Christmas is weeks away, but the way time is passing it feels more like days! At our house we do a want, need, wear, read theme. And when it comes to gifts we value quality over quantity. With that in mind, we’ve put together a gift guide for you that combines the very best books of 2018 with gifts that will help your kids really engage with the stories. We’ve read lots of different books to pick the perfect ones for this gift guide, and feel that these offer positive morals and values as well as amazing artwork. Each of these pairings creates a darling themed gift for the cutest little children in your life. We hope you enjoy this little taste of what we have in store for the Little Heirloom Books subscription box!
1. How to Be a Lion / Lion Mane
Leonard the lion is impossible not to love. He writes poems, takes long walks, and has a duck for a best friend. When the other lions tell him he has to be fierce, he is forced to decide: does he really have to be what everyone else thinks he should be? Are you dying over how cute this lion mane is like I am? I love it! If your little one is still very small, you should definitely get a Marianne the duck to go on walks with, too.
2. Florette / Push Garden
Mae moves from the country to the big city. She misses her garden so she goes through the city searching for greenery and comes across a little sprig outside a nursery. She plants it in the courtyard and it grows into a beautiful garden and gathers all sorts of people. The power of seeing the good in an unexpected situation is so perfectly depicted in this book, and definitely a message I want my kids to absorb. Just like a small seed can flourish into a beautiful plant, one small action can make a big difference for other people. I can’t think of a more fun way to plant flower seeds than with a push pop. If it’s warm where you are (lucky you!), you can plant these outside. But if it’s more wintery, plant them in a container by a window and watch the flowers grow even as the blustery wind blows outside.
3. What You Do Matters / Idea Crown
A collection of the amazing books, What Do You Do With an Idea?, What Do You Do With a Problem?, and What Do You Do With a Chance?, this is a fantastic addition to your library. All three of these books inspire children with courage and confidence to handle the things that might puzzle them, big or small. I’m picturing my kids wearing this crown as they hatch their next lemonade stand plan, or a story they’re writing themself. It’s a sign to everyone nearby that something really good is happening.
4. Pearl / Pearl Bracelet
Pearl is a little mermaid who is so anxious to be grown up and in charge of important things. Her mother gives her the responsibility of caring for a grain of sand. At first, Pearl is devastated. Until she learns what great things can come from nurturing one tiny beginning. The pearls on this bracelet will remind her of all the potential she holds, both personally and for the world around her.
5. The Flight of Mr. Finch / Flying Martha Ornithopter
Another stunningly illustrated book, The Flight of Mr. Finch is a masterpiece. In search of his beloved bird, Mr. Finch discovers more than he imagined he would find: lessons about freedom, love and happiness. This ornithopter really flies, powered by the twist of a rubber band.
6. Giraffe Problems / Bow tie
Isn’t it human nature to find the faults in ourselves and compare our seemingly worse traits to others’ best? Well, apparently it’s a giraffe tendency, too. Edward the Giraffe can’t stand his neck and feels so self conscious about it, until he meets Cyrus the Turtle and realizes that sometimes the things that grate on us the most can make us unique. Pair this book with an adorable little bow tie or hair bow to make it the perfect gift.
7. The Dress and the Girl / Floral Dress
Have you ever noticed how a smell, a taste or an item – such as a toy or piece of clothing – can bring back so many memories and emotions from childhood? Life changes, we grow up, but those memories stay with us and make us into who we are. Life goes by quickly, but somehow those memories can ground us and remind us to slow down and remember the simple. This book is about more than an item or a memory, but how those things can connect us through generations as we share our stories with our children. Paired with an adorable dress, this book will be the beginning of memory making of your own.
8. Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse / Stick Horse
You guys, this book is THE BEST. It is very our favorite pick from 2018. If you don’t get any other books this year, add this one to your library. The dialogue and illustrations in this book tell a big, important story. One of empathy, compassion and the power of imagination. Plus, Corinna Luyken’s illustrations are breathtaking; they had my children doing double takes! Foster your littles’ imaginations with a horse of their own.
9. Women in Art – Little People, Big Dreams / Art Set
I could gush about these books for a long time! I love them so much! The illustrations are classy and the stories are told in a simple way that my kids easily grasp. If you love all the recent biographies for kids, you should definitely check these out. I have loved every one I’ve seen. Keep your eye on this series, because they have some really fun ones coming out in the next year, too! For this particular set, we’ve paired them with an art kit that will give the kids everything they need to foster the artist that lies inside themselves.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
