Sunday, December 27, 2009

The Sunday Salon: Books as Gifts

I try to make sure that everyone in our family gets at least one book for Christmas. Most of our books come from used bookstores or the library, so buying new books is a luxury reserved mostly for Christmas and birthdays.

I gave Scavenger Hunt Adventures in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Randy and the younger two kids. Randy has a goal of completing all 900 miles of trails in the Smokies, and this is a fun way to get the kids involved (although they are already enthusiastic hikers). Check out his blog for this week's hiking adventures.

For my 16-year-old, a collection of poems by Leonard Cohen. Cohen wrote Let Us Compare Mythologies over 50 years ago, when he was just 22. After seeing Cohen in concert a couple of months ago, Jesse is determined to complete his Cohen collection of music and poetry. (I know. I have a way cool kid.)

My 12-year-old daughter is always looking for something to read. Because we are a family of voracious readers, she has read through so many "girl" classics already and really leans toward contemporary fiction anyway. I picked up a bunch of books that are library doesn't have:

• Mary Ann Rodman: Yankee Girl
• Lisa Greenwald: My Life in Pink and Green (she's reading this one first)
• Erin Dionne: Models Don't Eat Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Frances O'Roark Dowell: The Secret Language of Girls

And for our youngest, who turned 9 on Christmas Day, I got the first three of Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures: The Mt. Rushmore Calamity, The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery, and The Japanese Ninja Surprise.

I didn't get any books for Christmas, but I do get to pick out my own with a gift card to a local bookstore. And I'll be going all by myself, without kids, so I can do some serious perusing.

What books were floating around your house on Christmas day?

3 comments:

Anna said...

Enjoy book shopping! I got one book and a book gift card. My daughter got her own gift certificate, so I don't have to listen to her beg me to buy something for her with mine. LOL

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

John Mutford said...

I'm impressed with your gift choices (especially the Leonard Cohen book).

Like you, I was the one giving books this year (my daughter got The Invention of Hugo Cabret, my son got a couple Bone books, and my wife got the Road). And also like you, I did get a gift card so all's well that ends well!

Simcha said...

What a great selection of books! It sounds like you have a very interesting family. Model's Don't Eat Chocolate Chip Cookies looks like a particularly fun read that I would. I was wondering what kind of books your 9 year old enjoys reading. I also have a 9 yr old boy and I've been trying to encourage him to read in English (he prefers to read in Hebrew) but none of the books I've offered him have been tempting enough, I guess. I'd appreciate any book suggestions you may have.

Great blog!

Simcha