It’s that time of year again: where I try to convince you to buy books for every child you know this holiday season.
This is my fourth year putting together this list (!!!). It’s always a lot of fun to look back at what I read over the year – like revisiting old friends. I hope you will find some new friends on this list.
I’ve added some codes to help identify particular types of books:
NF = Nonfiction
H = Humor
Memoir
S = Series
And if you somehow don’t find a book on this list, check out the extra lists at the bottom of the post.
Babies and Toddlers
(Board books: Babies and toddlers)
I Pray Today and Goodnight Jesus (You knew this was coming, right?)
Wee Beasties: Huggy the Python Hugs Too Hard (This series is great for toddlers)
See also: Roundup of 12 board Books
Child
(Picture Book: Age 3-8)
Are We Pears Yet? NF H
The Diamond and the Boy: The Creation of Diamonds and the Life of H. Tracy Hall NF
Escargot H
This is Not a Normal Animal Book H
New Readers
(Early Readers: Age 6-9)
Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School H S
Graphic Novels
(Age 3-99, younger children will need an adult reader)
Catsotronauts H S
El Deafo Memoir H
Real Friends Memoir
Tweens
(Middle Grade: Age 8-12)
Lockwood and Company: The Screaming Staircase S (Note: this book is sometimes classed as Young Adult but, besides some creepy ghosts, does not contain mature content that would be inappropriate for tweens.)
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist NF
The World’s Greatest Detective
Teens
(Young Adult: Age 13+)
Note that these books have mature content (roughly equivalent to PG13). This post gives tips for determining if a book is appropriate for your child.
The Astonishing Color of After
Need more ideas? Check out these: