As promised, some last minute book gift ideas for the youngsters.

Two Baby to Preschool from Kane/Miller Books

Sophie’s Big Bed – Even though she’s been sleeping in a big girl bed for years, my daughter really enjoyed this book by Tina Burke. If you’re trying to transition your child from crib to bed, this is a wonderful book to read together. A Kane/Miller book.

The Spider and the Bee – Author Michele Shen wrote this simple parable to help explain “why parents sometimes live apart.” This is a gentle, quiet book, sized to fit little hands, and written to explain divorce in a way the very young will understand. From Kane/Miller.

For Ages Four to Eight

1001 Stories – I really enjoyed reading this book with Lucie, though it took most of the night to do so. So be forewarned! By Lila Prap, this Kane/Miller book starts out traditionally, but after that watch out! The reader is in charge when favorite fairy tales are put together in a way so you decide what what happens next. It’s really a never ending tale, so figure out how long you want to spend on it before getting into bed with your child to read. You may be there until YOU doze off. 

And What Comes After a Thousand? – By Anette Bley, this quiet, gentle, heartwarming book is meant to be share. It’s first about love and friendship between a granddaughter and her grandfather. And then it’s about loss and death. A good book for a child whose grandparent may be ill and dying or one who has passed away. Be warned that this very frank book will bring tears to your eyes. It did for me. A Kane/Miller book.

Bobbie Dazzler – From Australian author Margaret Wild comes a story about Bobbie, an energetic red-necked wallaby, who can hop and skip and bounce. But, she can’t do the splits. Bobbie Dazzler celebrates children’s small achievements and the value of friendship. Another wonderful Kane/Miller book.

Little Skink’s Tail – Written by Janet Halfmann and olustrated by Laurie Allen Klein, this story follows Little Skink will she hunts yummy ants for breakfast. Suddenly she’s attacked by a crow, and escapes by snapping off her tail! Little Skink is happy to be alive, but she misses her bright blue tail. She daydreams of having the tails of other animals in the forest and tries on tail after tail. Like all books from Sylvan Dell Publishing, the book comes with a “For Creative Minds” section with information on tail adaptations and communications and a mix-and-match tail activity. Check out the Sylvan Dell website for Teaching Activities, Learning Links, and a downloadable For Creative Minds (PDF).

The Mats – By Francisco Arcellana, this book is a discussion starter on the subject of death and those who are gone but not far from our hearts. In this tale, Marcelina’s father comes home from a trip to Manila with beautiful hand-made sleeping mats for each member of his large family, including the three daughters who died when they were very young. A Kane/Miller book.

New York: The Empire State – Planning a trip to New York this summer? Mother and daughter co-authors, Margery Facklam and Peggy Thomas, explore their home state region by region, offering historical accounts, natural history facts, and sightseeing suggestions. From Charlesbridge Publishing.

My Even Day – The Slyvan Dell Publishing followup to Doris Fisher’s One Odd Day, we follow a young boy through another strange day, but now everything is even, and his mom has two heads! Your kids will enjoy looking for all the hidden objects in the book’s art. And you’ll learn more “number fun” in the “For Creative Minds” section. Go to the Sylvan Dell website for the downloadable For Creative Minds (PDF), Teaching Activities, and Learning Links.

Selma By Jutta Bauer, this little book asks: What is happiness?  For Selma the sheep, the answer is easy. Happiness is eating grass, playing with her children, exercising, eating a little more grass, chatting with her neighbor, and a good night sleep. But what if Selma had more time? What if she won the lottery? Adults will enjoy this one – and learn a little, too. From the folks at Kane/Miller.

Don’t Forget the Big Kids (Ages Nine to 12)

Ox, House, Stick: The Story of Our Alphabet – By Don Robb and illustrated in bold collage style by Anne Smith, the book traces the origins of our alphabet from the proto-Sinaitic peoples, through the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans. Also included is sidebar information on punctuation, writing materials, the technology of printing, and more. From Charlesbridge Publishing.

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