Kids Picks
When a child’s Christmas list is never-ending, maybe it’s time to think about giving that child the gift of reading. While the days of Fortnite will come and go, there is nothing like instilling the love of reading in a child. It lasts a lifetime. I remember growing up always having a book in my hand. That is mostly because my mother always had a book in hers. These days we are lucky to be able to share the books we have read! Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few timeless stories that will always be favorites!
Ages 3-5
“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak
More than 50 years since it was first published, it’s still going strong – this Caldecott Award-winning picture book is a must for every child’s bookshelf. When Max is sent to his room for acting up, he takes the reader on an imaginary journey through the forest, across the ocean to where the wild things live. Here they dance, have parades and Max enjoys being the king! But the fun doesn’t last forever. Eventually, Max realizes that he is hungry and he misses home. He journeys back to his bedroom, where he finds he is loved the most of all.
“The Gift That I Can Give” by Kathie Lee Gifford
It seems that all we hear about is bad news these days. In Kathie Lee Gifford’s book, “The Gift That I Can Give,” the NBC host challenges children young and old to do something that can help someone else: From simply giving a needed hug to being kind when someone needs it, let’s make the world a better place one person at a time. Kathie Lee has been in show business for decades. With her strong faith, enthusiasm for living and captivating writing, she encourages children to reach out to each other. There also is a board-book version for younger children, “The Gift That I Can Give for Little Ones.”
Ages 6-8
“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein
I will admit that this book always makes me cry. There’s just something about the love this tree has for a little boy that pulls on the emotional strings. Written and illustrated by the unforgettable Shel Silverstein, “The Giving Tree” is another book that was written more than 50 years ago. When a boy was little, all he needed was the tree. He would climb her trunk, swing from her branches and hide from the rain under her shelter. But the boy grows up, and each time he visits the tree he takes something more from her until there is nothing left for her to give – well, almost nothing. Meanwhile, the tree misses the boy but is happy to have something to give him every time he visits. Just when she thinks she has nothing left to give, she realizes her love was all he ever needed.
“The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg
The Polar Express is a magical train that takes children to visit the North Pole on Christmas Eve in this book that was published in 1985. The train travels through the forest, over mountains and across a lot of ice before the children finally arrive at their destination. Along the way a little boy meets other children, some who become fast friends and some he would rather not see again. He meets several children who have never even experienced Christmas, and it makes him realize how lucky he is and how lucky we all are as long as we always continue to believe.
Ages 9-12
“The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis
“The Chronicles of Narnia” is a compilation of seven classic fantasy stories all together in this one book. Including “The Magician’s Nephew,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “The Horse and His Boy,” “Prince Caspian,” “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “The Silver Chair” and “The Last Battle,” readers will lose themselves in this unforgettable world of magic and mystery that has been delighting readers for more than 60 years. Witness the epic battles between good and evil, encounter heroes and heroines and incredible creatures you can not even imagine, all together in this series. These are stories any avid reader will want to read over and over again.
“Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White
“Charlotte’s Web” is the story of animals on a farm and what they do on a daily basis in order to survive. But deep down, it’s really a tale of friendship and how a resourceful spider finds a way to help her pig friend survive. Wilbur is just a little piglet when he meets Charlotte. After unsuccessfully trying to befriend every animal on the farm, he finds that Charlotte, the spider is the only one who really understands him. The truth is that Charlotte understands life, the purpose behind it and the circle of it, and she sets out to prove to Wilbur what being a true friend really means, even if it takes her last breath to do it.
