Kids Picks
Instead of racking your brain for what to give the kids in your life this holiday season, why not gift them a book? The gift of reading is something that they will cherish and carry with them throughout their lives. The holidays are quickly approaching. Here are some festive reads that are entertaining and educational for each age group on your list.
Ages 3-5
“I Am Thankful” by Sheri Wall
Thanksgiving is about coming together and being thankful for the blessings in our lives. “I Am Thankful” is a Thanksgiving book for kids that follows three families celebrating the holiday. Each family has its own traditions, acts of kindness, and ways of showing how thankful they are. This is a rhyming story that will keep children engaged as they learn the true meaning of the holiday.
“The Animals’ Santa” by Jan Brett
This Christmas classic is now a board book and perfect for little hands that will want to read it over and over again. Big Snowshoe tells Little Snow that Santa is coming with presents. The animals have never seen him, so Little Snow thinks that they are all just teasing him. Big Snowshoe is determined to make Little Snow believe, and it might take a Christmas Eve miracle to do it.
Ages 6-8
“Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles” by David A. Adler
Sara likes to watch from the window when her mom leaves for work. One day she sees a man pick up an apple from the trash pile next to the market. She wonders why he would do that. What if he’s hungry? As Sara eats her dinner with her mom and grandma, she has an idea. Hanukkah is a season of light and hope. Sara learns the true meaning of tzedakah and she makes Hanukkah cookies to share.
“Seven Spools of Thread” by Angela Shelf Medearis
In an African village there is a family that has seven brothers. The brothers make everyone miserable because all they do is fight. When their father dies, he leaves behind a will. The will states that by sundown, the brothers must turn seven spools of thread into gold, or they will become beggars. The brothers must find a way to pull it together for themselves and their community. Weaving in the Nguzo Saba, the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Medearis creates an unforgettable story.
Ages 9-12
“What Was the First Thanksgiving?” by Joan Holub
In this installment of the “What Was” books, readers are invited to learn all about the first Thanksgiving and how it came to be. In 1621, the Pilgrims had just finished their first harvest. They all got together for a three-day feast with their Native American neighbors, the Wampanoag. What they didn’t know was that this feast would become a national holiday and something still carried on centuries later.
“The True Gift” by Patricia MacLachlan
Lily and Liam spend the holidays each year at their grandparents’ farm. They look forward to their walks to the library, decorating the tree and, of course, presents. When they find a white cow alone in the meadow, it looks like things are going to be slightly different this year. Lily and Liam are about to learn the meaning of a very special gift. Written by the Newbery Award-winning author of “Sarah, Plain and Tall,” “The True Gift” celebrates the joy of family and the gift of giving.
