OK, Becky’s requested a Christmas list, so here we go.

Picture Books

One of my all time favorites is:

• The Musical Life of Gustav Mole, by Kathryn Meyrick. I have not heard the cassette but you can get both the book and cassette for $10.19 from Amazon. I paid seventeen dollars for the paperback book in Alaska several years ago and was thrilled with it at any price.

My second pick is one I’ve not completely read:

• Tales of Trotter Street, by Shirley Hughes. The thing is that I really wanted to recommend An Evening at Alphie’s, but it’s out of print. Then I was going to go for The Big Alphie and Annie Rose Storybook, but it’s also out of print. So I figured you should just grab up anything by Shirley Hughes that you can get. Her stories and pictures are sweet and warm and wonderful. But if you can get Alphie, do. He’s a dolly.

Third I’ll go for:

• Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, by Mem Fox.

Middle Grade

Well, Narnia, of course, in any one of its many manifestations. And I guess I should mention Little House on the Prairie, too, in case you’re living in the dark ages and you’ve not yet purchased these. If that’s the case, go get the boxed sets right now. If you let your children grow up without them you’re seriously impoverishing the tykes.

Now for some new favorites:

• The Bark of the Bog Owl and The Secret of the Swamp King—books one and two of Jonathan Rogers’ Wilderking Trilogy. These are wonderful fantasies with funny, dear characters that every child should get to know personally.

Then there is:

• Landon Snow and the Auctor’s Riddle, by the up and coming RK Mortenson, who I hear is going to get a new author pic for his web site. He wants to look all dark and mysterious like David Copperfield . . . or who is that guy? . . . oh, yeah, Ted Dekker. But I don’t care about that stuff, the writing in Landon Snow is brisk and fun and skims along like a summer breeze ruffling a creek—all fresh and feathery.

And if you are looking for stocking stuffers for middle grade girls try the On Tour series, by Barb Huff:

• The Perfect Girl
• The Backup Singer
• The Songwriter
• The Secret

These are small books, just the right fit for a stocking, and the contemporary characters and situations are well suited to contemporary girls in the younger teen range. I’ve actually only read one of the books so far, but I enjoyed it.

Young Adult

I have to say I love little Artemis Fowl. He tries to pass himself off as a rotter, but really he’s a sweet little boy who loves his mother and father. And he’s a loyal friend. If you’ve not tried them, give them a shot:

• Artemis Fowl
• The Arctic Incident
• The Eternity Code
• The Opal Deception

The premise of these books is fresh and Colfer’s imagination is a blast.

Speaking of imagination, how about those kids who are half man/half dragon? Bryan Davis’ Dragons in Our Midst series is finished so you can give them all:

• Raising Dragons
• The Candlestone
• Circles of Seven
• Tears of a Dragon

Or get a super deal and buy the whole set for only $29.96 at CBD:

• Dragons in Our Midst

Kids are loving these books—how can they not love Bryan’s immense imagination?—and adults are enjoying them just as much, if not more, I think. If the fantasy-hungry kid in your life hasn’t tried this fast-paced story yet, get him this set and see if he doesn’t get hooked on Billy and Bonnie, with the comical Walter given as icing on the cake. I doubt you can get a better present for under thirty bucks.

For older teen fantasy-lovers:

• Outriders, by Kathryn Mackel. An interesting premise, memorable characters, vile and scary bad guys, innocent victims, compassionate heroes and heroines—this page-turner is very satisfying.

For teen and pre-teen girls:

• Chopstick, by Sandra Byrd. A quiet but deep book about friendship and sacrifice and making promises we can’t keep and a loving God who carries us through all our messes. Quirky, loveable characters make this a fine contemporary teen book.

OK now what about the kid who is naughty and not nice? You don’t have to drop a lump of coal in his stocking. Why get your fingers all black? Instead, buy a book that will burn as well as coal and warm the cockles of your little heart as you snuggle up to the glowing embers. Guess which one I recommend?

No, I can’t. I just got a rejection from a house I was very hopeful would buy and I think God is wanting to teach me humility. So I’ll be good and not make fun of the book that shall not be named.

You Might Also Like