Book Suggestions for Christmas Gift

[Dianthus]

Hello! I try to get my kids special books (nice hardbacks) or boxed set for Christmas. I also avoid twaddle and seek classic books. I'm looking for something for my just turned 7 yr old, who is reading very well. We have so many books already, so I'm having a difficult time finding something special for him.  He can do a lighter chapter book, something on the level of Charlie and Chocolate Factory, but would have to find it very interesting. He needs illustrations in a chapter book. He still enjoys picture books, but I want it to feel slightly more mature.

 

BTW, this is a lovely copy of The Hobbit. Just got for another child's bday.

[goldenecho]

It would be hard to find in hardback (unless you got an out of print copy), but if you are ok with Christian books Treasures of the Snow is a favorite and perfect for Christmastime (it revolves around several Christmases).   If you do get an out of print copy you will get the original, unrevised version.    The newer ones are slightly revised (not by the original author).   I like the older ones a little better, but mostly it's a "here nor there" difference.   The story is great in either version.

[Gil]

Maybe a nice reference book on something that he likes. An Encyclopedia of Horses or Star Wars Visual Encyclopedia or something along those lines?

Honestly, I've turned to purchasing lots of books off of eBay for The Boys. There is something about getting a bunch of books at once that ups the cool factor in their eyes.

 

 

[domestic_engineer]

Books by Megumi Iwasa

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake

My Father’s Dragon Trilogy

books by David Macaulay

Books by Patricia Palacco

The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury

Toys Go Out Trilogy

 

Also you might like Purple House Press books. 
 

 

 

[Quarter Note]

@Spirea, does your family yet have Robert Lawson's Rabbit Hill?  Both the story and the illustrations have made it a favorite around here.  I think that Robert Lawson is the only person to have won both a Caldecott and a Newbery.  The sequel is The Tough Winter.

Enjoy!

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

If you don’t already have them, there are nice illustrated versions of the Harry Potter books. Larger coffee-table style illustrated editions (10”x9” pages) & the smaller MinaLima style (6”x9” pages). Both hardback sets. 

[Dianthus]

I'm happy with my find for ds7! I ordered this edition of Pinocchio . I also had purchased the B&N leather collectible edition of Aesop and Wizard of Oz with ds7 in mind, but I think the Pinocchio is better for him. I've been buying dd12 the B&N collectibles for several years and she has most of them and ds10 also has a couple, so will just save for them. This is better for ds7. We don't have a copy of Pinocchio or any of these interactive books. Also was a great price at $11!

I also just ordered a nice looking, supposedly "like new", copy of Robinson Crusoe for ds10 from ThriftBooks. I hope it is ok. I've never ordered from them and I hate anything with odors, but it is just a $5 gamble.

Ds10 really loves his copy of The Hobbit that I linked above. He said it was his favorite bday gift and keeps rereading. I'd love to find more like it but not sure how to search. It is hardback with a cloth like cover and gilded lettering.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Spirea

[serendipitous journey]

If the children enjoy beautiful books: I like the Everyman's Library children's classics.  I often look for titles I want used at AbeBooks. 

Unusual books with excellent writing in high-quality bindings: New York Review Children's Collection. 

NOT classic, more for thread-readers than the OP: for some fun reads for children, look at Sonlight's summer readers.  

(It seems to me that there really isn't a lot like The Hobbit.  🙂  I mean, folks (including me!) can make lots of suggestions.  Lean fantasy-ward, look for wonderful authors.  But the Hobbit is just phenomenal.) 

Edited November 29, 2021 by serendipitous journey

[Dianthus]

3 hours ago, serendipitous journey said:

If the children enjoy beautiful books: I like the Everyman's Library children's classics.  I often look for titles I want used at AbeBooks. 

Unusual books with excellent writing in high-quality bindings: New York Review Children's Collection. 

NOT classic, more for thread-readers than the OP: for some fun reads for children, look at Sonlight's summer readers.  

(It seems to me that there really isn't a lot like The Hobbit.  🙂  I mean, folks (including me!) can make lots of suggestions.  Lean fantasy-ward, look for wonderful authors.  But the Hobbit is just phenomenal.) 

That is an especially nice edition of the Hobbit🙂 Thanks for the links.  Yes, I do try to get beautiful books for bdays and Christmas. They really take good care of them and I like them to feel books are special and have value.

[TomMr]

If I were a seven-year-old, I would be glad to get a set of Harry Potter books. Moreover, there are plenty of beautiful and illustrated editions, as I know.

[mathmarm]

Is he artistically inclined?
Art Lab for Kids might be enjoyed for a few years. There are 52 Art Projects in a range of different mediums.

[Dianthus]

On 12/21/2021 at 5:18 PM, mathmarm said:

Is he artistically inclined?
Art Lab for Kids might be enjoyed for a few years. There are 52 Art Projects in a range of different mediums.

My dd would love this

[Gil]

On 11/27/2021 at 12:18 PM, Spirea said:

I also just ordered a nice looking, supposedly "like new", copy of Robinson Crusoe for ds10 from ThriftBooks. I hope it is ok. I've never ordered from them and I hate anything with odors, but it is just a $5 gamble.

Just an FYI:
I have ordered from Thriftbooks for years, usually through their Abebooks, Amazon and eBay stores but just so that you know, I've never been burned--in the event that I needed to return a book, I returned it. In the event that a book was not as advertised, I've been refunded and allowed to keep the book.

98% of the time, the books have been in better-than-advertised-condition so I've been comfortable ordering books in acceptable and good condition from them.
 

[Lucy the Valiant]

1 hour ago, Gil said:

Just an FYI:
I have ordered from Thriftbooks for years, usually through their Abebooks, Amazon and eBay stores but just so that you know, I've never been burned--in the event that I needed to return a book, I returned it. In the event that a book was not as advertised, I've been refunded and allowed to keep the book.

98% of the time, the books have been in better-than-advertised-condition so I've been comfortable ordering books in acceptable and good condition from them.
 

Same.

[Dianthus]

6 hours ago, Gil said:

Just an FYI:
I have ordered from Thriftbooks for years, usually through their Abebooks, Amazon and eBay stores but just so that you know, I've never been burned--in the event that I needed to return a book, I returned it. In the event that a book was not as advertised, I've been refunded and allowed to keep the book.

98% of the time, the books have been in better-than-advertised-condition so I've been comfortable ordering books in acceptable and good condition from them.
 

I didn't even look into returns and likely with fees its not worth returning. It was in very good like new condition, as advertised.  But it was not the cloth covered with metallic foil lettering as shown. It's a strange cartoonish cover and very thin pages with extremely small print. This would not be readable for a child. Since it looks brand new, I considered adding it to my nephew's give since I had bought ds a replacement edition from everyman children's library. But it is just so difficult to read, I couldn't give it to anyone.

This was a good journey though. I've discovered that I really like the Everyman Children’s library editions, and I'll give ds a couple every bday or Christmas so he can have his own book collection. The offerings are a bit different from dd's set with more boy friendly titles. He got Robinson Crusoe and Don Quixote.

My other ds7 ended up with a boxed set of Billy and Blaze books and read the first book today. I forgot about those books. I didn't end up giving him the Pinnochio because I felt it was too much stuff, but will save it for a gift next year.

[TerezaM]

On 11/29/2021 at 11:28 PM, Spirea said:

That is an especially nice edition of the Hobbit🙂 Thanks for the links.  Yes, I do try to get beautiful books for bdays and Christmas. They really take good care of them and I like them to feel books are special and have value.

I also bought my little sister two books, and she loved it. But for someone it may be too simple, I mean, there are many other options, Hobbit, for example, or something else

[Quarter Note]

@Spirea, I know that Christmas is long over, but I thought of this thread when we discovered this beautifully illustrated version of Around the World in Eighty Days.  (Sorry that the link is only to Alibris and you can't see the cover.  The ISBN is 0304317691.)  The illustrations are relevant 19th century paintings, drawings, photographs, and postcards.  (I never knew that Edward Lear was also an artist!)  We got it from the library, but we may seek out buying this book ourselves, it's so fascinating!

(I'm not sure how familiar you are with this novel, but I wouldn't feel right not warning that there are some attitudes reflected in the language that we don't hold in the 21st century anymore.  For all that, we love the book as a great adventure story.)