What are your favorite books to give as gifts?

[IansMom]

We have a lot of birthday parties coming up, and I would love some suggestions for nice books to give. My two favorite to give are http://www.amazon.com/Alphabet-Paula-Wiseman-Books-Matthew/dp/1416955658/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379358131&sr=8-4&keywords=matthew+van+fleet and http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Up-Book-Nursery-Rhymes-Collectible/dp/1416918256/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379358208&sr=8-1&keywords=Nursery+rhyme+pop+up+book. Please give the age you think the book is most appropriate for as well. Thank you.

[mikala]

I like to give books similar to the alphabet one in op. Such a fun series.

For ages 3-5 I really like the Usborne flap books. DS1 adores the body book http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/079451233X and the airplane flap book. We also have the big book of bugs and the book of animals. They have a lot of detail and are the kinds of books you can sit with for an hour as you discuss the pages and kids really learn from them. I usually buy from a local consultant but I've also seen some at B&N and Learning Express.

I also like to give Harold and the purple crayon, usually with a box of crayons and some paper. I give washable crayons just in case someone takes it too literally!

[123LuckyMom]

For pre readers, I like to give The Lion & the Mouse
http://amzn.com/0316013560
The illustrations are extraordinary, and kids can narrate the story. I LOVE this book, and it feel gift-y to me.

For 3.5-5, I love Press Here
http://amzn.com/0811879542
It's an interactive book, and I've never met a young child who didn't love it.

There are lots and lots of books I love, though, so that question is a toughy!

[citymama]

For what ages? Knuffle Bunny, Click Clack Moo, Richard Scarry hardcover big books are still my faves for 2-4 year olds.
I like the "That's not my..." series (depending on child's interests)

[IansMom]

I am looking for books for kids of all ages, but we have quite a few parties coming up for children turning 4, 5 and 6.

[georgiegirl]

For 6+, what about Shel Silverstein "where the sidewalk ends" and "a light in the attic"? My DD is 7 and loves reading the silly poems.

[sntm]

10 flashing fireflies by Philemon sturges

[lizzywednesday]

DD is 3.5 and we tend to give her current favorites as gifts.

For the under-3 set, we like the "In My ..." series; DD has both In My Tree (link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Tree-Sara-Gillingham/dp/0811870529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379424377&sr=1-1&keywords=in+my+tree) and In My Flower. They have quite a few options with different animals, so you can usually find one that works for the child you're giving it to; the stories are pretty much identical, only changing a wee bit based on the setting/finger puppet animal.

For the 3-5 set, we have most recently given:

Chu's Day (by Neil Gaiman; illustrations by Adam Rex) (link: http://www.amazon.com/Chus-Day-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0062017810/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379424273&sr=1-1&keywords=chu%27s+day)
The Paperbag Princess (by Robert Munsch) (link: http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Bag-Princess-Classic-Munsch/dp/0920236162/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379424299&sr=1-1&keywords=paperbag+princess+by+robert+munsch)
The Magic Schoolbus at the Waterworks (by Joanna Cole) (link: http://www.amazon.com/Magic-School-Bus-At-Waterworks/dp/0590403605/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379424327&sr=1-1&keywords=magic+school+bus+at+the+waterworks)
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale (retold by Verna Aardema) (link: http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Kapiti-Plain-Reading-Rainbow/dp/0140546162/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379424133&sr=1-1&keywords=bringing+the+rain+to+kapiti+plain)

For our elder niece, who just turned 11 this year, I bought a copy of Anne of Green Gables.
For our younger niece, who will turn 9 in November, I bought a copy of Little House in the Big Woods.

For older children (ages 8 and up), I tend to choose books I loved when I was their age, hence the "Green Gables" and "Little House" selections.

I have been looking at the Origami Yoda books for a while, but think they might be too challenging for our now-7-year-old nephew. (OT: does anyone know how they are? I'm starting to pre-shop for Christmas.)

[oneplustwo]

I have been looking at the Origami Yoda books for a while, but think they might be too challenging for our now-7-year-old nephew. (OT: does anyone know how they are? I'm starting to pre-shop for Christmas.)

My guys love this series, and I think they discovered it when they were 7 going on 8 years old. They're pretty advanced readers though and have been into origami since first grade. Since the story is about middle schoolers, there's some stuff about crushes (the main storyline is whether or not to ask a girl to a dance), a little bullying and the like. It has so many neat parts to it ~ extra origami projects, great illustrations ~ that your nephew can just grow into it or it could be read to him at first.

[lizzywednesday]

My guys love this series, and I think they discovered it when they were 7 going on 8 years old. They're pretty advanced readers though and have been into origami since first grade. Since the story is about middle schoolers, there's some stuff about crushes (the main storyline is whether or not to ask a girl to a dance), a little bullying and the like. It has so many neat parts to it ~ extra origami projects, great illustrations ~ that your nephew can just grow into it or it could be read to him at first.

Thanks! Maybe I'll just get him the Star Wars Origami book I saw at Target instead & hold off on the Origami Yoda ones for now as I'm not 100% that BIL & SIL would appreciate a step that far above his experience.

[elephantmeg]

DS is 7 and love the origami yoda! He mainly read the cartoons and does the pictures. And it's been nice to have something that he and his older cousin can do together

[shweethart]

The Harper Collins treasury of picture book classics is well loved here from 1 yr old (thanks to goodnight moon) and beyond.