Christmas Giveaway Day 1!

Books make awesome gifts any time of the year. The thing is, some recipients receive them more joyfully than others. In my house of readers, specific books are at the tops of wish lists, but not all kids love to read. Sad, but true. It is the fervent belief of every librarian, however, that kids (and adults) just have to be introduced to the right book, in the right way, to turn that book-loving switch on.

 

This brings me to one of my favorite holiday blog offerings, Mother Reader's 150 Ways to Give a Book. Why just give a book about cars, when you can give said book with a car? Or, conversely, why give a toy car all by itself, when there are a million great books to go with it?

 

Mother Reader goes way beyond such pairings in her suggestion list, and my personal favorites are those that involve something other than a toy (see my earlier post on that).

 

I just spent a whole afternoon at work sifting through extra book covers to make a display suggesting book-and-other-gift pairings, and got so carried away, I think it's going to take up my entire 40-foot display wall. Oh, well, my usual Christmas decorations needed a break. My creative juices are still flowing, though, and I need another outlet - so, I am dragging you guys into it with a huge giveaway.

 

From now until Christmas, I will be reviewing or featuring books, both new and old, that have been sent to me for review. I'll give an idea or two for a gift to go with each book. Then YOU, creative readers, please fill my comment boxes with your own ideas for said books. 48 hours after I publish each post, I will select a comment at random, and that person wins the book!

 

Annoying little rules:

1. Each person can win up to two times.

2. US mailing addresses only, please.

3. One comment per person, per blog post (but your comment can have as many ideas as you like).

4. That's all I can think of right now.

 

To start us off, I have a hardcover 60th anniversary edition of a classic:

 

Contributed by HarperCollins

 

My kids have been enjoying the movie at Grandma's, so this may be our first chapter-a-night read-aloud. Do I really need to review this treasure? It has been loved by several generations, girls and boys alike, young and old. Friendship, danger, growing up, and overcoming impossible odds. What's not to love? It wasn't until I reread it recently that I noticed the bits where Fern's mother consults the family doctor about Fern's odd behavior, and gets wonderfully sage advice each time. Yep, I'm going to have to check a copy out and start it tonight. This one can be yours, though - I promise I won't even crack the spine!

 

So, what would be the perfect gift to go with it? I'm thinking a stuffed pig with a little spider friend, but I KNOW you can come up with something more creative than that! Comment away, and stay tuned for the next title!