
Are you in a holiday panic?
Unsure of what to get?
Look no further! I have a list of excellent books all the kids on your list will love!
Hurry to your closest bookstore and find these titles to finish off your holiday shopping!
First up –
Grow up, Ant-Man!
by Brandon T. Snider
Illustrated by Jessika Von Innerebner
32 pages – ages 2+
Published by Marvel Press June 5, 2018
Publisher’s Synopsis: Ant-Man is a very mischievous Super Hero. So it’s up to Cassie to tell her dad to GROW UP! Watch as Ant-Man shows you just how big he can grow. Can Ant-Man grow bigger than the Hulk? Can Ant-Man grow bigger than the Avengers Tower? But what happens when Ant-Man grows TOO BIG?!



Have fun keeping up with our quickly changing world with the New York Times best-selling almanac, curated and created just for kids. It’s packed with incredible photos; tons of fun facts, crafts, and activities; and fascinating features about animals, science, nature, technology, and more. New features include an updated “Fun and Games” chapter filled with all-new games, jokes, and comics; all new weird-but-true facts; “19 Facts for 2019” feature in every chapter; updated reference material; and cool stuff on topics today’s curious kids care about.


This thoughtful and beautifully curated collection of our flying, feathery friends highlights the role birds play in human life from centuries ago to present day. While it’s beautiful, it’s also full of valuable real science about these wondrous creatures. From history and behavior to spotting and photographing, there’s sure to be something for every bird fan in your flock. Young birders will learn all about migration and the importance of habitat conservation. They’ll find stories about bird rescues and fun facts about the fastest, strongest, and tiniest fliers. They’ll also discover the best bird nests, sweet songs to sing, ways to listen for and identify the birds around them, and more. Paired with stunning art and photography and beautiful design, this treasury is sure to become a classic for bird enthusiasts of all ages.
Fly with Me was created to help celebrate Year of the Bird, National Geographic’s 2018 initiative to bring awareness to the plight of birds around the world.
What I Thought: Speaking of National Geographic Kids, I would be remiss in my BUY THESE BOOKS post without mentioning this one. First off, it is visually stunning – not just the cover. The pages are packed with photography and illustrations that are feasts for the eyes.
Along with the amazing visuals in this book, there are numerous poems stories and facts, all which celebrate birds. I like that it goes through the state bird for each of the 50 states. It also starts with a history of birds in pre-historic times, bird anatomy, predators, and just the all-out beauty of birds!
This is another book you can’t go wrong with.
Now we have…
Strong is the New Pretty: A Guided Journal for Girls
Based on the book by Kate T. Parker
176 pages – ages 8 – 12
Published by Workman Publishing Company on October 30, 2018
Publisher’s Synopsis: Inspired by Kate T. Parker’s internationally bestselling Strong Is the New Pretty, which Drew Barrymore called “the first thing in a while to kind of knock me off my feet,” this guided journal invites girls ages 8 to 12 to discover and celebrate their independent, wild, silly, powerful selves.
Illustrated with favorite photographs from the book Strong Is the New Pretty (as well as more than 20 brand-new images), each page features an inspiring, interactive prompt that encourages writing, doodling, and creative self-expression:
Draw a picture of yourself as a superhero—what is your superpower?
Invent a new language, and write down some translations here.
What makes you unique? List three things about you that make you different.
As girls make their way through the journal, it becomes a source of motivation to be their most powerful selves. It’s a personal keepsake to revisit again and again.
What I Thought: This is a cool book. Because of my “job” as a reviewer, I look at a lot of journals, some geared towards guys and some towards girls. This one is one of the best I have seen that is geared towards girls. The activities and messages are empowering and thought provoking. I like that there are a lot of deep thinking prompts – like “what is something you don’t like doing, but do it anyway because it is good for you?” There are also prompts like design a t-shirt you’d like to see girls wearing everywhere, and non-typical prompts like -go outside when it’s raining and jump in mud puddles, find worm and make mud pies (okay that is pretty typical for my sister, but I am not sure how many other girls do this). The journal is packed with great activities and messages.
This is a great gift for any girl in your life.
Last BUT NOT LEAST is….
Lucy’s Lab
The Colossal Fossil Fiasco
by Michelle Houts
Illustrated by Elizabeth Zechel
112 pages – ages 7 – 9
Series: Lucy’s Lab (Book 3)
Hardcover: 112 pages
Published by Sky Pony Press on February 27, 2018
Publisher’s Synopsis: Lucy accidentally overhears her parents talking about the family getting a second pet. But what pet should they get?
At school, Lucy’s class is learning about fossils and the plants and animals that left them behind.
One afternoon, Lucy finds a special rock, and Miss Flippo gets very excited! But when Lucy’s precious fossil goes missing, everyone in Room 2C is a suspect. . . .
What I Thought: I have not read the first two books in this series, but this certainly stands alone. Houts writing is spot on for the age range of this series. I love that she weaves STEM concepts into this book., bringing the ideas of proper ways of doing research. Houts actually intertwines tow plot lines in this young-reader novel and does it quite well. It is nice to see this advanced concept executed so nicely. The two plots (one being the missing fossil and the other being Lucy’s family getting a new pet) are both quite well explained and each add facets to the over-all story. Lucy, her family and friends are all believable characters and ones that kids will relate to. Boys and girls will like this book. Zechel’s black and white illustrations throughout the book really adds to the text.
Other titles in this series are:
Book 1: Nuts About Science
Book 2: Solids, Liquids, Guess Who’s Got Gas?
All three books in this series would make an excellent gift choice for any kid on your list!
Categories: Age 1-5, Age 6-9, Age 9+, Other Stuff Related to Books and Reading
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