Reading: Just for the Fun of It!
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008Last week, Patti, of South Carolina, won the 40th anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird in our Christmas Book Give Away! Thanks for commenting, Patti, and congratulations! This week, Beth looks at creative reading gift ideas for children of all ages! If you have a gift idea related to reading, please comment and let our other readers know about it. Just click on the link below and submit your comment at the end of the blog.
By commenting on this blog and joining our mailing list (from the right sidebar or on our website) you’ll automatically be entered in our Christmas Book Give Away. This week, we’ll draw a winner for Prayers for Homeschool Moms by Michelle Howe. It’s an awesome book to help you start the new year encouraged by the prayers and stories of fellow homeschool parents!
Remembering the reason for the season, in Christ,
Dana
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My son, John Paul, and I both woke up so excited this morning. He slept in, which was a real treat for him and I had several hours to myself, which was amazing for me. It’s the first day of our Christmas holiday! No school demands! What a blessing! As much as we really do love home schooling, when breaks arrive, we’re both always appreciative. With that in mind, it seemed like the perfect time for a blog about fun reading gift ideas.
I have always been thrilled about opening a book as a gift. However, although both of my children are avid readers, a book is rarely the first item on their wish lists. For many home school children, constantly exposed to great books throughout the year, a book gift may seem a little mundane. However, the gift of reading can often be paired with other gifts or presented in a whole new light, adding joy to an otherwise ordinary gift. Check out the following ideas for some creative "packaging" to stimulate the brain and bring some Christmas cheer.
For the Very Young
Bedtime Book Basket – Combine a few bedtime books; a new doll, stuffed animal, pillow or blanket with which to sleep; a nightlight; and brand new pajamas in a simple crate or basket. Your child can keep the basket beside his bed providing a fun ritual for bedtime. Put on his pj’s, select a book and snuggle up with Mom and Dad in preparation for sweet dreams. Some recommended bedtime books:
Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (my daughter, Ally’s, favorite as a toddler)
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton – this book comes in a fun lap size for a very reasonable price!
Poems and Prayers for the Very Young by Martha Alexander – an endearing first book of poetry.
All of God’s Creatures – Pair up a Noah’s Ark set with an awesome animal book. Both Play Mobile and Fisher Price make adorable Noah’s Ark sets, but for an even softer version, try the SS Noah Soft Sculpture Playset by Pockets of Learning. Not only are the characters soft and cuddly, they also can be easily stored and carried around without injury! While there are a multitude of animal books out there for youngsters, one that covers a lot of ground and can even alternate as a learning tool is My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy. Simple rhymes and clear photographs make this an ideal attention getter for younger children.
Ages 4-8
Transportation – Start with a large vehicle, like a dump truck, and use it to hold fun, classic transportation books such as:
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton – this Caldecott winning book also comes with a CD making it perfect for taking along on holiday travels.
The
Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. There is also a game that compliments this book.
It’s All About Love! – some sweet books together with a giant floor puzzle say I love you at the holidays.
Because I Love You by Max Lucado – a precious story illustrating God’s love for us.
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney – a simple story of love. You can also get the floor puzzle!
Ages 9-12
Culinary Craziness – This is the perfect age to really build interest in the culinary arts. Begin with a large mixing bowl and fill it with basic cooking gear, an apron, recipe cards, a grocery store gift card (how fun would it be to shop for your own recipes?) and an age appropriate cookbook (be sure to get spiral bound as they lay flat). Either of the following cookbooks would be ideal:
New Junior Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens – if you have a diabetic in the family, this book even includes diabetic exchanges!
Cooking Rocks by Rachael Ray – fun and appealing, these 30 minutes meals are designed to be created by kids. She does a wonderful job of teaching basic cooking techniques in the process.
Teens
Ready, Set, Shoot! – pair up a beginning digital photography book with a reasonably priced digital camera and extra memory card. One book that will take your teen through the basics and beyond of digital photography is Digital Photography for Teens by Marc Campbell. I was impressed with the details and the fact that the author didn’t water anything down for teens while creating a book that would hold their interest.
There are probably dozens of ideas out there for incorporating books and other items to make fun Christmas gifts, but my time is running out. I need to get started on my own Christmas shopping! In the meantime, let me know about your ideas that combine reading and other activities to make awesome gifts. Just click on the link below and enter our next Christmas Book Give Away by leaving your creative ideas as a comment. If you are already a member of our mailing list, you could win Prayers for Homeschool Moms by Michelle Howe just for commenting!
Enjoy your Christmas holidays!
In Him,
Beth
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper - This book seems like a good place to start! 
The unabridged version, while lengthy, offers a wonderful adventure and very interesting characters. You’ll need to wade through some detailed description, but the historical setting, the French and Indian Wars, is unique. Other versions of this classic include:
Oversized Picture book (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) with additional author Timothy Meis. I absolutely love that Meis took the initiative to create this vivid and memorable picture book!
Classic Starts – shorter chapter book appropriate for 2nd – 5th graders. Although not deep in content, this book presents an initial overview that students can read by themselves.
ys with 184 pages and Marvel comic illustrations. I thought this was a unique presentation!
ic Collection Audio book – for audio learners or multi-taskers! Although, I do believe all of the description might be more challenging to listen to than to read. I think the picture is more vivid when you read the words.
DVD – This is an absolute non-example of maintaining book integrity in a movie. It was disappointing that the story line barely resembled the book’s adventurous plot! You might enjoy the movie, but not based on its relationship to the book.
DVD (BBC Masterpiece Theatre mini-series) – I only discovered this version while writing this blog, so please comment if you’ve seen it. Typically, BBC Masterpiece Theatre follows the book content closely. I may have to ask for this for Christmas! 
Heidi by Johanna Spyri - This classic isn’t overly difficult in the unabridged version and could certainly appeal to a reader as young as middle school, especially girls. To get started with a different version, consider:
The Story of Heidi published by Usborne Young Reading Gift Books – hardcover book ideal for ages 8 and under. 
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss – I read this book aloud to my children during the evening. Although the story has some fun adventure, the dialogue can be challenging and it took a while to get through the book. There is a strong Biblical emphasis in the original that isn’t always stressed in other versions.
Stepping Stone book – early reader chapter book. Again, not overly stimulating but at least a child can read it as a first experience.
Classic collection audio book – in case you don’t want to read it aloud yourself! The language in this book is lovely and you’ll appreciate it on the audio version. 
Classic Disney Film – originally released in 1960, an enjoyable family treat created before Disney became politically correct.
The Hero Beowulf by Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher – best for ages 9 and up. I do love Leonard Everett Fisher’s illustrations! 
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson – yes, this is the poet who created my favorite childhood poem, featured in the last blog. Stevenson also wrote exciting and adventurous books that most kids love. Check out these other versions:
Hardcover version with amazing illustrations by Robert Ingpen – ideal for ages 9 and up at 192 pages. A vivid, exciting presentation of the book!
A Young Reader’s Edition of the Classic Adventure – includes some original illustrations by N.C. Wyeth, one of the greatest illustrators of classic literature. Although the illustrations aren’t ideally presented, they may entice your child to explore Wyeth more. He also painted scenes from The Last of the Mohicans. The book is 48 pages long.
DVD – Disney version released in 1950, a safe version of a classic adventure for the entire family!
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – due to the adult content (a black man is accused of raping a white woman), there isn’t a younger version of this book. However, Lee’s presentation and writing style handles the storyline in a delicate and tender manner. The main characters, two children and their father, invite you in immediately and when the story ends, you feel like you’ve become friends with the whole family. I really appreciate this book in so many ways that I’ve made its 40th anniversary hardcover publication our free give away book this week! 
and 
. We appreciate Monica taking time to comment on the last blog, 
A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson – Yes, this is the infamous book that my mother gave me as a child and praise God, none of the poems have been "updated" or "modernized". This ideal book for early elementary aged children presents gloriously naive and precious pictures of childhood. Two of my favorite selections include "Block City", of course, and "Foreign Lands." This version includes illustrations by Tasha Tudor who maintains the sweetness and innocence of childhood in her artwork, thus matching the traditional poetry by Stevenson. A couple of interesting notes: Stevenson wrote his book of poetry while in bed suffering from tuberculosis and he was also the author of 
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children compiled by Jack Prelutsky – This massive collection of poetry, at 500 poems, presents a wide variety of poets from the classic Emily Dickinson to modern silly man, Shel Silverstein. The book is conveniently divided into general categories such as nature, home, seasons, etc. which can be very helpful when planning a unit study. While you may not find every poem to your liking, there are so many from which to choose that the mere size of the collection makes it useful. The illustrator, Arnold Lobel, presents fun and childlike artwork. As a Caldecott winner for his 
Poetry for Young People series by various artists (the link is for Robert Frost, but it will take you to multiple books in the series) – While I didn’t review all of the books in this series, I did enjoy the Robert Frost selection. The books begin with a brief biography of the poet and then go on to share 25 or more poems. This series would be ideal for a student who becomes fascinated with one particular poet or if you want to study a poet from a specific time period. Even though this series is designed for older elementary and middle school students, it would be wise to preview before having your student read, as many poets, such as Emily Dickinson, lead complicated lives. Each book also has a different illustrator, in an effort to match the poet’s writing style and content. Henri Sorensen, an excellent and realistic illustrator, combines nicely with Robert Frost.
A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children by Caroline Kennedy – The Kennedys have a family tradition of children creating poetry scrapbooks as gifts for parents and grandparents (see our related activity toward the end of this blog) and that tradition inspired Caroline to compile this collection. Organized in general themes such as seasons, animals and adventure, the themes may not be original but they’re definitely appropriate. A wide variety of poets are featured from Ogden Nash to T.S. Eliot to Rudyard Kipling, many of whom are not typically found in children’s poetry anthologies. Caroline Kennedy opens each section with a personal and encouraging message. The illustrations, most appropriately done, are lovely watercolors by Jon Muth and a cherished component in themselves.
A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll – Where should I begin?! This book will send home school moms around the world into fits of happiness. With poetry so challenging to teach, this publication actually makes it easier and more desirable to learn and share. Initially, you’ll notice that Driscoll actually explains the different types of poetry from haikus to ballads to nursery rhymes to sonnets in an articulate and interesting way. He then features famous poets all across history from Homer to Shakespeare to Dickinson to Sandburg and more! Each poet section includes a brief biography and a poetry sample. The "Words of Wisdom" component featured throughout the book introduces vocabulary from the poems that nicely accompany the detailed glossary in the back of the book. An extensive bibliography opens the door for continued research. One unusual quality is that this book could be used to teach children of every age. Even high school students could benefit from the information and the poetry examples. All of this wonderful text is accompanied by a CD with poetry selections read by professional actors to support the lessons. There are a couple of possible negatives. First of all, the selection for Shakespeare, excerpted from MacBeth, features the witches’ scene. For some families, this may be uncomfortable. Secondly, I think the illustrations are rather mundane for the content. Of course, that’s only my opinion. Children’s illustrators have established an environment of tremendous artistic ability, so my standards have certainly been raised in that area. Despite the possible negatives, I think this is one of the best options for home school parents when it comes to teaching their children to understand and appreciate poetry.
The Bible – Don’t forget Psalms and Ecclesiastes! The gloriousness of God’s Word should never be overlooked in teaching our children. An NIV (New International Version) could offer more clarity while a NKJ (New King James) version may sound more poetic.
