Holiday Book Giving

Do you have any young children to buy Christmas gifts for this year? I have quite a few on my list, and have been having a ball pouring over my recent favorite picture books to find the perfect one for each child. I usually use the latest Ladybug Picture Book list as a starting off point, and I usually fall in love with quite a few, and move on from there. Here are the ones I have purchased so far:

***Calvin Can't Fly by Jennifer Berne. Calvin is a starling who would prefer to spend his time reading books rather than learning to fly. Sounds good until it is time to fly south for the winter. Calvin's brothers, sisters, and cousins come to his rescue and he is able to return the good deed. The illustrations are wonderful--if only our library was in the hollow of a tree--sigh.

***Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld. This is the story of Cloudette, a "pipsqueak" of a cloud, who learns that there are some advantages to being small, even if she can't take part in the spectacular storms with the big guys .

***If I Built a House (also If I Built a Car) by Chris Van Dusen. In this book, young Jack imagines what his house would look like it he were the designer. It has all the necessities like a zero gravity room, and a race track! Sure to get young minds working on their own designs.

***Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin. I love this fun loving cat and his groovy ways. There are other books in the Pete the Cat series, and these are great read aloud books. Fun, fun, fun! 

***Those Darn Squirrels Fly South by Adam Rubin. (or Those Darn Squirrels & Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door). Featuring crotchety Old Man Fookwire, his beloved birds, and their nemesis--those darn squirrels. Silly, fun, and hilarious for kids as well as adults.