'Tis the Season to Give Books

One of the best things about being a Bookseller is getting to recommend titles to people. Whether it’s for themselves or for someone else, I always try to get to know the intended reader. Below are the books I find myself talking about the most.

Picture Books

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Mo Willems is one of the funniest writers out there right now for kids. He’s able to take a familiar story and give it a fresh and hilarious spin. I love telling our customers that I got to see him read this book and how impressed I was that he took a moment to acknowledge the teachers and librarians in the audience.

This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Jon Klassen’s follow-up to his laugh out loud picture book “I Want My Hat Back.” To my surprise, I loved this one even more. Filled with the same wry humor, I found the illustrations here lusher. The words tell one story, the pictures another. This was a popular read aloud.

Chapter Books

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

I tend to recommend this for boys who like laughs and adventure in a book. My full review can be found here.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

When different customers keep recommending the same books to me, I tend to listen. I understood why this book was such a favorite with kids and parents alike. It’s Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz that take place in China. I love stories within stories. And the illustrations we just amazing. This is perfect for someone looking for a strong female protagonist.

Gift Book

Safari by Dan Kainen

To be honest, I haven’t read this but it just looks cool. The photicular images are incredible. I like to tell people that there are actually lots of information in here and kids can grow with it.

Local Book (Portland)

Larry Gets Lost in Portland by John Skewes

With the fun and colorful illustrations, kids will enjoy seeing familiar famous landmarks they’ve visited- or will visit. There’s also an actual story which is good.

Christmas Book

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

I only read this holiday favorite a year ago and ended up binge reading Chris Van Allsburg’s other books. He has a very unique storytelling style.

Books make great gifts.

About these ads