Looking for ideas for gift-giving this holiday? Books are always a favorite of mine!
Here are a few of my favorites for the kids!
These first two are perfect for babies and toddlers!
New to the bestselling INDESTRUCTIBLES series: The Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald Had a Farm! Following in the footsteps of previous nursery rhyme books, the brand is welcoming new titles based on two of the most popular songs that little ones love to sing along to – and as always, they are indestructible!
THE WHEELS ON THE BUS sends parents and their kids on an adventure that everyone loves to act out, from the wipers that go swish swish swish and the horn that goes beep beep beep to the people that go shh shh shh to the babies who cry wah wah wah.
OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM is the E-I-E-I-Oh! classic that introduces baby to the world of farm animals and the different ways each has of talking—the pig with his oink-oink, the cow with her moo-moo, and the baa-baas, cluck-clucks and quack-quacks that fill the farmyard.
Babies will love these beautiful, bright, and interactive new installments in the bestselling series – and caregivers will love reading along with books built for the way babies “read”: with their hands and mouths. Printed on a unique paperlike material that is nontoxic, washable, and rip proof, they hold up against anything little ones can throw at them, spill on them, or drag them through. Find out more here.
This next one is also a great one for young children!
Author Charles Ghigna—Father Goose®—masterfully encourages young children to build reading comprehension skills and to gain confidence, in this comical look at a special bond between a girl and her beloved cat. Through simple language and short sentences, he captures the laughter and joy of watching a sweet, patient child trying to teach her cat to do tricks. The illustrations, on the other hand, depict the lovable, stubborn, lazy pet cat who just wants to nap all day, refusing her attempts to play fetch, or to sit, shake, roll over, or do any other tricks that a dog would do. Subtle humor, sight words, and lots of repetition make this a unique and fun first independent-reading book, and just when the reader thinks the cat will finally get his nap, a clever twist of irony will have children laughing hysterically. The girl finally gives up and asks the cat to stay, and that’s when he finally gets up—and runs away! You can find the book at https://www.schiffer-kids.com/
With Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters, you’ll learn character design for these popular entertainment genres from renowned concept artist and teacher TB Choi. I love all the things you learn with this book! Below is a list:
- Constructing a Character. Build a character right from the start with the basics of human anatomy and proportion.
- Simplifying Forms for Poses and Gestures. Streamline form to develop effective poses and gestures from a variety of angles.
- Drawing Hair, Clothing, and Accessories. Render authentic details that support your characters and enrich your stories.
- Conveying Dimension, Emotion, and Character. Refine your use of line, shadow, and form to create visual variety, depth, and emotion.
- Pets, Chibis, and Sidekicks. Create pets, chibis, anthros, and kemonomimi with personality.
- Exercise: Design and Draw a Character. Learn a simple method for developing an original character, from mind map to finished drawing.
This book can be found at https://quarto.com/
I love these next two for kids!
Holly Jolly Christmas piles on even more holiday fun with all-new images chock-full of holiday cheer. Paint By Sticker is all the fun of arts and crafts without the mess. No paints or sticky glue to spill makes cleanup nonexistent. Rainbows Everywhere allows little ones to visit a mystical unicorn, fly a kite high in the sky, and pet the sweetest rainbow kitten, all through rainbow-tinted glasses. These books really are so much fun!
You can find them at https://www.workman.com/books
This next one is great for older kids! Remember making friendship bracelets?
Celebrate your relationships and express your style with the ultimate guide to creating friendship bracelets!
From popular YouTube Creator Masha Knots comes The Beginner’s Guide to Friendship Bracelets: Essential Lessons for Creating Stylish Designs to Wear and Give [978-1681988610; $24.95; Rocky Nook; August 2022], a new step-by-step guidebook with easy-to-follow instructions detailing everything from how to get started and the best materials to use to knotting techniques and easy embellishments and customization tricks for adding your own flair.
Friendship bracelets aren’t just for summer camp anymore–they’ve exploded in popularity as a creative and thoughtful way to share a connection with loved ones, even from far away.
Author Masha Knots (aka Maria Makarova) is the go-to friendship bracelet expert who has amassed a following on YouTube and Instagram for her colorful, creative designs and her approachable techniques. Now, with this book she is sharing all her bracelet tips and tricks as well as her favorite designs, including patterns from simple to more advanced.
You can find it at https://rockynook.com/shop/print/friendship-bracelet-guidebook/
Are you baking cookies this upcoming holiday? I know I am! This book is just perfect!
FABULOUS MODERN COOKIES: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats
By Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin
Countryman Press/April 2022
$25.00/Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-68268-659-1
We all have fond, cookie-shaped memories—whether it be the smell of chocolate chip cookies in the oven, lunchtime oatmeal raisins, holiday gingerbread, or tangy summer lemon bars. Authors Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin pay homage to the cookie in all its forms in their tasty new book, Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats. Their recipes introduce creative taste sensations, textures, and designs that will be the hit of any party or gathering. Their previous best-selling book, The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert, showcased their inventive recipes and techniques.
With bold and fearless suggestions, Taylor and Arguin, scientists turned bakers, explore the deep-in-our-heart love of cookies as well as the philosophy behind them. Does a cookie always have to be round, sweet, or soft? Breaking down the essential rules, ingredients, and equipment needed, Fabulous Modern Cookies demystifies the cookie and provides home bakers with fun and unique cookie recipes.
Filled with 100 recipes, Chris and Paul also provide “Cookie Bytes” – short tips, tricks, helpful techniques, and explanations to demystify the science of baking. The recipes are grouped in chapters like Bar Cookies; Drop Cookies; Rolled Cookies; Filled, Stuffed, and Sandwiched Cookies; Savory Cookies, and Slice-and-Bake Cookies. One of my favorites is the Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies! I’m going to try the Escapes (The Pina Colada Oatmeal Cookies) soon! You can find this at Amazon.com, Target, and Walmart.
This next one is great for the older kids too!
Author Brooke Barker is the creator of the successful Instagram account, Sad Animal Facts, and her new book for middle graders, HOW DO MEERKATS ORDER PIZZA, is a hilarious nonfiction read for kids about incredible animals and all the odd things scientists do to understand them. Animal fact books are always a hit with kids and the charming illustrations and funny facts in this new title are sure to have kids howling. I really do recommend this one for middle graders! It is fun to read and has so many interesting facts about animals! I learned a great deal from this book!
Did you know that crows never forget a face? Or that jaguars have a favorite cologne? Have you ever wondered how to pet a yeti crab? Or whether dogs can tell if you’re smiling? And just what is a burrowing bettong?
Meet these weird, wonderful animals and the equally weird and wonderful scientists who study them. From crafting fake poop to slurping up bugs with a straw, there’s nothing these amazing humans won’t do to help us learn more about the animals around us. Packed with fascinating facts, this hilarious book from the bestselling creator of Sad Animal Facts reveals secrets like why roosters crow and how meerkats make decisions as a group—and how humans can better understand the wild creatures we share the planet with.
Brooke Barker is a writer and illustrator who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her successful Instagram account became the basis for her book, Sad Animal Facts. Brooke is also the author of How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?. Her favorite animal is the Malayan tapir. Follow her on Instagram @SadAnimalFacts.
You can find this one on Amazon.com and it should arrive in time for the holidays! (Last I checked..it could arrive in a day or two!)
Do you know a Harry Potter fan (over the age of 18?) This next one is sure to be a hit!
By Bertha Barmann
Shake up some magical libations, creative cocktails, and spellbinding drinks inspired by the wonderful world of Harry Potter!
What better way to celebrate your love of Hogwarts and its host of beloved characters than by bringing out your potions cauldron (or cocktail shaker) and mixing up a host of spectacular cocktails? This one had me at Magical Margaritas! But, the Butterscotch Beer is a must-try! This book is full of 50 recipes with great illustrations! Chapter 6 even includes recipes for Mocktails! I love that there are some great seasonal recipes such as Chocolate-Peppermint Wand Hot Chocolate and Eggnog! The book retails for $19.99 and it can also quickly be found on Amazon.com. The recipes truly are enchanting!
Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to facilitate this holiday feature. Cover images were also provided.
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