Ninanoo Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 How many books do you give for birthday presents? My daughter is not a strong reader but she enjoys being read to. She wants several books for her birthday/christmas (they are close together) She wants the Disney Princess Palace Pets books, Bailey School Kids, How To Train Your Dragon books, Pokemon books,Jim Arnosky books and a slew of other animal and anatomy related books. And a "Destroy This book" Type of book. I am getting her 65 zoobooks (the monthly magazine) for $30 that i might wrap up for her birthday. I know she wants MORE then just books... so how many would you get? How do you decide? I mean, they are books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 What is your budget? We have seven kids (mostly grown now) so we never got 30 books per kid! I would opt for a few quality books (used in good condition is ok with me) over quantity. I might let my kids check a few twaddly books out from the library or buy one now and then, but normally I opt for good literature. My kids liked Zoobooks too. Some of the titles you mentioned I really don't recognize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Are there ever too many books? :) Seriously, why not take her to the library and let her check some of these books out before her birthday and Christmas? Or if she doesn't have a Kindle, maybe consider that for a gift, and learn to use the library for Kindle books? Give her some special books, and others can be over time - checked out of the library, bought piece by piece at the bookstore, or borrowed on the Kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninanoo Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 My daughter doesn't read on her own yet. She is getting better every day and may be able to by December... I am not really worried about fluff reading because she has strong interests in much less fluffy things. Of course I myself am a writer and write things people would probably consider fluff. lol :D Plus these are "presents" and I have always tried to get her things she actually wants for presents... know what I mean? My budget varies. My husband is a full time student and I have a part time, minimum wage job. In the past We have spent around $50-$70 for birthday and $50-$100 for Christmas. She is getting older and her interests are reflecting that. A lot of the things she wants aren't too expensive (my little pony, pokemon cards, a soccer ball....) But some are... (anatomy models, robotic kits, game boy games) Several of the books I may be able to get on halfprice books, I'm not sure. The Disney ones are new publication though, so I am sure they aren't there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninanoo Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 We live across the street from the library and we have read all of the ones available in these categories. lol :) We requested some My little pony books, and they got them in, but most were stolen/never returned by other people before she even got a chance to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 We live across the street from the library and we have read all of the ones available in these categories. lol :) We requested some My little pony books, and they got them in, but most were stolen/never returned by other people before she even got a chance to read them. Well, boo! Stolen library books are terrible. You might check out your local library's ebooks, see what's available there, if you were to go the Kindle route. Otherwise - I'm all for books. Not one to tell you to curb the book buying. Shop away. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninanoo Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 lol I am embarrassed, i do have a kindle but I have no idea whats so ever how to borrow books that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Last year, I snuck out to the buck-a-bag sale at the library and ds got a whole new shelf of books for Christmas. Another year, my big kids' present was new bookshelves (filled, of course) in their bedrooms. There is no such thing as too many books. If you're not in earthquake country, you can just build more shelves with boards and bricks if you can't afford "real" shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 lol I am embarrassed, i do have a kindle but I have no idea whats so ever how to borrow books that way Someone else can give better directions probably, but just go to your local library's website and follow the directions. You'll probably need to download an app called Overdrive, but maybe not. It's liberating! And fun. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Someone else can give better directions probably, but just go to your local library's website and follow the directions. You'll probably need to download an app called Overdrive, but maybe not. It's liberating! And fun. :) I'm running an Ubuntu fork and just use Overdrive from my browser so no app necessary. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 The birthday after DS really learned to read, I got him 29 (secondhand!) books, which I carried on my back for about 10 miles on my bike. It was a little overboard, but I was SO GLAD he was finally reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I buy a lot of secondhand books, and book sets off ebay, which means I can afford more books for less. We also buy a lot of books throughout the year. For bday/christmas we tend to have themes, and when I buy a book from a set I tend to buy the whole set, because it is cheaper and they all match. So youngest DD is getting a boxset of 8 boynton board books. eldest DD is getting the complete Enid Blyton 'happy days' collection. For Christmas they are each getting a complete collection (one the traditional thomas the tank engine railway series, one Winnie the Pooh and one Beatrix Potter). I look less at price in these instances. So for your situation, I would choose one series for christmas, one series for birthday, and buy a group of each of them. I might also buy one or two of the animal/anatomy books for each, though I would probably consider those school expenses if they are nonfiction. And I'd get one of the destroy this book books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 We get our kids one or two really nice, hardback, very high quality books for their birthdays and Christmas. Occasionally a set. For the kind of books you listed in your post, I would say use the library. Save your money and your shelf space for books that will last in all respects. My kids do get to spend their own money at used books sales a couple of times a year and they have a blast, but we end up culling those books out within a year most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.