this from the book order way back in the summer and quietly slipped it away for Christmas without them noticing. This one was also a great read for this year, since my kids just started kindergarten.
Three Cheers for Kid McGear by Sherri Duskey Rinker. If you have a truck- and vehicle-lover in the house, you’ll love the newest book from Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site author Sherri Duskey Rinker. When I bought this book, though, I actually didn’t realize that the skid steer is female! It’s a subtle but important way to make it clear that girls love trucks and tractors just like boys do. Bonus: Somehow this book is only $7.99 right now on Amazon, which is WAY less than I paid!
Miss Lina’s Ballerinas by Grace Maccarone. My daughter has been in ballet for a year and adores dancing, and she really liked this cute book about what happens when a ninth ballerina throws off all the pairs (spoiler alert: they learn to work together). The illustrations are darling and remind me of the Madeleine books.
Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller. We talk about kindness all the time in our home, and this book explains why it can be hard to be kind and child-friendly ways to help other people. I really like the pictures and the simple text, and my kids liked this one, too.
Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. We read this one a while back, but I decided we needed to add it to our library this year. I love the empowering messages for girls and inspiring words about being yourself. I did NOT like the version for boys, written after Rosenthal’s death (which is probably the problem), so my next pick is…
A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy. I nearly cried when I read this book, because THIS is the story I wanted to write for my own son. Frank Murphy is an elementary school teacher, and his message is that you don’t have to be brave or put on a face all the time. He also empowers boys to be themselves and figure out what they’re good at, because the world needs them as they are. This really is such a beautiful book that I have been waiting for.
How to Walk a Dump Truck by Peter Pearson. This quirky book about kids that have a dump truck for a pet delighted both my kids, but especially my son. Since he hasn’t been as interested in reading as his sister (though he’s improved a lot this year), I really want to get books that grab his attention. This one made us all laugh.
Do you like to give your kids books for Christmas? I want to hear what’s going under your tree this year!
