Holiday Books for the Giving

Susan Ramsay | Dec 19, 2012

Unofficial consumer reports have wrapped up two great reasons for giving books to children at Christmas time.

Books don’t need batteries.

1. Unlike homework, books given at Christmas are respected by pets.

2. (Dogs have their priorities when chocolate or other edibles are under, on, or near the Christmas tree.)

As I perused this season’s holiday books, I noticed that such practical reasons barely touch the surface of why books are smart gifts for children.

Books can soothe a harried, hurried, holiday mood.

Take the story “Llama, Llama Holiday Drama” by Anne Dewdney. At first blush it looks like a softly illustrated book about a long-necked animal dressed in human attire. Open the book and begin to read, however, and we discover much more. Llama is picking up the excitement and stress of his family and the world around him as everyone races to prepare for Christmas. The simple, rhyming text conveys the relentless pace Llama experiences, and then offers a sense of calm as Llama’s mother realizes what Llama needs. She slows down and snuggles Llama, telling him, “The true gift is, we have each other.”

Books can be shared one-on-one or with the entire gathering of cousins, friends, or holiday revellers.

As Canadian as Bob and Doug McKenzie’s “12 Days of Christmas”, and much more child-friendly, “A Porcupine in Pine Tree” by Helaine Baker and Werner Zimmermann can be shared with one child who is looking at the pages slowly for animals and silly things that happened in the 12 days leading up to Christmas, or it can be sung with a whole crowd. It’s a fabulous book for nurturing literacy skills – recalling and telling the story in sequence, learning new vocabulary, attending to rhyme and rhythm, and noticing details in the illustrations. But the greatest aspect of this book is that it’s fun - the all important ingredient for motivating children to read.

Books affirm children who struggle with anxiety.

Who making a list and checking it twice? You’re right. It’s Scaredy Squirrel. Melanie Watts has written several books about a squirrel who suffers anxiety when faced with new experiences. Scaredy Squirrel is a planner, and in each story Scaredy Squirrel uses logic and concrete strategies to figure out ways of dealing with his emotions. “Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas” and other Scaredy Squirrel stories enable young primary school-aged children to explore their feelings from a third person perspective in a light-hearted and accepting way.

Books can help children, from birth, blend analytic thinking skills with sensitivity to the world around them.

“That’s Not My Reindeer” by Fionna Watt and Rachel Wells is a hard cover, texture book perfect for babies and toddlers. On each page we discover a different aspect about the picture that proves it could not be the right reindeer. Simple, brightly coloured illustrations with varying textures encourage babies and toddlers to think using their senses of sight and touch.

The best books for children are ones carefully chosen to match for their unique personality and interests. The best books are also the ones that will be shared on a lap with someone they love, someone who knows that the gift of literacy can last them their lifetime.

Susan Ramsay is the Early Literacy Specialist for Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. You can contact her at 613-354-6318 (ext 32)