This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commision if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Favorite Toys here.
Favorite Gameshere.
Teen Gift Ideas here.
It would be impossible to name every one of them, but if you are in for some Christmas gift ideas, these are a few of our tried and true, much loved books. Quite a few of them are activity or drawing books…sometimes I think those are best for the stages kids go through when they don’t really want to pick up a big old book at the end of a school day.
Klutz The Book of Impossible Objects: 25 Eye-Popping Projects to Make, See & Do Craft Kit
Andrew (12) really likes this book-it comes with all the equipment needed to make optical illusions. I have found these strung across my kitchen quite a few times.
We have owned many Klutz activity books over the years and they are my favorites!
Cat’s Cradle (I loved that the kids really got into this one year because it brought back childhood, long bus-ride memories!
Abbey LOVED this-we still have a book she made out of these in her scrapbook box.
National Geographic Subscription
National Geographic Little Kids
My science/nature guy likes a subscription to National Geographic. (I do also!) The Kids and Little Kids versions are excellent and they get SO excited when they find them in the mail box.
Deluxe Essential Handbook (Pokémon) (Pokemon)
I don’t think anyone is into Pokemon anymore, are they? But my older kids loved them, and we had all the figures and cards so my two younger ones (12 & 7) are into them too. Patrick found this at a school book fair and thought he had died and gone to heaven. It’s big and thick and lists them all.
Sports Illustrated Kids Big Book of Who: ALL-STARS: The 101 Stars Every Fan Needs to Know
Another one of Patrick’s favorites-he is my crazy sports guy.
Encyclopedia of Amazing Places
Great photos-I bought this as much for my husband as for the kids.
The Totally Brilliant World of Puzzles
Andrew (12) loves this.
Who Would Win? Polar Bear vs. Grizzly Bear
There are quite a few of these “Who Would Win” books, and they are filled with neat facts about the animals. It’s fun to hedge a bet till the end!
I love the author’s storyhere.
I Survived Collector’s Toolbox (I Survived)
Andrew (12) LOVES these books, the whole series, and couldn’t wait to buy the next one, then the next one, and then the next one. I great way to teach history.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid #11 Double Down
THE NEW ONE!!!
We pre-ordered this and when it came I had to settle an argument over who got to read it first.
The Smithsonian Book of Presidential Trivia
Again, bought for the boys AND the husband.
Sports Illustrated KIDS Magazine 1-Year / 12 issues Print Subscription
Another subscription that the boys love, it always makes them happy to see it after school in the mail pile-it comes with little sports card to collect also.
Geo-gami: The Art of Making Geometrical Shapes from Paper
I find these all over the house-this is a great activity for 10 and over.
ALL the kids loved this seek and find book (as you can tell from the tape.) Janey has me read it to her every day (she has already memorized where everything is but still loves it.)
Someone always gets the new year’s edition under the tree.
They are filled with amazing (and gross) things.
My mom got this for Andrew for his birthday and he loves it. It’s a super thick book that has pages with half drawn sketches that you can finish off.
All my boys love this. I found it on Andrew’s floor one morning with about 10 airplanes laying around everywhere. Apparently, when I thought he was snug in the bed for the night, he was up working away at aircraft.
Matt and Andrew both love this book.
A big book and very good with step by step easy to follow instructions for the 6-12 crowd.
When you just can’t eek a book out at bedtime, these are easy and fun.
I love, love, love these books-there are three of them. Manners Can Be Fun, How To Speak Politely and How To Behave and Why.
These are all really well written. My boys really like the sports guys.
Do you know about BOB books? They are great for teaching reading, and building confidence. I learned about them with my first (got them from the library) and then eventually bought them all. They really helped each of my kids learn to read. They start out really really slowly, with very simple pictures and lots of repetition and progress up per set.
Matt had read and reread this series. Abbey and Isaac have read them all also.
Matthew who is fourteen loved this series this year:
Beyonders The Complete Set: A World Without Heroes; Seeds of Rebellion; Chasing the Prophecy
Abbey LOVED the Beacon Street Girls. Good wholesome tweenie reading.
The same with this collection-Catwings
.
The Daring Book for Girls
-filled with fun activities and facts.
Matthew, my science guy, loves this collection.
Basher Science: Core Science Library
(Maybe I should read them and relearn what I never learned in any of these classes because I was too busy passing notes.)
I love the National Geographic series for kids. ALL the books are great but these are our favorite so far.
National Geographic Kids United States Atlas
National Geographic Kids National Parks Guide U.S.A.
Here are some more of our favorite National Geographic books:
Myths Busted!: Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew…
National Geographic Kids Quiz Whiz: 1,000 Super Fun, Mind-bending, Totally Awesome Trivia Questions
This Star Wars book is SO worn out-it’s been taped up quite a few times. Patrick and Andrew love it.
Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
They also love this one:
LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles
This year I started buying one hardcover picture book a month to freshen up my collection. (My favorite ever is old Harry the Dirty Dog.)
On my blog’s sidebar is a link to more of our favorites.
I think Santa might bring a few of these this year for Janey:
Love these posts Sarah, I'm off to look up Harry the Dirty Dog – might be one to get for my granddaughter 🙂 Also need to check if we've got the latest Wimpy Kid one – my daughter enjoys those too. Thanks for the peek.
xx
These are great lists, Sarah! I just opened up amazon to look into Scribbles. My 6th grader would love this. My boys love the Guinness Books as well. They also love the annual Time Life Almanacs.
We are big book loves here!
Off to look for the Manners one…too funny!
have a happy day sarah
Munro leaf! I got the manners books for the boy years ago. Glad to see someone else reads them too.
Thanks for the tip on the BOB books…have never heard of them, but I know many who could use those as gifts this year!
I've basically done all my Christmas shopping for my girls and for gifts from your lists. Wanna do one for grownups? Then I can be done! Thank you. We already broke out a plasma car. Mire to come from Santa. Sooo awesome. Your children seem so wonderful. I love love love your blog. You've helped me be a more confident and informed mom. Merry, merry Christmas.
Sam has the Klutz paper airplane book and loves it. It often comes out when he has a friend over. I highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it:-).
Great list! My 5 year old loves Harry the dirty dog. Last year for Christmas he got Walter the Farting Dog and that's become a favourite too.
We have the paper airplane book too. It is seriously the best one I've ever used.
I got the BOB boks when my oldest was starting to read, best starting to read books ever! My kids love the airplane book, we love all the Klutz. If you or Abby ever want to crochet or knit they have great books for that! I am going to put the Scribbles and manners books in my amazon cart to get for upcoming birthdays. And we will definitely check out the Childhood of Famous Americans and Pendragon books at the library!
Sarah, thanks so much for this! Where does one buy the clear plastic covers for books? I have been wanting to do that too! Don't you love the crinkly sounds they make when you open the book? Brings me back to story time as a kid.
We LOVE the Bob books around here!! Used them to teach both of my girls how to read. 🙂
I am really enjoying your Christmas gift ideas! And I loved Harry the Dirty Dog when I was a kid. My aunt owned it and I would read it whenever I went to visit. I recently found it on the shelves at Barnes and Noble and was able to share it with my kids.
Thanks for this post. My kindergartener is a very new reader. We will have to check the Bob Books out!
Thank you for all your book/toy/game posts! It's saved me time while Christmas shopping, & some things I pan to get in he future. What type of typewriter did you buy? And was it just because it was adorable, or because you knew something about the brand?
Thanks again! Your blog inspires me to live a more beautiful life & be a great mom.
Thank you for all your book/toy/game posts! It's saved me time while Christmas shopping, & some things I pan to get in he future. What type of typewriter did you buy? And was it just because it was adorable, or because you knew something about the brand?
Thanks again! Your blog inspires me to live a more beautiful life & be a great mom.
I'd like to know where to get the plastic book covers too!! Great list and thanks for the ideas as my 3 yr old grows.
This is a good post!
I loved the Pendragon series as well as my 6th grader and of course, both of my kids love the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
Has your son read the Fablehaven series? My daughter loved that.
I love that you are saving books to read to your grandchildren……I am a kindergarten teacher and I have shelves of my favorite books that I am saving for my grandchildren and a box for each of my children. It would be really be hard for me to just pick one book I love! My favorite Christmas book is: Santa's book of Names.
For those of you looking for the book covers…just use clear contact paper. Easy to put on and makes wiping up dirty fingerprints easy too.
Sue 🙂
What a great group of books.
You must have a row of Percy Jackson series..YES??!!
Childhoods of Famous Americans are wonderful books! We used many when we homeschooled. All your suggestions are wonderful!
MERRY CHRISTmas, if I don't get to say so before the big day! Love you and your blog, and your kind generosity in sharing and encouraging so many, all year through. You are a special, special mom.
xoxo
Joni
Just love books and have bought books every year for Christmas for my children and now their children. Don't think they will ever go out of fashion.
We are a book loving family too! There are so many wonderful books to chose from. They always make a great gift.
So many wonderful suggestions! Thanks for sharing what is on your shelves and what you'd recommend for kids. We love children's books and I'm going to check out several you've mentioned, starting with the airplane book because my son keeps asking me to show him how to make better ones and I never know. Thanks! – Victoria http://www.obSEUSSed.com
Yes, I too would like to protect our books, and have often thought I''d like to know how the library does it. So is it just clear contact paper or something special?
Thank you for this post! My 5th grade son loves to read series but we struggle at times to find new ones for him to enjoy. I love your suggestions and several of them seem to be right up his alley!
Thanks for the book post!
I love trading ideas!
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm always looking for good books. I checked out Pendragon, and they are a HUGE hit with my boys! I REALLY appreciate it. No, REALLY!