Susan in TN Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 We have a tradition of buying our kids books to celebrate the (more or less sucessful) completion of the school year. We mostly focus on classics and sometimes books that we just think they would particularly enjoy (sci-fi, animal stories, etc). We get new if we can afford it, but usually they are from used on-line sellers. So my oldest is graduating this year (yay! sniff!) and it's time to decide what to get him. To take off some of the pressure I keep telling myself that we can still buy him books, but it's a little different, kwim? He has most of the major classics - Shakespeare, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Austin, some classic sci-fi. He doesn't have a set of Harry Potter yet; I'm thinking about getting him some children's classics like Winnie the Pooh, Where the Wild Things Are, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - we didn't start this tradition until ds was in about 5th grade. So what are some books you would especially want your children to have in their personal libraries? P.S. I'm also planning to get him a personalized "Ex Libris" stamp or embosser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 What will your son be majoring in in college? My daughter majored in Latin. Over time we've purchased some books in Latin that we thought she'd enjoy. Hobbitus Ille: The Latin Hobbit Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis Regulus (the Little Prince)Winnie Ille Pu (Winnie the Pooh)Ferdinandus Taurus (Ferdinand the Bull)Cattus Petasatus: The Cat in the Hat in Latin If your son is going on in math or a technical field, he might enjoy a copy of Euclid's The Elements or another science classic. Here's a very attractive copy: Oliver Byrne. Six Books of Euclid by Werner Oechslin Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Someone got me an American Heritage dictionary with my name engraved on the front as a high school graduation present. I still use it, and now the kids use it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 A common graduation book is Dr. Seuss's book "Oh the Places You'll Go." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 A common graduation book is Dr. Seuss's book "Oh the Places You'll Go." This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Love the idea of the Harry Potter set. For kids' books, anything & everything by Richard Scarry is always in my must-have pile. Now for some completely random thoughts... Well, this may seem weird & perhaps more appropriate if he's moving out/getting his own place, but I'll mention The Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson. She's really looking at it more from a family (rather than single guy) perspective & maybe it's too detailed on the house-running/keeping parts of it, but I think she has some great practical advice for living close to a zero-waste lifestyle. Perhaps some interesting things to ponder &/or implement early in life (prior to/as one is setting up an apartment or house).... Penguin has the Great Ideas series, so perhaps some good ideas there: http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/greatideas/index_1.html I like to read books from around the world (which aren't always so easy to find in translation) & think Archipelago books (a non-profit publishing company) does a great job getting various books from around the world translated & into print. I think a nice gift would be a half- or whole-year subscription to some of their upcoming releases: http://archipelagobooks.org/product/subscription/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 What will your son be majoring in in college? I've just remembered that he's heading for a music major. Is there a classic in music that might interest him? or perhaps a history of music? or a history of his instrument? Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss The Bible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I've just remembered that he's heading for a music major. Is there a classic in music that might interest him? or perhaps a history of music? or a history of his instrument? Regards, Kareni You know what he might enjoy? An anthology of PDQ Bach choral works :D. His other major interest is Japanese - he's always been fascinated with Japan and learning their language. I wonder if I could find something along that line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 My son got a book once on the great composers. I wish I could remember which one. It was a fat, hardcover book. He loved it, and still takes it out to look at it from time to time. Or, how about a world Atlas, if he hopes to do any traveling? (Or maybe he just likes looking up where things are happening in the world.) I'd recommend against Oh, The Places You'll Go. Each of my children received at least two of them from people and I doubt they ever even opened them. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Mousie Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Someone got me an American Heritage dictionary with my name engraved on the front as a high school graduation present. I still use it, and now the kids use it as well. My mother gave me a Random House College Dictionary. I loved it then, used it constantly through college, and continue to use it decades later. Major dork alert: It's my favorite dictionary. :D Really! I have quite a few, now, but this one is my go-to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 You know what he might enjoy? An anthology of PDQ Bach choral works :D. His other major interest is Japanese - he's always been fascinated with Japan and learning their language. I wonder if I could find something along that line? This is funny. My dd is graduating this year, too. She is majoring in music and is finishing up her 4 th semester of Japanese! Watching this thread with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 My mother gave me a Random House College Dictionary. I loved it then, used it constantly through college, and continue to use it decades later. Major dork alert: It's my favorite dictionary. :D Really! I have quite a few, now, but this one is my go-to. My AHD is my favorite, too!! And I actually have a small dictionary collection, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 You know what he might enjoy? An anthology of PDQ Bach choral works :D. Wouldn't that be fun! His other major interest is Japanese - he's always been fascinated with Japan and learning their language. I wonder if I could find something along that line? So, has he studied the language? If so, a favorite book of his in English could be fun to own in Japanese. (That was a major motivator in getting my daughter the first Harry Potter book in Latin.) Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I love this idea. Books = good friends. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 Wouldn't that be fun! So, has he studied the language? If so, a favorite book of his in English could be fun to own in Japanese. (That was a major motivator in getting my daughter the first Harry Potter book in Latin.) Regards, Kareni He has really only played around with it on his own at this point, but he really wants to make it a "summer project" this year. A book in Japanese would be a fantastic idea! Even if it's a simple one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I love this idea. Books = good friends. :) :001_wub: For many of the books we give the kids, I really do feel as though I am sharing a good friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbeth Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I was looking through this list for my ideas for my graduate. They all have Christian content:http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/gift_results?page=1501424&sp=87161&event=Graduation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I was looking through this list for my ideas for my graduate. They all have Christian content:http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/gift_results?page=1501424&sp=87161&event=Graduation You've reminded me of one book I have stashed away already - a leather edition of Valley of Vision (a collection of Puritan prayers). I had forgotten all about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Too bad it's out of print! Oh, The Places You'll Go (Japanese Edition) Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Too bad it's out of print! Oh, The Places You'll Go (Japanese Edition) Regards, Kareni Great find!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I'd recommend against Oh, The Places You'll Go. Each of my children received at least two of them from people and I doubt they ever even opened them. ;)Same here. I received a copy and read it once, tried to figure out why someone would give an 18 year old a Dr Seuss book and never saw it again.My cousin got 2 for her graduation and sent them home with my kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Someone got me an American Heritage dictionary with my name engraved on the front as a high school graduation present. I still use it, and now the kids use it as well. That's a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Too bad it's out of print! Oh, The Places You'll Go (Japanese Edition) Regards, Kareni Oh, that's nice! Maybe I can find a used copy somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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