Gifts for the Readers and Writers in Your Life - Part One

It's about time for me to begin searching the nooks and crannies of my house for the holiday gifts I've been buying throughout the year. I still have a few folks left, but my recent online searches have me convinced that it will be easy to please the readers and writers in my life. Here are some of the things I've come across that may make my gift list this year.

New York Review Watch - The band may be plastic, but who could snub a watch with the Bard on its face? This one features a caricature by David Levine.

Writer's Pencils - Alright, I know a lot of folks write on the computer, but there are a few dinosaurs like me who write and revise on actual paper. These pencils are inscribed with quotations by O. Henry, Ring Lardner, Confucius, Beatrix Potter, and Charles Baudelaire on the craft of writing.

How to Write a Story Necklace - Hanging from a silver chain is an antique typewriter with the beginning of a story about a curious penguin. If necklaces aren't your thing, there's always the option of a brooch.

Great Poets Coffee Mug - Enjoy a cup of joe, tea, or whatever your poison accompanied by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes.

Women Writers Umbrella - Forget about that plain black umbrella--think how stylish you'll look with Austen, Plath, Dickinson, Hurston, Woolf, Alcott, Shelley, and Bronte keeping you dry.

In My Book Greeting Cards/Bookmarks - I first saw these in the gift shop of the Library of Congress and fell in love. I'm particularly fond of "In my book, you're a mystery," which features an image of Stonehenge.

A Reader's Diary - Maybe I'm just getting old, but these days I need to write down the titles of the books I've read (though the really amazing ones stand out), as well as the ones I want to read. This terrific little pocket diary is just the thing to keep book lovers organized.

Dark and Stormy Night Board Game - Bring this to your next book club meeting and have a little fun when the discussion winds down. The object of the game is to correctly guess the title or author of eight books after hearing only the opening lines.

Raval Page Flags - My books are littered with with Post-It™ notes and loose sheets of paper where I've tried to mark important passages. For the reader in your life who must mark everything, these page flags are just the ticket.

Journals Galore - I'll admit it. I'm a journal junkie. The writer in your life may just harbor this secret passion as well. Some of my favorites include Scintillating Observations, Nepalese Traveler's Journal, The Big Empty Sky, Giraffe Journal, Chapter Books (Set of 3), and Recycled 3-Pack Notebooks.

The Book Lover's Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Celebrated Works of Literature, and the Passages That Feature Them - Good food and good books--need I say more?

Okay, I'm done procrastinating for a while. I'll be back with some more ideas in the next week or so. Until then, feel free to share some of your own ideas. I'd love to hear them. And if you have time, you may want to check out last year's list of gift ideas.

Little Mice for My Blogging Friends

Sometimes I see things on the web and I immediately think of someone I know only through blogging. Odd, isn't it? I saw these today and thought of:

Susan at Wizards Wireless

Harry Potter Mouse

Jama at Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup

Beatles Mice

Michelle at Scholar's Blog

Dr Who Mouse

Adrienne at What Adrienne Thinks About That and John Green at Sparks Fly Up and Nerdfighters

Abercrombie the Zombie Mouse
(because zombies are so much better than unicorns)

There are many other mice that might strike your fancy. There are several Harry Potter themed mice, Star Wars mice, a chef mouse (also appropriate for Jama), artist mice and more. Stop by the House of Mouse and check out these adorable creations. At the very least, you must look at the sad little one-eared Vincent Van Gogh Mouse. Now, if only there was Jane Austen mouse ...

Thanks to Julie at Children's Illustration for the introduction to this wonderful Etsy site.

When Buying a Book Means Making a Difference

Way back in November, the amazing Sara Lewis Holmes floated a proposal to put books in the hands of some very deserving kids. Inspired by her niece Emily, an amazing young woman in her own right who's been battling cancer for over two years now, Sara suggested starting a library of camp and horse related books for Flying Horse Farms. Here's a bit of information about FHF.

Flying Horse Farms is a nonprofit organization committed to building a summer camp and year-round retreat center that inspires children with serious illnesses to reach beyond their diseases and embrace the healing power of unbridled fun!

This special place is located in the heart of the Midwest, Mount Gilead, Ohio. Situated on nearly 200 acres of gently rolling hills, lakes, woods, trails, meadows, and wetlands, Flying Horse Farms promises to help children and their families trade the restraints of hospital visits, blood transfusions, chemotherapy treatments, overwhelming stress, worry and fear with days of swimming, fishing, horseback riding, and nights of campfires and singing! All camp activities are designed to allow campers to experience success no matter what their disease or disability. The camp will focus not only on activities but also on building self-confidence, friendships and, of course, providing good old-fashioned fun... at no cost to the campers or their families.

You can participate and help breathe life into this dream by purchasing a book or two for Flying Horse Farms. Here are several ways you can contribute.

• Sara set up a wish list on Amazon. You can choose a book and donate it directly from there. The list is small now, but it will grow as the campers and counselors and the director add new requests to it.

• You may also buy from that list at your local independent bookstore and have them ship to the address below.
  Flying Horse Farms
  225 Green Meadows Drive South, Suite A
  Lewis Center, Ohio 43035

• You can blog about your favorite camp or horse related book. Sara will round up those posts and forward them to the director and consult them in expanding the Wish List.

• If you're an author or illustrator or publisher or blogger with a camp or horse related book, you can donate directly to the camp, but please remember that the camp serves kids ages 7-15 and your donation should reflect the needs of the camp. (Please, in all cases, only NEW books.)

In our house, stories with horses generally revolve around multicultural titles and folktales. Here are some of our favorites.

Fritz and the Beautiful Horses
written and illustrated by Jan Brett

Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia
written and illustrated by Ted and Betsy Lewin

The Magic Horse of Han Gan
written and illustrated by Chen Jiang Hong

The Lost Horse: A Chinese Folktale
written and illustrated by Ed young

We have purchased two of William's favorites, Fritz and the Beautiful Horses and The Magic Horse of Han Gan, for Flying Horse Farms. Won't you join us in sharing the gift of a book?

Books and Swag - Holiday Gift Pairings for Kids

I had lots of young folks to buy gifts for this year. Here are some of the things I've purchased and/or considered for the little people on my list. Each one of these ideas pairs a book with a related item.

For the Dinosaur Lover -

• When Dinosaurs Came With Everything, written by Elise Broach and illustrated by David Small
• Dinosaur plate or mug from Emma Bridgewater Pottery

For the Kid Who Wants to Workout with Mom and/or Dad -

• My Daddy is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids, written by Baron Baptiste and illustrated by Sophie Fatus
• Kid's Extra Thick Yoga Mat

For the Fishing Fanatic in the Family -

• Hook, Line And Seeker: A Beginners Guide To Fishing, Boating, And Watching Water Wildlife, written and illustrated by Jim Arnosky
• Youth fishing rod and reel

For the budding Author/Illustrator -

• Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist & Turn: Books for Kids to Make, written by Gwen Diehn
• Melissa & Doug Deluxe Alphabet Stamp Set
• Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils
• Alex Sponge Painting Party
  

For the Insect Lover -

• Insectigations: 40 Hands-on Activities to Explore the Insect World, written by Cindy Blobaum
• Kid's Backyard Bugs Kit

For the Puzzle Solver -

• Chasing Vermeer, written by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist
• Impuzzable Wooden Puzzle (12 pentomino pieces)

That's all for now. If you're still at a loss in the shopping department, MotherReader is the queen of this kind of stuff and has many more ideas for pairing books and gift.

Gifts for Readers and Writers

My holiday shopping is finally done. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite purchases along with suggestions for the readers and writers on your list.

Readers always love books, but sometimes gifts that enhance the reading experience or allow them to show their love for literature can be fun. Here are a few ideas.

The next time you step out in the rain, sport one of these Literary Luminaries umbrellas. Perhaps you have a friend who loves to read comic strips just as much as Shakespeare. Then the choice is a Gazette Comic Umbrella. (And really, sporting an umbrella with Kalamazoo on it will inspire such interesting conversations!)

For the friend or family member with a large collection of titles, you can't go wrong with bookends. I'm quite enamored of these James Thurber Dog Bookends. My favorites, however, are the Reading Gargoyles that adorn my shelves.

These days lots of folks take their own bags to the store for groceries, or the library to carry their books. You can carry a tote bag with Driven to Read (Mo's pigeon), Click, Clack Read (farmer Brown's crew), Share Books (Kevin Henkes characters), or several other options.

On those days when you need a good insult for co-worker or friend (or heaven-forbid, a family member), try a package of Shakespearean Insult Gum. Each set includes seven boxes that look like miniature Shakespeare volumes. Inside each box are two fruit flavored gum balls and an eloquent Shakespearean insult printed on the inside.

Bookplates are always a good idea, but they can be expensive. Here is a relatively inexpensive source of customized bookplates with some very cool vintage images.

For the reader who must mark important lines, but hates to write in his/her books (that's me), these Book Leaves are folded bookmarks with inspiring quotes about collecting meaningful words on the front. There are also lines to write your thoughts.

You don't need to be a published author to be a writer. My mother continues to write actual letters, and lots of folks I know write thank you notes. Others still like to scribble away in notebooks. Here are some ideas for them.

I have a love for notebooks and notecards made out of recycled paper. Give your eco-loving writer friends a journal or stationery made out of elephant poo. Believe it or not, elephant poo is largely made of fibrous material (undigested plant matter) that can be processed to make lovely, STINK-FREE paper.

I'm also quite fond of this set of 10 Quaderno notebooks in a rainbow of colors.

If you have a friend writing a novel or working on revisions, I suggest the T-shirt that reads "Careful, or you'll end up in my novel." (Being nice to your writer friends is always a good idea!)

Let your writer show his/her love for children's literature with a packet of notecards featuring Curious George, Olivia, Max and the Wild Things, and more.

While scribbling away in your notebook, tickle your fancy with these sweet smelling pencils called Smencils. If you like to write in color, try these Colored Smencils.

Is your writer friend suffering from writer's block? Try The Observation Deck: A Toolkit for Writers. Inside the portable box is a 160 page book of proven techniques and 50 cards with verbs to stimulate action. The book offers inspiration and practical advice from writers and shares their secrets to approaching work with renewed creativity.

Do you have a Jane Austen lover on your list? Here are some ideas from the ridiculous to sublime.

Do you know someone trying to get her inner Jane on? Get her this Jane Austen finger puppet for a bit of fun.

For even more inspiration, superhero style, go for the Jane Austen Action Figure.

Lesley at Small Meadow Press makes "beautiful and useful papers for everyday life." Her gorgeous Jane Austen stationery consists of three missives each of three different designs, with nine decorated envelopes in matching colors. The quotes are from Jane's letters to her sister Cassandra in the early 1800's.

Laini Taylor, author and artist extraordinaire makes Laini's Ladies, beautiful adornments with inspirational quotes. Perfectly Happy and Silly Things both contain quotes by Austen.

While rereading your favorite Austen novels, keep your place with a Jane Austen bookmark.

Finally, for readers and writers who love to cook, I recommend the book Writers in the Kitchen by Tricia Gardella. It contains 200 hundred recipes, including appetizers, entrees, and desserts, from more than 150 writers.

That's all for now. If you have favorite gifts for the readers and writers in your life, please share your ideas. Happy shopping!

For You Book Lovers - 50% Off Titles!

Are you looking for books for the holidays? Do you want to get them for half price? Look no further than Boyds Mills Press. From now until the end of the year you can buy any book in stock and receive a whopping 50% off. Shipping is $10, whether you buy one book, one hundred, or more.

The great thing about this deal is that 20% of each book order will go to the Highlights for their 2009 scholarship fund. This means that when you buy a book you will be helping deserving writers go to Chautauqua or attend one of their other workshops.

Here's where you'll find the Fall 08 and Complete Backlist catalogs. The order form can be found here as well. Once you've made your choices you can fax or email the order form, or simply call (877) 512-8366.

Do you want to know which books I've purchased? You know you do! Here are the terrific titles I'll be giving as gifts, most of them to my teacher friends.

Nonfiction
The Big Storm, by Bruce Hiscock
Farmer George Plants a Nation, written by Peggy Thomas and illustrated by Larry Johnson
Lots and Lots of Zebra Stripes, by Stephen Swinburne
Marvels in the Muck: Life in the Salt Marshes, by Doug Weschler
Our Three Bears, written by Ron Hirschi with photographs by Thomas Mangelsen
Sharks, written by Sandra Markle with photographs by Doug Perrine

Poetry
Becoming Billie Holiday, written by Carol Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Birds on a Wire, written by J. Patrick Lewis and Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Gary Lippincott
The Monarch's Progress, by Avis Harley
The Seldom-Ever-Shady Glades, by Sue Van Wassenhove

Picture Books
I Feel a Foot, written by Maranke Rinck and illustrated by Martijn van der Linden
Sparrows, written by Hans Post and Kees Heij and illustrated by Irene Goede

That's 12 books for the price of 6! A very good deal indeed. While these are all relatively new books, the complete backlist is also available at this discount. If there is a book you've been wanting, now's the time to get it. If you are looking for a gift for a teacher's classroom library, this is a great place to go.

Gift Books for Kids Who Love Animals

Lots of folks around the kidlitosphere have joined in the effort to promote buying books as gifts for the holidays. This is a no-brainer for me, as I always give books. I am however, a year-round shopper, so when I see the perfect gifts for my friends and family, I buy them. Whether or not I remember or can find the gifts come holiday time is another matter entirely!

In honor of this effort, I thought I would put together a series of thematic lists containing the titles of some of my favorite books. Today I'm focusing on books about animals.

For the kid in your life who can't get enough of "animal fact" books, here are some nonfiction titles you may want to consider. This list is organized around a few authors that routinely publish engaging and highly readable texts for elementary age readers.

Steve Jenkins (Visit his web site.)
For kids who want to examine the world of animals thematically and not by species, Jenkins has written (sometimes along with his wife Robin Page) and illustrated a number of books that explore animals through shared, yet distinctive traits. The books listed here are the ones my 7-year old and I return to again and again.

Biggest, Strongest, Fastest - This book highlights animals in the extreme, from the biggest to smallest, fastest and slowest, and more. Jenkins calls them "the record holders of the animal world."

How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly? - The newest book from Steve and Robin looks at animal ingenuity. Did you know animals are problem-solvers? You will after reading this book. Each double-page spread includes a question with an introductory statement and illustrations of six animals on the left, with an enlarged image of the question's focus on the right. Readers will learn how animals hatch eggs, use leaves, snare fish, and much more.

Living Color - Why do animals come in so many colors? This 2007 Cybils finalist in nonfiction picture books examines what color says about a variety of animals. Red says things like "I'm all grown up," "Don't even think about it," and "It must have been something I ate." Readers will learn about an amazing array of colorful creatures. Back matter includes more detailed information on animal color and a brief description of each animal in the book.

What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You? - How do animals protect themselves from danger? This book introduces a variety of animals and their defense mechanisms, from spurting ink, to expanding in size, shooting hot chemicals and more.

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? - In this Caldecott honor book written with Robin Page, Jenkins asks readers to consider why animals have structures shaped in certain ways. On each double-page spread, the highlighted body part of five different animals accompanies the question "What do you do with a __ like this?" The next double-page spread shows the five animals in full and offers a brief explanation for the structure and function of that body part.

Sneed Collard III (Visit his web site.)
The author of more than fifty books for children, Collard's science books explore the wonders of the natural world. I am particularly enthralled by the thematic books that examine animal parts in detail.

Beaks, illustrated by Robin Brickman - This one is all about birds, providing a veritable feast of information. Each spread highlights one or two species and how they use their beaks. Readers will have many opportunities to consider the enormous variety of beak shapes, sizes, and functions.

Teeth, illustrated by Phyllis V. Saroff - While we most often think of teeth as tools to chew food, they are also used to warn predators and attract mates. Readers will learn about different types of teeth, how they are used, the number of teeth animals have, and how they grow. The differences between teeth and horns or antlers is also explored.

Wings, illustrated by Robin Brickman - This book isn't strictly about birds, because other animals have them too, like bats and insects. Collard explores the enormous diversity of wing styles, including differences in size, color, and covering, as well as the mechanics of flight.

Gail Gibbons (Visit her web site.)
A prolific author and illustrator of nonfiction, Gibbons has published a number of titles on specific animal species, both wild and domestic, as well as books on habitats. This list focuses on wild animals, but for kids crazy about Cats, Dogs, Horses, Pigs and other farm animals, be sure to look for those titles.

Bats - One of my favorite books about this much maligned mammal, Gibbons explores their physical characteristics, habits, and life cycle, as well as the myths that surround them. (You can read my review.)

Elephants of Africa - The newest in a long line of animal books, Gibbons explores the world's largest land animal and how they are threatened. Readers will learn about their trunks, tusks, skin, ears, eyes, and teeth, as well as many interesting facts about their social groups and how they live from day to day.

Giant Pandas - Gibbons explores the physical characteristics, habits, life cycle, and present status in the wild and in zoos in this book. A final page of facts and statistics is included.

Grizzly Bears - Packed with information, this book examines where grizzlies live, what and how much they eat, and their seasonal habits, life cycle, and much more.

Owls - Numerous species of owls exist in North America. This book explores this variety while looking closely at the habitats in which they live, as well as anatomy, behaviors, life cycle, and more.

Penguins - What kid isn't crazy about penguins? Gibbons introduces readers to the seventeen species of penguins and shares information about where they live, what they eat, their lifestyles nesting/brooding habits, and predators.

Polar Bears - This completes the trio of bear books, offering readers information about polar bears and where they live, what they eat, how they find food, rear young, and much more.

Snakes - This book explores everything about snakes, from their physical characteristics to how they give birth, how they eat, where and how they live, and much more.

Nic Bishop (Visit his web site.)
While the books listed above are all illustrated in various forms of media, Nic Bishop's books contain the most amazing photographs I have ever seen. The writing is equally engaging. I couldn't pry his most recent work out of my son's hands, and that is saying something.

Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close - In seven double-page photo collages, readers explore the various forms of life that live in the backyard. Each double-page spread is followed by a description of the animals found in the collage.

Forest Explorer: A Life-Size Field Guide - Double-page spreads highlight an area of the forest. Readers search to see what they can find and then turn the page to learn all about the animals pictured there.

Nic Bishop Spiders - This Sibert honor book provides an intimate and extensive view of spiders. Readers will learn that more than 38,000 types of spiders exist today, as well as an incredible amount of information, like the difference between spiders and insects, how they eat, reproduce, and much more. Cool and quirky facts abound in this winning volume.

Nic Bishop Frogs - In this, the year of the frog, could any book be more appropriate? Just like the volume on spiders, readers will be dazzled by the photographs and mountain of information. (You can read my review.)

That's it for now. If you have a favorite author or animal book you'd like to share, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to expand this list.

Crazy for Bookmarks

In addition to having a weakness for journals, I have an affection for bookmarks. Here are a few I've recently purchased to give out at workshops and other events where teachers and book lovers congregate.

These Book a Trip bookmarks with a vintage travel theme depict kids reading across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. You can even download an activity guide with loads of ideas for connecting reading to travel.
These Get Wrapped Up in Reading bookmarks were a gift for some second grade teachers as ancient Egypt is part of the social studies curriculum in this grade. The bookmarks include a short explanation of hieroglyphics on one side and a phrase to be translated on the other.
I love this Reading Takes You Everywhere bookmark. It also comes with an activity guide to books by Dr. Seuss.
There are many more bookmarks I love at the Upstart (Highsmith) site. There are two sets entitled Master the Art of Reading which show famous works of art with books inserted in them. (Check out the Mona Lisa and Girl with the Pearl Earring). These also come with an activity guide! I'm also crazy about the Animal Print, Road to the White House, and Robert Frost bookmarks.

Gifts for Literary Lovers and Others

I hope those of you celebrating Christmas have finished your shopping and are enjoying time with family and friends. I am spending some quiet time looking over the catalogs that have been piling up. Funny, but this is the time of year when everything I see appeals to -- well, ME! Here are some of the things that have caught my attention. I'm going to keep them in mind for my literary friends come next year.

Bookopoly - I know that there are all sorts of Monopoly take-offs out there, but how many trade Park Place and Boardwalk for books (can you guess which great American novels get the honors?) and passing Go for passing Read?
Woodgrain Plates - Aren't these animals the cutest things you've ever seen? They'd make great hors d'ourves dishes.
Poetry on Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work - This collection of CDs contains nearly 5 hours of poets reading their own work. Includes readings by Tennyson, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Dylan Thomas and more.
Small Meadow Press Journals - Okay, this one is actually a gift I already bought for myself, but hey, you can NEVER have too many journals. If you've never seen the stuff that Lesley makes at Small Meadow Press, you are really missing something. There are notecards and journals made of thick and flecked and beautiful papers. You can also find gorgeous book plates, calling cards, and more. This is the journal I bought for myself. A quote by Thoreau graces the cover. Did I mention it's bound with ribbon? I also own the one shown below.
Punctuated Page Markers - Yes, I'll admit to wanting to mark up my books as I read them, but I just can't do it. These markers would definitely solve that problem.
Hookmarks - A friend of mine recently got one of these bookmarks and is raving about it. Since I have a son who is prone to opening my books and dropping the paper bookmarks, this might not be a bad idea. I love this one.

Book Gift Baskets - Alright, these are just downright cool. Pick a book, get some tea and cookies, or music to go with it. What a great idea.

T-Shirts for Readers

On the blog Deaf Characters in Adolescent Literature (thanks to Besty over at A Fuse #8 Production for the link), there is a great interview with author Sarah Miller in which she is pictured in a t-shirt with a strikingly familiar pigeon. I just had to find that shirt! After a bit of searching I found a great site with T-shirts for those of us who love to read. Check out Wonder-Shirts and get yourself a beauty with illustrations by Mo Willems (Driven to Read), Betsy Lewin (Click, Clack, Read), Kevin Henkes and more. I must admit that the teacher in me is crazy about the Miss Viola Swamp shirt.

Champagne Taste

My mother always told me I had champagne taste on a beer budget. This is still pretty much true today, but instead of buying for myself, I spend all my extra pennies on William or on gifts for others. Don't get me wrong, I love this gift giving thing. My Christmas shopping is already half done. (Insert delighted smile here.) When I see something that is just perfect for a friend or family member, I buy it right then and there. The only problem is remembering what I have when the holidays roll around. I'll admit that it's getting harder keeping things under wraps these days. I seem to find reasons to give the gifts, even though I keep promising myself I will hold onto them until the appointed day. However, there is no greater satisfaction than seeing a loved one's face when they receive a gift they truly love. For me, it's not about how much money I spend, but how much time I spend thinking about that perfect gift, because really, there is great pleasure in that knowing smile that says, "You know me so well."

I have dear friend with a birthday coming up and I am purchasing a purse for her made from a book. It's absolutely perfect for her. Here's where the title kicks in. While I rarely make purchases for myself, I'm so besotted by these two beauties I may just splurge. Check out the Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice bags. Someone please buy them first and save me from myself! You can find more of these book bags at Rebound Designs, where Caitlin has taken the gifting of books to a whole new level.