Books make great Christmas gifts

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Books and magazine subscriptions make great Christmas gifts. Here are my suggestions of books that will help the young people in your life know that they matter.

Magazine subscriptions

The first idea is to give magazine subscriptions that continue through the entire year. I highly recommend Brio for teen girls, Clubhouse for kids 8-12, and Clubhouse Jr. for kids 4-7.  For more information and to order, visit https://store.focusonthefamily.com/magazines/. My children loved these magazines as they grew up. My girls still subscribe to Brio. These magazines are packed with articles that encourage growing in Christian faith and knowing how valuable each person is. I enjoy them as well.

A children’s book for a senior student

Karen Kingsbury’s children’s book, Let Me Hold You Longer makes a nice gift for your child who is about to graduate high school. While young children will enjoy the book, embracing how far they have come and where they are going, this book speaks volumes to the graduate about how fast time goes and how much they are loved. Every time I read this book, I cry so it may take several more readings for me to get past all that emotion. We mark a child’s firsts with celebrations and photographs or write ups in baby books, but the lasts sneak past us unnoticed at first.

Books for female teens

For those who have ever worked through struggles of proving themselves, Tinsel in a Tangle by Laurie Germaine is a fun young adult novel. It’s a perfect read for December, of course, since Tinsel is an elf working for Santa. I think you’ll love Tinsel. To learn more about Laurie Germaine, visit her at https://www.lauriegermaine.com/.

Victoria Kimble’s The Main Dish is a young adult novel about a talented violinist who achieves her dream of being the youngest person to get a seat at an important community festival, but she has to give up her place for her younger sister, Sadie, who is chosen to be on a nationally televised cooking show. This is a story of Scarlet’s struggles with her sacrifice and the discoveries she makes along the way. Even when we feel outshined by someone else’s success, it doesn’t mean we have any less value. To learn about Victoria Kimble, visit her at https://www.victoriakimble.com/.

In Porch Swing Girl by Taylor Bennett, Olive is still reeling from the death of her mother, when her dad leaves her and her sister in Hawaii with her grandma for the summer. While wrestling with her own grief she makes friends with other kids her age and discovers that helping others through their trials makes her stronger as well. This moving story highlights how each of us can make a difference in someone else’s life even while working through our own pain. To learn more about Taylor Bennett’s books, visit https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17673045.Taylor_Bennett.

Books for boys

Tim Shoemaker’s books, Code of Silence, Back Before Dark, and Below the Surface keep the reader turning the pages, trying to guess who the guilty party is. Intense scenes keep the reader riveted. The three boys and girl struggle with and work through fears caused by their adventures.

Glenn Haggerty’s books: Escape, Run, and Chase offer kids more exciting and thrilling adventure. The third one is especially intense. I’m currently suspicious of certain vehicles now because of it.

The Barn Burner by Patricia Willis and Sparrow Hawk Red by Ben Mikaelsen are other adventures boys will enjoy. In The Barn Burner, a runaway boy accused of burning a barn proves his innocence and learns something about himself and his father in the process. In Sparrow Hawk Red, Ricky gets into all sorts of danger as he tries to get justice for his mother’s death. He learns some unforgettable lessons in the process.

More books for boys and girls

Mary Hamilton has written three books set at camp: Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, and See No Evil. Read my reviews about these books here.

I reviewed The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia Toney in this blog and her series for girls in this blog. She has written other books, so please visit her website for an update.

I recommend Burton Cole’s humorous books for kids 8-12. Please read this blog for a full review.

For more book recommendations, see my post about favorite children’s books.

Well, that gives you a good start, wouldn’t you say? What books will you add to the list? Please share. I love learning about good stories.

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Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash.