Here are some wonderful gifts of books to give for Christmas that family members, young and old, will all love.
Let’s begin with pop-up and interactive books. Super Science: Feel the Force! Full of Pop-up Physics Fun!, by Tom Adams, and ingeniously illustrated by Thomas Flintham, is packed with inventive and interesting facts that are sure to spark even the most reluctant scientist in your family. Learn about basic science elements and principles which include electricity, gravity and friction. There are also pull-tabs, small booklets and open flaps included.
Amazing Pop-Up Trucks, by Robert Crowther, is an over-sized book with five fascinating trucks that seem to explode off the page as you open each double page. Each truck includes interesting facts and a photograph of the vehicle.
The Great Global Puzzle Challenge with Google Earth, by Clive Gifford, and packed with in-credible detailed illustrations by William Ings, teaches you how to navigate through google to find coordinates on maps by combining both book and google to locate destinations. These destinations are somehow connected to the next search and each page is also filled with details of that city/area which the reader needs to discover to continue the search. This book is great fun through the various discoveries!
Puppies and Kittens and Other Pop-Up Pets, by one of my favorite paper engineers: Matthew Reinhart, is one in a series of pop-up books that are finally constructed for tiny hands. The pop ups are made of thicker and simpler construction enabling young children to enjoy them.
Razzle-Dazzle Ruby, by Masha Dyans, is an interactive story full of wheels to turn, tabs to pull or open and pop-ups. Also, Ruby is surrounded with glistening snow that turns her day into magic.
Now for some classic reissues, and featured compilations, check out these outstanding books. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick (14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tale) based on the story by Chris Van Allsburg, has some of the best children’s authors incorporating Allsburg’s wordless and mysterious story into their own tales. Some of these renowned authors include Lois Lowry and Jon Scieszka. This book just may spark the author in you.
The Family Storybook Treasury: Tales of Laughter, Curiosity and Fun, compiled by Hough-ton Mifflin Harcourt, is a compilation of beloved classic children’s stories and poems. This over-sized and colorful picture book includes stories from “Curious George”, “Martha Speaks” and “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel”.
The Giver: The Gift Edition, by Lois Lowry, has been reissued and packaged into this special edition along with thirteen new extraordinary illustrations by famed Bagram Ibatoulline. Also in-cluded in this Newbery winner is an introduction and her 1994 acceptance speech for this coveted award.
The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth and The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster, and illustrated by Jules Feiffer, are two books celebrating the 50th-anniversary of this classic story. The annotated version has notes and an introduction by Leonard S. Marcus and brilliantly expresses a commentary alongside the story. Both books are perfect gifts for an avid reader this Christmas.
The rest of the books are activity books that involve arts and crafts and are great fun to make and create. The following books are published by Klutz.
The Marvelous Book of Magical Horses, by Eva Steele-Saccio, includes six paper horses that you can decorate with colorful wings, stickers and more.
Brilliant Bead Rings, by Anne Avers Johnson, has simple instructions, beads of many colors and sizes and flexible wire to make easy, pretty rings.
Pom-Pom Monster Salon, by April Chorba, includes bright yarn, easy to follow instructions and decorations to make fun and funny pom-pom monsters.
Friendship Pixies, by Karen Phillips, includes bendable wire, colorful raffia for clothing and sparkly yarn hair to make your magical pixies.
Ribbon Bangles, by Eva Steele-Saccio, includes plain plastic bracelets along with bright ribbon and beads to make pretty bangles.
Kids Cooking is a perfect introduction of simple recipes for the youngest kitchen helper. In-cluded are colorful plastic measuring spoons.
Twisted Critters: The Pipe Cleaner Book shows fast and easy twisting and curling to make all kinds of animals, bracelets and more. There are dozens of brilliant pipe cleaners included.
The last two books are published by Simon & Schuster: Green & Groovy Crafts: Fairy Crafts, by Pam Abrams and Jenny Wilson, has everything you need to make a fairy life. “Fairy Fashion”, “Fairy Furniture” and “Crowns & Headdresses” are just a few chapters. Included are ribbon, glitter, felt and more.
Pink Princess Party Cookbook, by Barbara Beery, includes six different types of princess parties along with recipes that go right along with the themes which are : “Snowflake”, “Spa”, “Garden”, “Mermaid”, “Enchanted Pony” and “Pink Princess” parties.
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