While She Knits - Holiday Gift Edition

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

FALALALALA LALALALA.

Who else besides me is getting ready to buy the gift that keeps on giving?  Books for the holidays!

What books are you giving as gifts?  And what books for yourself are you sneaking onto to that Amazon order because, well, you have that free shipping anyway, right? 

Comments

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

CODE NAME VERITY

CODE NAME VERITY FOR ALL THE GIFTS

(no spoilers!)

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I bought Code Name Verity for my dad for his birthday because he likes reading about World War II and he enjoyed it. I think I paired it with Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

I have already given Code Name Verity to everyone that would want it. But yes, it is the perfect book gift.

[filkferengi]

For a fun book with a heroine named Verity, try _Discount Armageddon_ by Seanan McGuire. It's the first book in her InCryptid series about cryptozoologists.

[(Anonymous)]

I sent to the book depository for two copies of UK edition The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch because they retitled it Midnight Riot in the US and gave it and ugly cover. I highly recommend it, even if you have to get the US edition.

~mwt

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

You're right, the Rivers of London cover is so much better than Midnight Riot's so very generic suspense/thriller one. Why would Del Rey do such a thing?

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I liked Ben Aaronovitch's Doctor Who novels back in the day. Now I am Intrigued.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I just finished Rivers of London/Midnight Riot (such a dumb name) per Megan's rec and it was excellent. So different! If you've ever been to London you'll enjoy reading all the action that occurs in places you've visited. Also, his writing actually reminded me a little of yours, Megan. The book is subtly funny, suspenseful, and clever. Here's the blurb:

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

But it's stuff like this that makes the book such a delight (Peter is learning a magic spell):

I nodded and Nightingale brought out a basket of apples. A wicker basket with a handle and a checked napkin, no less. He placed a second apple in front of me and I didn't need him to explain the next step. He levitated the apple, I listened for the forma, concentrated on my own apple and said, "Impello."
I wasn't really that surprised when nothing happened.
"It does get easier," said Nightingale. "It's just that it gets easier slowly."
I looked at the basket. "Why do we have so many apples?"
"They have a tendency to explode," said Nightingale.

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I'm a librarian, so my nieces, nephews and pretty much all of my family members know they are going to get books for every Christmas and birthday and any other gift-giving holiday that crops up during the year. Luckily, most of my family enjoys reading, so they put up with me.

I bought one of my younger nieces I Want My Hat Back, but I'm not quite sure what to get my five year old niece. Any suggestions? How about for an almost two year old boy? Sadly, I'm not really up-to-date on books for younger kids.

I think I'm going to get my nine year old niece The False Prince, but I wish she was a little older, so I could give her The Scorpio Races or Saving Francesca or Jellicoe Road (she loves horses and she adored Melina Marchetta's Gorgon in the Gully). She's going to be so much fun to shop for when she hits the right age for YA fiction.

I'm a bit sad, because I peeked on my Amazon wishlist and noticed that no books had been purchased. My mom told me that she was tired of buying books and records for me, because that's all I ever ask for, and she lived up to her word. I may have to buy a book or two for myself, so I'll have something with which to entertain myself on Christmas day. Unfortunately, most of the books that I want that I haven't yet read aren't being released until next year, like Scarlet, Prodigy, and Unravel Me. Still, I wouldn't say no to a copy of Grave Mercy or Love and Other Perishable Items or the US paperback edition of The Piper's Son, even though I already have the other two editions of that book. Yes, I am a big dork.

[(Anonymous)]

Have you thought about Edward Eager's books for your nine year old niece? Or The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken? Goody Hall by Natalie Babbit? Maybe Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones, but she might be a little young. Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH?

Sorry. It's the suppressed bookseller in me.

For the five year old, would you consider The Devil's Storybook by Natalie Babbit? They aren't religious stories, or anti-religious. They are more like Trickster tales with the devil usually coming off worse. Or maybe a package of easy readers? Russell Hobans A Bargain For Francis is in Easy Reader trim size. There's Frog and Toad, George and Martha, Fox on Wheels. Are you tired of me yet?

Or you could get Officer Buckle and Gloria for anyone of almost any age. : )

~mwt

[deirdrej.livejournal.com]

For the little guy? How about "Press Here," or "Finger Worms," by Hervé Tullet? The 5 year old will enjoy them, too (and so will you).

For her, if she likes cats at all, how about Viviane Schwarz? "There are Cats in This Book" and its sequel, "There Are No Cats in This Book" are both wonderful (the 2 year old will like them, too).

Or, if she's a princessy type of girl, and you want to expand her horizons a bit beyond Disney, you could try anything illustrated by Kinuko Craft (http://www.kycraft.com/index.html). (Her latest project is a version of "Beauty and the Beast," but I'm not sure it'll be ready for Christmas. But all of her books are gorgeous!) Jan Brett, Demi, or Tomie De Paolo are all excellent choices, too. (I think classics like "Strega Nona" or "Adelita" never get old :-D).

Ranging a little further afield, Joseph Bruchach's retellings of Native American myths and legends are a lot of fun. Maybe she would like something like "Raccoon's Last Race?" It's pretty awesome! Or, travelling around the world a little more, "Tasty Baby Belly Buttons," by Judy Sierra (Japan) "Little Rooster's Diamond Button" by Margaret Read MacDonald (Hungary), "Fat Cat," again by MacDonald (Denmark), "The Gift of the Crocodile," again Judy Sierra (Indonesia) -- or, for China, anything by Ed Young (Lon Po Po is the classic example).

Or maybe you could buy them some classics to grow into, like the Narnia stories, or "The Thief" :-D

~and here's hoping you get some of the books you want, yourself!

~D.

[1221bookworm.livejournal.com]

For your five year old niece, what about Amelia Bedelia books? They're about a lady who always takes things literally, and the trouble that results (one time when driving she was told to "bear right" and so she went left because "why would you want to go toward the bear?" She also made "date" cake by cutting up a calendar into it!! :) It's a whole series of books with different themes.

For your two year old nephew what about Eric Carl's The Very Hungry Catapillar ( I think that's the title, it might not have the "very," or it might also have a "little" in it.) It's a board book about all the different fruits and the amounts that a little caterpillar eats, and on the last page he turns into a butterfly.

[booksrgood4u.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of thisreally sweet book called "The Quiltmaker's Gift" for your niece. It's is about this king who is really unhappy, and in order to be happy, he orders everyone in his kingdom to give him a gift for his birthday - and when that doesn't make him happy, he orders his birthday to be celebrated twice a year!! There's an old woman in his kingdom who makes beautiful quilts and goes out at night and gives them to the poor. The king finds out that she's never given him one of her marvelous quilts, and she says that she will indeed give him once when he gives away everyting he owns. By the end of the book, he has traveled the world and given away all his possessions and he has finally found happiness. The book has the most gorgeous illustrations, too. I read it to the 5-year-olds I teach during the summer, and they always love it.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

For the five-year-old (and the two-year-old might also enjoy it), there's an adorable book called Press Here, by Herve Tullet. The pictures are dots, in different colors. You do what the book tells you ("Touch the middle dot") and turn the page, and behold! Something has changed!

For the nine year old - Elizabeth Enright. Gone-Away Lake and Return to Gone-Away, and the four Melendy books. Depending on how well she reads, she may need a little help with them but they're wonderful. If she likes horses, has she read the Misty of Chincoteague books? Pippi Longstocking? The Oz books? The Little House books? I second Edward Eager and Mrs. Frisby and Officer Buckle and Frances. (I'm big into the older books, as you can tell).

[booksrgood4u.livejournal.com]

Well, I was ging to give a certain fellow Sounisian to whom I happen to be closely related A Strangr to Command by Sherwood Smith, which she has been wanting to read for the last two years, but said individual found a way to get it through the library system. *pouts* It's OK, though, we both read it and enjoyed it, and I have another idea of what to give the aforementioned Sounisian, but I can't write it here, because she'll probably be reading this. :)

Merry Christmas!

[deirdrej.livejournal.com]

Help! I tried to reply with a lot of good suggestions, but my comment was marked as spam! Moderators? can you help?

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

That is so strange--we actually have you listed as "unmoderated" which means you can post any links without your comment having to be approved. And, I don't see any comment from you listed in the moderation queue. I am stumped. Jade??

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Frances Hardinge, guys. The perfect present for anyone.... I'd say 12+. Fly by Night, Fly Trap/Twilight Robbery, The Lost Conspiracy/Gullstruck Island, and my personal favorite, A Face Like Glass.

LOVE.

Also Code Name Verity. Plus a box of tissues. And I'd say Chime, by Franny Billingsley, which I've been reading over and over since it first came out, but the voice can be divisive. Or how about The President's Daughter series for a teenage girl? Especially for a teenage girl who likes politics. And idealism. Or for an adult who likes those things.

[deirdrej.livejournal.com]

Oh! I just thought of another awesome kid's book -- "The Elephant's Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India." Look at the lovely cover :-D

A caveat -- some of the tales are a tad scary -- well actually, gruesome (people who foolishly trust tigers get eaten, for example). But it's beautifully done, with a running commentary and beautiful, vivid illustrations.

Or -- another classic I forgot to mention -- get L. M. Boston's "The Children of Green Knowe."

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Green Knowe yes yes yes and all its sequels!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ok, I need some ideas for a 5th grade boy who is a good reader and likes nonfiction, sports, and adventure. Problem is, I have no idea what he has read so it would have to be either an older book that's a bit more obscure or a brand new book.

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

What about Hatchet? Gary Paulsen. It's about a boy who has to survive in the northern ontario (? I think) woods after a plane crash.

You'd have to look up the suggested age range, but if he's a good reader, it should be ok I think..

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love "one for you, one for me" holiday shopping and it's always that way with books. My holiday glom/gift of choice is N. K. Jemisin's Dreamblood duology.

[(Anonymous)]

I totally agree! I need to read Arty and his last adventure! But first I have to wait for the library to get it:(
I also enjoyed Chima's other series, but I have to start the Seven Realms series soon

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

For my daughter (8 years old): Above World by Jen Reese; Zita the Spacegirl by Be Haatke; The Hobbit (in hardcover-this one is from my husband; He's read it to her this year so it's sort of their thing)

For my son (4 years old): Let's Go for a Drive by Mo Willems; Interrupting Chicken; The Three Ninja Pigs; The Pigeon Wants a Puppy

For my niece (10mo; for her to grow into): Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

For my 4h grade students: Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

For my 5th-6th grade students: The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

For my high school students: either Variant by Robison Wells or The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

For my sister: all of R.J. Andersons Faery books

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I love Mo Willems! Have you read the Elephant and Piggie books We Are in a Book or Can I Play, Too? The latter absolutely cracks me up. Judging by title alone, The Three Ninja Pigs would definitely be one I would want to read.

The False Prince is one of the books that has stuck out in my mind this year, probably from the main character's similarities to our Gen.

I liked, but didn't love Variant, but I adored The Girl of Fire and Thorns and its sequel, The Crown of Embers. I think I loved the second book even better than the first, which is the opposite of what usually happens with series/trilogies.

[(Anonymous)]

Received Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel for Chanukah. Am reading it like a chocolate bar - it delicious, decadent licks that turn into greedy gobbles.

Scotty