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Sometimes the act of shopping for holiday gifts is more stressful than any act of love should ever be, which is why the Buy Books for the Holidays campaign begun by a group of blogging bibliophiles is so very heartening.

I worked in a bookstore for years and the mood there during the holiday season was truly wonderful. When people buy books as gifts, they consider the recipient in a way that doesn’t happen when they buy the latest electronic gizmo or luxurious status symbol.

Books are a way to show people you love that you have entered their hearts and minds and souls to find what will interest them, touch them, delight and enthrall them–for years perhaps, not only for the passing moment. Perhaps the most effective way of doing this is to give them children’s books–a beautiful new edition of a book that your husband loved when he was a child, an out-of-print book that your mother read and reread as a girl, the anthology of verse that guided the vocation of the poet in your life, a copy of Eloise for your favorite fashionista friend…

Think about it–what better gifts to give than children’s books to everyone you love?

             

Via Jen Robinsons' Book Page, I learned about the "Buy Books for the Holidays" campaign, organized by My Friend Amy (organizer of Book Blogger Appreciation Week).

I didn't hesitate one minute to commit to this initiative. Bloggers are encouraged to buy books for holiday gifts this season, whenever and wherever possible. It makes perfect sense in these tough times. No doubt you've read this post at Editorial Ass, which explains the challenging situation now facing the book publishing industry. Dark, worrisome times. A crisis! Well, here is something we can do to help.


Some of the titles I'll be giving this year.

Amy has set up a special Buy Books for the Holidays Blog, which is "a collaborative blog that will showcase books, serve as a central point where we can all report our progress, give bloggers a chance to showcase reviews by genre, help people find the perfect book for that difficult or challenging person on your list, announce internet or bookstore specials, and raise awareness of literacy charities to promote a culture of reading in the future."


More of my gift titles.

Sounds good? Sign up here, and go here to find out how to add the campaign button to your blog. Please spread the word!! Now is the time for anyone and everyone who loves books and realizes their inestimable worth to band together.

**For those looking for children's book suggestions, check out the Cybils 2008 Nominations Lists. It's a gold mine of great titles!

P.S. Did you hear about Grace Lin's special bookplates promotion?

     

She will send these to you free of charge, if you specify the name of the recipient, and what title you're giving them (she draws something different for each of her books)! It's a limited design, only available for this promotion, which runs now through
December 7, 2008. Full details about how to email her here.