Christmas Book Giving Guide 2017

Over the past year, I've seen thousands of children's books, and now we're entering the season of best-of lists and holiday gift guides.  I've done a really poor job of blogging here for the past year and a half (sorry!), so I thought I'd take the opportunity to add to the general end-of-year chaos with some book suggestions of my own. All of the books I'm recommending here were published in 2017.

For babies:

Baby's Big Busy Book by Karen Katz -- When it comes to babies, you can't go wrong with Karen Katz. This large-format board book offers plenty of diversion for the littlest readers/chewers/droolers.

For toddlers:

Pizza: An Interactive Recipe Book by Lotta Nieminen -- For readers ready for a slightly more sophisticated board book, this one offers even more interaction and imaginative play. Young foodies, there are more books in the series if you can't get enough of this one!

For preschoolers:

The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen --  Right at the start of this book, somebody gets eaten -- but that's only the beginning of the story. This fun and funny tale is sure to delight. (Plus, if I do an award predictions post next month, you might see this title appear again...)

For picture book fans:

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Adam Rex -- It's an ancient, epic battle, rendered hilarious by the author of The Day the Crayons Quit.  This one was an immediate favorite with staff at my library from the day it arrived.  You'll notice that I left the age range for this category vague, because this book has broad appeal.

For beginning readers:

A Pig, A Fox, and Stinky Socks by Jonathan Fenske -- It can be hard to find enjoyable beginning readers books, but Fenske manages it stylishly with his zippy Pig and Fox books.

For early elementary grades:

Charlie and Mouse by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Emily Hughes -- This book lives right in that nebulous zone between readers and chapter books, for students who are growing more confident in their skills, but are not quite ready for heftier tomes.  It's an absolutely charming set of family stories broken into four short chapters.  There's already a sequel, and we can only hope for more on the way!

For upper elementary grades:

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser -- The Vanderbeeker siblings love their Harlem brownstone, so when their crotchety landlord (and upstairs neighbor) declines to renew their lease, they set out on a campaign to charm him into changing his mind.  Unfortunately, some of their best ideas backfire disastrously.  It's just days before Christmas -- but will they still be in their beloved home come New Year's? This is one of my favorite books of the year -- not just for this age group, but of all the books I've read.  It's sweet but not saccharine, and truly delightful.

For middle schoolers:

All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson -- Imogene's family has worked at the Florida Renaissance Faire her whole life, and she's finally old enough to become a squire. She's also old enough to start middle school, which is sort of exciting but also sort of scary, since she's been homeschooled up to this point. Middle school is tricky, with its social rules that seem to keep changing, grumpy teachers, and girls that are nice until one day they're not. When Imogene does something mean in an attempt to fit in, it snowballs into a disaster that touches every part of her life. Maybe she's not the knight who slays the dragon -- maybe she is the dragon. Great for fans of graphic novels, ren faires, and school stories with complicated friendships and realistically flawed characters

For teens:

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor -- Lazlo Strange, penniless librarian, dreams of adventure. Specifically, he longs for what he calls the Unseen City, which lies across the desert from his home. He's heard stories of it all his life, and has even made researching its legends his life's work, but he knows that travel to the city is impossible, and even if he were to get there, foreigners are executed on site. But when envoys from the city arrive, looking for help with an unnamed problem, Lazlo knows that his only chance has come, if he can only find a way to reach out and grasp it. A beautiful and detailed fantasy with an intricately woven plot. I'm recommending this for teens, but adults who enjoy fantasy would also love this book.  

Bonus pick:

I'm Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris, illustrated by Lane Smith -- Talk about broad appeal!  I'm including this one because it works for the demographics described in the title, especially those who grew up loving Shel Silverstein.  Here's my favorite poem from the collection:

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by . . .
Since then I've been completely lost.
Thanks for nothing, Robert Frost."

There you go -- some great books for reading and giving this holiday season!  Of course, if you're looking for more for a particular reader, you can always ask and I'll be glad to overwhelm you with ideas help you out.  Merry Christmas and happy reading!