If you are still looking for something special to give your family for Christmas, I have some wonderful book ideas. There are mysteries, non-fiction, recipe books and more listed below. The appropriate ages are placed after each book. This outstanding book list is my Christmas gift to you!
Look and Cook Snacks: A First Book of Recipes in Pictures, by Valerie Fisher, is the perfect book to teach youngsters, ages four through eight, how to cook through pictures. The step-by-step illustrations are easy to follow and fun to create as kids work to make these delicious simple foods to eat. The book begins with pictures of all the tools needed to measure and mix along with simple demonstrations to crack an egg, measure brown sugar and much more. There is very little text and the recipes that follow are delicious and healthy.
David Atherton’s Baking Book for Kids, colorfully illustrated by Harry Woodgate, is another wonderful cookbook geared for kids, but this book is best for children a little older than the prior book listed. The recipes listed have more text and are a bit more complex. However, don’t let this dissuade you as the recipes are still quite simple. The book is categorized into breads, cakes, cookies, pastries and showstoppers. The ages best suited for this book are six through teens.
Kneaders Bakery & Cafe: A Celebration of Our Recipes and Memories, by Colleen Worthington, is a beautiful cookbook geared for adult bakers. What makes this cookbook outstanding are the gorgeous full-page photos opposite the recipes in this 345-page book. The pictures alone would motivate you to bake these recipes. Some of the delicious looking recipes include Southwest Quinoa Salad, Pot Roast French Dip Sandwich and Three-Cheese Cauliflower Soup.
Michael Vey 9: The Traitor, by Richard Paul Evans, is the ninth book in this outstanding mystery thriller series. It’s not necessary to read the other books in this series, but you will want to read them all once you dive into this amazing adventure. The plot moves fast and will keep ages twelve and above on the edge of their seats through to the end!
Amazing Animals Around the World, by DGPH Studio, showcases the diversity of the earth’s animals. This picture book, illustrated with an opaque color palate, is organized into animals who live in reefs, animals that fly but are not birds, animals with long sticky tongues and much more. The layout of this book is perfectly kid-friendly making it perfect for kids ages seven and up. There is also Amazing Insects Around the World with a similar layout and is another fabulous book kids will pick up and not put down.
Explore! America’s Wildlife, by Hannah Bailey and brightly painted by Kitson Jazynka, delves into animals who live in different regions of the United States. The book is broken into four regions: the West, Midwest, South and Northeast. The layout is kid-friendly which highlights areas to spot and discover. This wonderful book will be enjoyed by all ages.
Ultimate Spotlight: Cars, by Sophie Dussaussois and cleverly and brightly illustrated by Pierre Caillou, is filled with flaps, pop-ups, pull-tabs and is rich with movable parts on every page. There is so much to learn and enjoy throughout this book with sturdy pages making this good for ages three through eight.
The Pop-Up Guide: Cities Around the World, by Maud Poulain and colorfully painted with each pop-up by Sandra de la Prada, features some of the most iconic landmarks found throughout earth. Each open-page pops up diagonally along with a brief synopsis depicting the city’s popular features. Some of the cities include Paris, Sydney, and Istanbul. The book is suited for ages five and up.
Philadelphia Chickens: The 21st Anniversary Edition, by Sandra Boynton, is a one-of-a-kind book with seventeen and a half story poems along with wonderful original songs that preschoolers will beg to hear and wish to listen to again and again. These songs are fully orchestrated and the stories are read by well-known dignitaries. This entire book is a toe-tapping delight.
The Dark is Rising Sequence Series, by Susan Cooper, has recently been reissued with five books and starting with one of my favorite fantasy books: Over Sea, Under Stone. Cooper’s fifth book, Silver on the Tree, won the Newbery Medal. And her second book in this series, The Dark is Rising, won the Newbery Honor. All five books are exciting and superbly written and best for ages ten and up.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a paperback four book series rich in adventure in this science fiction reissue series. The books are all about survival as the first book sets the stage. One boy and one girl are sent out to participate in the Hunger Games on live TV. The fittest will win. But the outcome is unpredictable, and the excitement heightens as teens and adults turn the pages to discover the outcome.
