From top to bottom:
- For Lulu, age 7.5: Secrets at Sea
by Richard Peck, an author I adore. Don’t tell Lulu, but I’m reading her Christmas present now, and it’s good. A review is forthcoming.
- For Louise, age 6: T is for Tutu: A Ballet Alphabet , a Sleeping Bear
alphabet book. It just looks like something she’ll like.
- For the DLM, age 18 months: Blue Hat, Green Hat
by Sandra Boynton, one of the few Sandra Boynton board books we don’t have.
A few more Christmas books:
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
by Laurel Long. I saw this one and couldn’t resist because Lulu played part of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” at her piano recital last week, so it is a popular tune around these parts lately. I think it’s something of an “I Spy” type book, too, so I’m eager to read this one with the girls.
- Listen to the Silent Night
by Dandi Daley McCall. Someone cited this one as a favorite Christmas book last week, so when I saw it, I couldn’t didn’t resist. 
I suppose you could call these an early Christmas gift to myself:
- All the World
by Liz Garton Scanlon. This one won a Caldecott honor in 2010 for its illustrations by Marla Frazee, and I loved it the first time I read it.
- Drawing From Memory
by Allen Say. I am as fascinated by the visual artistic process as I am the written artistic process, so reading Allen Say’s biographical graphic novel (?) should be very interesting and entertaining. It’s a Cybils nominee, and Alice gives it two thumbs up. 
See that up there? That’s a page out of my childhood copy of Caddie Woodlawn. Lulu has literally read it to pieces, so you can imagine the thrill I got when I discovered an exact replacement at the used bookstore when I went last week. 
Yep, this one’s going in Lulu’s stocking. 🙂
What books are you giving this Christmas?
This is lame, but I wrapped them all up a month ago and no longer remember which books I’m giving. Except for ‘Unbroken,’ which I’m giving to my father.
That’s the same as my childhood copy of Caddie W, too.
Hmm. Let’s see. N1 is getting The Friendship Doll – I read it on your recc’d and love it so am passing it on. N2 is getting the new Seuss book (The Bippolo and other lost tales … I think that’s the title) as she is all about Seuss now. B is getting a new Jan Brett version of Beauty and the Beast that I spotted on Amazon. Actually, Amazon recomended it to me based on previous purchases and I agreed. : ) The boy is getting Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site.
And of course, my Amazon wish lists had several other additions to it while I shopped for these! 🙂
Stephanie,
I really need to get out The Friendship Doll for Lulu to read! I’ll have to check out your other titles!
What a great stocking stuffer – Caddie Woodlawn is one of our favorites!! Your children are so blessed. 🙂
“Blue Hat, Green Hat” is our favorite Boynton book! Get ready for some giggles.
I bought myself Laurel Long’s “The Twelve Days of Christmas” at our school book fair. The illustrations are amazing and yes, it is an elaborate I-spy (the answers are found on the back of the book jacket.)
My children are receiving books that go along with their gifts:
daughter (6) = nesting dolls:
“The Magic Nesting Doll” by Jacqueline K. Ogburn, illus. by Laurel Long (see a pattern?)
son (3) = airplane and aircraft carrier:
“Amazing Airplanes” by Tony Mitton
My daughter had the pleasure of reading “All the World” with Liz Garton Scanlon during the Sheboygan book festival this fall. Lovely author! We bought a copy of the book and had it personally signed. You can see pictures here, if you missed my post: http://www.brimfulcuriosities.com/2011/10/scenes-from-sheboygan-childrens-book.html
Janelle,
Yes, I’m eager to read more of Laurel Long–I haven’t read this Christmas one yet, but I can tell it will be GOOD!
What a fun post! =D
I’m giving:
The Help
Mater Saves Christmas
a Stephen Lawhead book
And my mind just went blank. So there you go. I think I’m giving about half a dozen books. Getting to the point of people saying, “Oh, it’s from Carrie. Must be a book.” Now I’m trying for variety. 😉
Carrie,
Yes, I can imagine that your gift giving practices might have become rather predictable. 😉
Love all these choices. I’ve been thinking about putting the Secrets at Sea on hold at the library. Ruth (age 2) affectionately calls Blue Hat, Greet Hat “the oops book”. (If you haven’t read it yet, you’ll understand that after reading it.) Loved All the World.
I’m giving John “Inheritance” (the last in the Eragon series) which is what he really really wants. I’m giving my Dad a book by John Feinstein and my husband a book about two guys who travel the country searching for typos.
Alice,
I’m really, really enjoying Secrets at Sea! Have you read others of Peck’s books?
My 16 yr. old son is getting The Adventures of Tintin Volume 6-7, my 12 yr. old daughter is getting the whole Mysterious Benedict Society Series, my 9 yr. old son is getting the first four books in The AIO Imagination Station Series, my 3 yr. old daughter is getting All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes, and my husband is getting Today Matters by John Maxwell.
I just put the Peck book on hold at the library! I can’t wait to read it.