How to use this Page

The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford Written by Suzanne Slade Illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt Charlesbridge Publishing    9/08/2015 978-01-58089-667-2 32 pages   Ages 7—12 “Thomas was curious about electricity—invisible energy that flowed and stopped, sizzled and popped. “Henry was curious about engines—machines that chugged and purred, hiccupped and whirred. “When Thomas …

Welcome Back! How has 2016 been treating you thus far? Good I hope. Well, Can I Tell You a Secret? It’s not my secret, but it is a BIG secret.  A tiny frog, let’s call him Monty, has a HUGE fear. Unless he can conquer this fear he will lose out on a lot of fun …

Happy New Year to all those of you who have supported me in so many different ways throughout the year. 2016 should be a new beginning for me with my new publisher Crimson Cloak Publishing, and I’m hoping for a happy and successful relationship with them! Several books to be released this year, new as well as re-releases. Exciting times.

What a beautiful book is Brian Selznick’s new graphic novel The Marvels! The cover is gorgeous, all blue and gold. The edges of the pages are gold too. The book is big and fat and heavy. The paper inside is thick and glossy. None of that of course makes a good story but when the story is good, all of it certainly enhances the reading experience.

And what a reading experience it was! The first half of the book is nothing but pencil drawings. No text. But the drawings manage to tell the story of several generations of the Marvel family from how they began in the theatre, made it famous as actors, and then a tragedy the ending of which we do not get to know because the drawings stop and text without drawings begins.

The text tells a different story. Joseph Jervis was sent to boarding school by his parents at a young age. They travelled a lot and found their son difficult and thought boarding school in England would be the best thing for him. They ship him off and rarely bother to call or write to him (it’s 1990). Feeling neglected and lonely, Joseph finally makes a friend, Blink, and they plan to run away together to London where Joseph has an uncle he has never met. But Blink’s dad takes him out of school and Joseph has no idea where they have gone. So, having planned out running away to London already, Joseph gets up his courage and runs off from school at the Christmas break without telling anyone where he is going.

He shows up unannounced at his uncle’s house. Albert Nightingale is himself a lonely man but he prefers it that way. Or at least he has convinced himself he does. He is not pleased at Joseph’s disruptive appearance in the middle of the night in a freezing rain. If the boy wasn’t obviously feverish he would be tempted to leave him out on the street to make his own way as he could. But Albert takes him in. Between Christmas and New Year’s both their lives are changed for the better as Joseph refuses to accept Albert’s silence on their family history.

Are they related to the Marvels? If so, how? Uncle Albert is apparently living in their house, there are clues everywhere and Joseph, along with Frankie, short for Frances, who lives a few houses away, try to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

What we ultimately get is a wonderful story about stories, family, desire, friendship, grief and love. It is all packed in there and even though Selznick writes for a younger audience, he is very subtle on many points and doesn’t slap you in the face with them. For instance Uncle Albert is gay and his partner, Billy died a few years ago of AIDS. And Albert himself is currently being treated for AIDS. But this is not dwelled on except very briefly when Frankie asks Joseph whether he knows Albert is sick. But it doesn’t need to be made more explicit, all the clues are there for anyone paying attention. However, younger readers who know nothing about the AIDS epidemic will very likely miss this aspect of the story.

There is a refrain that runs throughout, Aut visum, but non, you either see it or you don’t. And that is how Selznick has written the book, you either see the clues and put the pieces together or you don’t. By the end it is all crystal clear and I found myself loving every character in the book and wanting a happy ending. But, like Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale, which weaves its way throughout the story, endings are rarely completely happy or completely sad and often turn into beginnings.

After the text, we go back to just the pencil drawings again that pick up where they left off. This final section is short in relation to all that has come before, but the drawings speak more than words ever could.

Selznick based The Marvels on a real life house and some real life people whose story is as beautiful and touching as the one Selznick wrote. If you liked The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonder Struck, you are guaranteed to love The Marvels.

Here’s a great way to share your Christmas message!

Click on the link below to find out how.

Solve the puzzle to read the Christmas message!

All the best for Christmas and 2016, everyone! (The message you can solve is not this one!)

If Picasso Had a Christmas Tree An Illustrated Introduction to Art History for Children by Art Teachers Written by Eric Gibbons Illustrated by 30 Art Teachers Firehouse Publications     9/09/2014 978-1-940290-33-1 100 pages   Ages  7+ “This book was conceived of, written by, illustrated by, and created by 30 art teachers from all over the …

A Very, Merry, Mixed-Up Christmas Series: The Adventure of the Poodle Posse, #5 Written by Chrysa Smith Illustrated by Pat Achilles The Well Bred Book     9/01/2015 978-0-692-48293-3 44 pages     Ages 7—9 “In a Very Merry, Mixed-Up Christmas, you’ll experience the excitement that the holidays hold, the angst that Santa feels when Elfluenza …

. The Night Before Christmas: A Brick Story Written by Clement C. Moore Illustrated by Amanda Brack Sky Pony Press     10/06/2015 978-1-63450-179-8 32 pages         Ages 4—8 “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a Lego mouse! “You and your …

The Reindeer Dance Series: Holiday Jingles Written by Christianne C. Jones Illustrated by Emma Randall Picture Window Books     8/01/2015 978-1-4795-6496-5 20 pages     Ages 0—3 “Move like Santa’s reindeer, Hop in a graceful prance. Then twirl and spin and shake To do the reindeer dance!” [back cover] “Move those hooves and dance …

LAST DAY! $50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  . Orangutanka: A Story in Poems Written by Margarita Engle Illustrations by Renée Kurilla Henry Holt & Company     3/24/2015 978-0-8050-9839-6 32 pages     Ages 4—8 “All the orangutans are ready for a nap in the sleepy depths of the afternoon . …

Want to inspire future poets, writers, and dreamers? One elementary school in San Francisco did just that with an author study of U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.

Lorraine Orlandi, Community School Coordinator, shared with us the goals, preparation, and impact of their Latino Heritage Celebration.

With National Hispanic Heritage Month in the fall, Paul Revere School K-8 selected Juan Felipe Herrera to study and honor for Herrera’s activism and body of work, as well as his ties to San Francisco.

When do your school make time for artist studies?

“We have three major cultural celebrations each school year: for Latino heritage, African American heritage and Asian-Pacific Islander heritage. For each, we have an intensive artists residency of about six weeks to prepare students to perform in school-wide assemblies and at an evening event for the entire community.”

Why choose author Juan Felipe Herrera?

“We have struggled to connect the history and values being taught through these artists’ residencies with our day-to-day classroom teaching and learning. Juan Felipe Herrera’s work provided the perfect vehicle for our school, which includes a Spanish Immersion strand in addition to the general English strand. Students in all classes could access the work and it provided a unifying element for the learning and celebration. The project fit within our school-wide literacy goals. It was a breakthrough that we hope to be able to extend to all of our cultural celebrations in the future.”

What kind of work is involved for staff?

“Preparation included teacher training around materials — we bought a bunch of books, found videos and teaching guides online. Teachers had an opportunity to meet all together and in grade-level groups to discuss how to use the materials. As you know, some of the work was eventually posted for colleagues and families to see.”

How does the program pair the content with literacy?

“In our school-wide project for grades K-8, students across grade levels responded to the work of Juan Felipe Herrera as a way to learn about and celebrate Latino heritage and consider their own identities within our diverse school population. The books and poetry gave teachers wonderful tools for strengthening our commitment to using culturally responsive materials in the classroom, and to connect students’ learning to their own experiences.”

How do teachers incorporate Juan Felipe Herrera’s work into their curricula?

• Two fifth-grade classes worked with a teaching artist to learn the poems “Laughing out Loud, I Fly” (Harper Collins) and the poem “(Vamonos La Kiva Casa Libre)” (from 187 Reasons Mexicanos Can’t Cross the Border, City Lights) and choreograph movements to the poems. They read the poems and performed the dances at the assemblies and evening event.
• Our sixth-graders presented the poetry they had written in response to “Quien Quiere Correr Conmigo?”.
• Our kindergarten classes and a special day class for K-2 created work in response to Desplumado and Grandma and Me at the Flea.
• Our first-grade Spanish Immerison class created work inspired by reading Upside Down Boy.
• We also featured some of this work in the final performances and presentations.

  

Ready to bring books to life and allow students to see themselves as creators? Start with some resources:

• Using Picture Books to Teach and Discuss Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera with Students
• Juan Felipe Herrera Collection
• English/Spanish Bilingual and Dual Language Collection

Jill Eisenberg, our Senior Literacy Specialist, began her career teaching English as a Foreign Language for second through sixth grade in Yilan, Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. She went on to become a literacy teacher for third grade in the Bay Area, CA as a Teach for America corps member where she became passionate about best practices for supporting English Language Learners and parent engagement. In her column for Lee & Low’s The Open Book blog, she offers teaching and literacy tips for educators.

ENDS IN 2 DAYS! $50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  . The Knights Before Christmas Written by Joan Holub Illustrated by Scott Magoon Henry Holt & Co.      9/08/2015 978-0-8050-9932-4 32 pages      Ages 4—8 “’Twas December 24th, and three brave (but somewhat clueless) knights were just settling …

$50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  The Best Parts of Christmas Written & Illustrated by Bethanie Deeney Murguia Candlewick Press    9/22/2015 978-0-7636-7556-1 32 pages    Ages 4—8 “Fritz knows that the best parts of Christmas—from decorating to sharing treats ad opening presents—happen around the tree. And Fritz gets to …

$50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  . Christmas in America Written by Callista Gingrich Illustrated by Susan Arciero Regnery Kids     10/12/2015 978-1-62157-345-6 44 pages      Ages 6—9 “Ellis the Elephant is back! In Christmas in America, the fifth in Callista Gingrich’s New York Times bestselling series, Ellis …

Would you like to know more about my new publisher and my books? If so please check out my author page!

Lynne North at Crimson Cloak Publishing

$50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  . Stay! A Top Dog Story Written & Illustrated by Alex Latimer Peachtree Publishers     9/01/2015 978-1-56145-884-4 32 pages     Ages 4—8 “Looking after Ben’s dog, Buster, is no walk in the park—Buster is messy, he is rowdy, he is EXHAUSTING! But Ben loves …

When Smithereens wrote about a graphic novel called Jane, the Fox and Me by Fanny Britt, I immediately requested it from the library. There were others who wanted it too so I had to wait. But the wait was worth it.

A graphic novel for younger readers, it is the story of a girl named Hélène who is being tormented by some mean girls at school. The girls leave graffiti in the bathrooms and talk and laugh about her where large groups of her classmates can hear. They say things like Hélène is fat or Hélène has BO. None of it is true but under the onslaught of meanness and due to a lack of friends, Hélène begins to believe what they say about her.

When her entire class is set to go to camp for a week, she doesn’t want to go. She can’t get out of it though. Her mother takes her shopping for a swimsuit and Hélène decides that she looks like a sausage. Once at camp she gets sorted into the “outcast” cabin with a few other girls who have no friends and lots of awkward quirks.

Throughout all of this the thing that sustains her is the book she is reading: Jane Eyre. Jane is plain but smart. Jane has troubles but she overcomes them. In spite of everything, she is loved.

One evening when she is sitting alone and depressed outside her cabin, a red fox appears and Hélène feels as though a miracle has occurred. Not long after that a new girl moves into the outcast cabin. She has been kicked out of the cabin she was in by the girls because she refused to play along with some mean thing they said or were planning. She is a breath of fresh air and charms them all. Soon Hélène finds she has a real friend and everything is transformed.

Not only is the story wonderful and real, the art is fantastic. Hélène’s world is gray pencil on white and light tan. It is dreary and sad like Hélène. But when she reads Jane Eyre, Jane’s story is in bold color, a sharp contrast between the two. When the fox appears, it is red, the only color amidst the gray. And eventually, as the book ends and Hélène escapes from the oppression of the mean girls, her world becomes colorful.

It is a simple but effective story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can imagine it might really resonate with girls in that pre-teen/tween age range who love books and feel like they don’t quite fit in with their peers. And it is pretty good for grown-ups too.

Today I received a copy of my book Sand Dollar, Sand Dollar in its final Spanish/ English dual language paperback version, published by Bab’l Books, Boston. I am excited to see this book in print again! I love the idea of reaching out to bilingual kids. And, its hidden message is environmental – that we […]

$50 Gift Certificate Holiday Giveaway Enter here:   Mudpuppy Holiday Giveaway  . Here Comes Santa Cat Series: Here Comes Cat Written by Deborah Underwood Illustrations by Claudia Rueda Dial Books for Young Readers  10/21/2014 978-0-8037-4100-3 88 pages     Age 3—5 . “HO, HO . . . WHO? CAT! NOT AGAIN. “The holidays are around …

When you live in Antarctica and wear a tuxedo it is a group activity to keep warm on a cold winter day. Scientists have documented that emperor penguins form huddles to stay warm in the frigid temperatures of this habitat.

The penguins have a sophisticated system of rotation to make sure that no one gets too cold, but by studying the Pointe Géologie Archipelago colony researchers have found that huddles are sometimes very short-lived activities for the birds.

When the cold sets in or the wind kicks up, the birds seek out a huddle. The temperatures in the huddle can become much higher than the birds comfort level and researchers first believed that the huddles would break up from the center, but after spending years observing these animals they found that one single bird leaving from the outside can break up a huddle.

While scientists may have originally thought huddles were a simple process in the penguin lifestyle, there is much more that can be learned from the way that these birds socially regulate their temperatures.

Read the article: A Single Penguin can break up a huddle!

To learn more about penguins here are some great stories to share with your little ones:

The Penguin Lady
by Carol A Cole, illus. by Sherry Rogers

Penelope Parker lives with penguins! Short ones, tall ones; young and old—the penguins are from all over the Southern Hemisphere including some that live near the equator! Do the penguin antics prove too much for her to handle? Children count and then compare and contrast the different penguin species as they learn geography.

Polar Bears and Penguins: A Compare and Contrast Book
by Katharine Hall

Polar bears and penguins may like cold weather but they live at opposite ends of the Earth. What do these animals have in common and how are they different? You might see them near each other at a zoo but they would never be found in the same habitats in the wild. Compare and contrast these polar animals through stunning photographs.

I realize I haven't been posting, but it wouldn't feel like the holidays if I didn't update and share my traditional 150 Ways to Give a Book. They are all MotherReader-approved titles — i.e., Good Books. There are a lot more choices for younger kids, as that’s the group we adults most fear disappointing with giving “only” a book. And picture books are kind of easier to do. After the book and gift selections, I’ve also included ways to wrap a book, and book-themed gifts to include for a variety of ages. There are a few new 2015 titles mixed in with older ones — though there aren’t many classics, as I’ve tried to select books that kids would be less likely to have on their shelves. I've also tried to avoid any branded products, which is surprisingly difficult.

Sometimes I choose the hardback when the paperback is also available, so check if that is important to you. I’ve also linked to the fun extras through Amazon, for example, to save you shopping time, and because I get some small credit for your purchases through the Amazon Associates program. But know that you can find cheaper alternatives for some small things — paints, pens, journals, etc. — at a local discount store. On the other hand, doing all your purchases online and having them sent to your door is priceless.

I'm always looking for new ideas, so leave suggestions in the comments. I hope you'll share this link as you promote giving books as gifts for the holidays and that you find some great ideas for your own friends and family. Enjoy!

Multi-Age

1. Give an experience like a trip to a zoo, aquarium, museum, aviary, arena, or city. Put the passes, tickets, or homemade gift certificate with a relevant book to make it feel more tangible.
2. Take a road trip with Ask Me so you can use the driving time to ask each other the interesting questions from the book.
3. Give a book with a movie theater gift card to see the upcoming film.
4. Give a book with a gift card to rent the movie. Include a box of microwave popcorn.

5. Give One Hen — How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference with a loan to Kiva or a donation to Heifer International to buy chicks.
6. Pair any book with another book from the bargain section, maybe something silly or crafty or gimmicky.
7. Pair a detective book with a magnifying glass.
8. Match poetry books with word beads or magnetic poetry.
9. Pair a picture book with a related stuffed animal.
10. Give an interesting, insightful book with a restaurant gift card and a date to discuss the book together over a meal.
11. Honor the book enthusiast with necklace along with a new title.
12. Celebrate writing too with special journals from Tara Books, an independent press based in India.

13. Learn letters with ABC, Baby Me! board book or The Sleepy Little Alphabet and letter links.
14. Or work with numbers (and colors) with 10 Hungry Rabbits and magnetic numbers.
15. Or let them battle it out with 123 vs ABC and bath toys

16. Give The Day the Crayons Quit and the sequel The Day the Crayons Came Homewith a pack of fat crayons and a stack of copy paper from an office supply store.
17. Or go with Art and Max or Blue Chicken with a paint set.
18. Pair Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and/or The Curious Garden with gardening tools and seeds.
19. It’s almost dessert when you give The Cow Loves Cookies with a cookie counting game.
20. What else can go with Extra Yarn but extra yarn? Well, and knitting needles and instructions.
21. Pair Kite Flying and/or Kite Day with a new kite.
22. Give Bats at the Ballgame with a bat and ball. You can throw in a coupon book for practice sessions.
23. Take a light-hearted bedtime book like Goodnight Already! or A Bedtime for Bear and add a night light.
24. Or choose A Full Moon is Rising or Moonlight with glow-in-the-dark moon and stars — or go high tech with this Moon in my Room.

25. Get moving with Giant Dance Party with Kids Dance Party CD.
26. Keep up the music by giving Drum City with an old-time tin drum.
27. Pair Bubble Trouble with touchable bubbles.
28. Ballet dancers will love the classic Angelina Ballerina or the slightly edgyVampirina Ballerina (or both) with a fancy tutu or two… two.
29. Give little superheroes SuperHero ABC along with a superhero cape.
30. Encourage a future Iron Chef by giving Rainbow Stew or Oscar and the Very Hungry Dragon with a cooking set.
31. Silliness ensues with Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure and the Pass the Pigs game.
32. Take it outside with Chalk with 3-D sidewalk chalk.

33. Pair Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site or Building with Dad with toy construction vehicles.
34. Give The Monstore with the monster game.
35. Who can resist that match-up of Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek with Lincoln Logs?
36. Give your little dragon-lover Have You Seen My Dragon?, Lovabye Dragon or Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood with a cute dragon.
37. Is there a doctor in the house? There will be with picture book Doctor Ted along with a doctor kit.
38. Future firefighter instead? Give Fire! Fuego! along with Firefighters A to Z and firefighter gear.
39. Pair picture book Crafty Chloe with a selection of craft supplies.
40. What else can go with Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum other than lots of bubble gum.
41. Cat lovers can enjoy picture books Here Comes Santa Cat, Katie Loves the Kittens, and A Castle Full of Cats with a cat card game.

42. Or let the dogs out with Dogs, Here Comes Trouble!, and If You Give a Dog a Donut and a dog themed game.
43. Add a car to a child's train set, but include Steam Train, Dream Train or Elisha Cooper's Train.
44. Nature lovers will enjoy Birdsongs along with a guidebook like Backyard Birds and some binoculars.
45. For more nature, pair A Butterfly is Patient and/or Butterfly Park with a butterfly garden kit.
46. Give your favorite girly-girl Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy with dress-up jewelry and/or a fancy poodle.
47. Give your rough little boy Bad Pirate along with genuine pirate gear.
48. Another nighttime choice is Goodnight, Little Monster with an Ugly Doll.
49. Give picture book Flashlight with a special flashlight and a promise for a nighttime walk or two.

50. Or for a different angle with that flashlight, pair with Blackout and prepare for indoor fun with the lights out.
51. Take fun picture book Fold Me a Poem and pair it with an origami kit.
52. Picture books A Sick Day for Amos McGee or Panda-monium at Peek Zoo would be perfect with a zoo animal collection or game.
53. Or head down to the Farm, adding a Lace and Trace Farm Set.
54. 999 Frogs Wake Up goes nicely with Flingin' Frogs game.
55. For a western theme, give A Night on the Range or Rodeo Red with a cowboy hat.
56. Take a special book, like The Lion and the Bird (about a friendship and seeing each other again), and make a recording of you reading it.
57. Pair Duck and Goose with a bright ball.

58. Celebrate the season with the beautiful Dusk and appropriate lights or decorations.
59. The funny wordless book Once Upon a Banana is a perfect fit with a stuffed monkey — but show your sense of humor by throwing a banana into the gift bag.
60. Another wordless book choice is the visually stunning Pool, which begs to be given with googles and a trip to the nearest indoor swimming pool.
61. Give The Snow Globe Family with a snow globe.
62. Pair Lilly’s Big Day with dress-up clothes.
63. Or another dress-up option is the Ladybug Girl books with wings and antennae.
64. Pair Bubble Bath Pirates with a cool rubber duck.
65. Give the wonderful The Day the Babies Crawled Away with a baby doll.
66. Everyone needs Mo Willems’ book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, maybe adding a toy bus.
67. Pair classic A Bargain For Frances with a tea set.

67. Pair a nonfiction book about dinosaurs, like Boy! Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs, with a bunch of plastic ones.
68. Give Instructions with a book of classic fairy tales, and make time to read them together.
69. Introduce a folktale with Maneki Neko: the Tale of the Beckoning Cat and giving lucky cat bank.
70. Pair silly beginning reader book The Monster in the Backpack with a cute backpack (monster additional).
71. Give beginning reader books Amazing Sharks! and National Geographic Readers: Sharks! and throw in a shark on a stick.
72. Take to the ice with book choices Katie Kazoo, On Thin Ice and passes to the local ice-skating rink.

73. Give a title from the Soccer Cats series with a soccer ball.
74. Pair Toys Go Out with a red bouncy ball, or a plush stingray or buffalo.
75. Pair Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs with a kazoo.
76. Give early chapter book series books Rainbow Fairies or Flower Fairies with lovely little fairies.
77. Blooming fashionistas will appreciate Paper Fashions (Klutz) (all thirty-five Amazon reviews gave five stars!) along with Fashion Kitty.
78. Combine sweet Jenny and the Cat Club with a red scarf (don’t worry if it’s too long — so is Jenny’s) and a black cat.

80. Satisfy a sweet tooth with The Candymakers with a candy making kit.
81. Pair Operation YES! with green army men.
82. Be a hero and give Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set with Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths.
83. Pair fantasy book The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda with a Stars Wars 'Ask the Force' top.
84. Give What the World Eats with a promise for an international dinner out or in.
85. Pair Every Soul a Star with The Kids Book of the Night Sky and plan a date to look at the stars together.
86. For business-minded kids, pair The Lemonade War with a coin counter bank.
87. Expand the idea of giving with The One and Only Ivan with an adopt-an-animal program at your local zoo.
88. All the elementary school kids will love The Invention of Hugo Cabret, but you can pair it with tin wind-up toys for extra flair.
89. Give Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little with um, Stuart Little.

90. You can’t go wrong with the funny poems and outstanding art in Frankenstein Takes the Cake along with a cake-baking session, followed by reading the book together. As a matter of fact, throw in Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and make a whole day — and meal — of it.
91. Speaking of the amazing Adam Rex, give the hilarious book The True Meaning of Smekday with a the related T-shirt Regarding Stickyfish Teams, I Favor the Bigfield Fighting Koobish.
92. Give Kimchi & Calamari with a promise for a dinner out Korean style, or Italian style, or both.
93. Wrap up A Crooked Kind of Perfect with excellent toe socks.
94. Perhaps Fabulous Hair with a collection of hair accessories will make someone smile.
95. Pair a diary-format book like My Explosive Diary (2nd/3rd grade), Amelia’s Notebook (4th/5th grade), or The Princess Diaries (6th/7th grade) with a journal and fun pens

96. For a boy, how about the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School with the Do It Yourself Journal?
97. Have fun with Clarice Bean Spells Trouble and a game of Scrabble.
98. Pair Phineas MacGuire... Erupts! with a science kit, or the next book in the series, Phineas MacGuire... Gets Slimed! with the slime science kit.
99. Look to fantastic nonfiction, giving Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon with a homemade coupon for a visit to the Air and Space Museum (okay, this might only work around Washington, D.C.) or astronaut ice cream.
100. Give a drawing book like Draw 50 Aliens or Draw 50 Animals with a couple of nice sketch pads.
101. Pair a spy-themed book like Harriet the Spy, Spy School (chapter book) or The Real Spy’s Guide to Becoming a Spy (nonfiction) with rear-view sunglasses and/or a fingerprint kit.
102. Bigger girls like stuffed animals, too. How about Hoot with an owl or The World According to Humphrey with a hamster?
103. Select a magic book and fun magic tricks.
104. Pair D.I.Y.: Kids with a gift card to a local craft store, and maybe some shopping and crafting time together.

105. Match the book and the movie, like The Spiderwick Chronicles with the DVD.
106. Pair a theme book like Katie and the Mustang with a horse charm and a satin cord from a craft store.
107. Or maybe Fairy Realm with a charm bracelet.
108. Give the first books of The Series of Unfortunate Events with a brass telescope.
109. Pair The Art Book for Children with watercolor paints or an art set.
110. Give National Geographic's Book of Animal Poetry, Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart or Poetry Speaks to Children with hot chocolate, a mug, and a gift certificate for time to read it together.

110. Buy a tween Better Nate Than Ever and/or Jack & Louise: Act 1along with tickets to a show.
111. Give the companion books Goth Girl Rising and The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl , and throw in How to Draw Comic Book Heroes and Villains.
112. Pair a book that you and a teen can enjoy with a gift card to Starbucks and a promise to talk about the book over coffee. Some suggestions? Liar, Candor, or The Adoration of Jenna Fox have interesting issues.

113. Give Beauty Queens with a small makeup kit, and a healthy dose of irony.
114. Rock out with Beige along with a mix CD of the songs in the chapter titles (or an iTunes gift card).
115. Pair House of Dance with ballroom dance lessons.
116. Give delicious book