Books For Christmas by Mrs. Emanuel

Tantalising images of brightly coloured book treats are setting my social media feeds alight! It's such an exciting time of the year for book buyers, story lovers and school librarians alike and this blog aims to suggest gifts that I hope will be enjoyed by families together at Christmas and cherished for a long time beyond.  

All links are to bookshop.org supporting independent bookshops, and I would recommend Crocus Books and Gifts in Gerrards Cross, Chorleywood Bookshop and the gorgeous new Waterstones Uxbridge on the Lower Mall of the Chimes which has an excellent range for children including many of the books mentioned here. 

 

For the youngest children, Five Little Fingers: A Collection of Finger Rhymes is a sturdy board book with delightful and easy to follow instructions for actions and movements.  Oh Dear, Look What I Got, is the new classic from the We’re Going on a Bear Hunt team, with simple words and pictures to pore over. You Choose Christmas enables children to create their own stories page by page. Super fun, easy to play with family members of all ages and it will amuse a child reading on their own. Another festive delight for all is The Boy Who Grew Dragons: A Christmas Delivery.  

Dipping into non-fiction is a brilliant way to engage children and there is an abundance of lavishly illustrated and cleverly designed books for primary ages. The Cosmic Diary of a Space Explorer, Astrophysics for Supervillains, and the flap book See Inside AI, are all accessible, highly illustrated and jam-packed with facts. Animals, dinosaurs and insects are always popular in the library; these books are stunning; Book of Dinosaurs, An Animal a Day  and The Secret World of Spider Webs are all on my wish list! The excellent Talking History features inspiring speakers, their rallying speeches and their stories, and the entertaining Lost in History, is a very funny Where’s Wally-type spotting book.  

From facts to fiction now via highly illustrated novels. Rune 1 and Rune 2 are very popular among Year 5 and 6, who might like to try the fantasy Warrior Cats series, or the quirky Boss of the Underworld. Everyone will love the joyful and vibrant Happy Hills series too! An excellent seasonal gift and a must for every bookshelf is a collection of myths – try the beautiful Greek Myths and the remarkable Storyland: Britain Began with Myths...  

When it comes to longer fiction reads, new “classic” immersive fantasy books include The Boy to Beat the Gods, Spirit Warriors, Mayowa plus the brilliant Kingdom of the Sea by Zohra Nabi, who also penned my current favourite, the Victorian mystery Deep Dark. Murder mystery continues to be popular; a festive choice is The Very Merry Murder Club, a collection of stories by different authors. For history and adventure fans (young and old) Safiyyah's War is perfect. The Girl Who Raced the World is a dramatic re-imagining of Around the World in 80 Days, and is published with beautiful end papers and map details; a lovely gift.  

I hope I have covered all ages and tastes! If you are able, take a family trip to your local bookshop or your local library this festive season, and enjoy choosing books to read as a family. Taking time out to read aloud a shared story, or curling up side by side to read your own books will create a sense of warmth and togetherness that will last much longer than the holidays.  

Happy reading!