I’ll likely be back with another one or two, but this is my last planned gift guide of the 2020 season (you can find all gift guides here). I took my research seriously and ventured to two of our local independent bookstores to check out the books on their shelves.
Books we personally own are marked with an asterisk. I’ve included links to Amazon, but if you’re able to shop at your local bookstore please do.
202o Holiday Gift Guide: Books for Kids
ONE // The Color Monster: A Story about Emotions*: One day, Color Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad, and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows him what each feeling means through color. As this adorable monster learns to sort and define his mixed up emotions, he gains self-awareness and peace as a result.
TWO // Happy Right Now*: An illustrated picture book that teaches the best way to be happy is to embrace the circumstances we find ourselves in each day. Happy Right Now brings a much-needed message to kids: it’s great to feel happy, but it’s okay to feel sad sometimes too.
THREE // Be Kind*: When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind? From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.
FOUR // The Squirrels Who Squabbled*: Greedy squirrels Cyril and Bruce both have their sights on a very special prize: the last pinecone of the season. Uh-oh! The race is on!
FIVE // What We’ll Build: Plans for Our Together Future*: By Oliver Jeffers, author of Here We Are, one of our top 5 favorite books, comes What We’ll Build Together. A father and daughter set about laying the foundations for their life together. Using their own special tools, they get to work, building memories to cherish, a home to keep them safe, and love to keep them warm. A rare and enduring story about a parent’s boundless love, life’s endless opportunities, and all we need to build a together future.
SIX // We the People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained*: See the U.S. Constitution in a new light with this bold, modern and accessible illustrated guide to the document that helped define democracy. Geared towards upper elementary and middle school students, We the People is as much for me as Lawson and Sybil when they are a little older!
SEVEN // Even Superheroes Have Bad Days: All kids have trouble getting a grip on their emotions, sometimes—even young superheroes! But what do they do when they’re having a bad day? Colorful action-packed illustrations and a dynamite rhyming text reveal the many ways superheroes (and ordinary children, too) can resist the super-temptation to cause a scene when they’re sad, mad, frustrated, lonely, or afraid. I think Sybil would love this book!
EIGHT // The Word Collector*: In The Word Collector, Jerome discovers the magic of the words all around him — short and sweet words, two-syllable treats, and multisyllable words that sound like little songs. Words that connect, transform, and empower.
NINE // Grumpy Monkey Up All Night: The original Grumpy Monkey is a favorite in our house. He’s back in this bedtime story about dealing with frustration when you don’t get to do what you want!
TEN // The Bear and the Moon: The Bear and the Moon is a picture book that follows what happens when the gift of a balloon floats into Bear’s life. The two companions embark on a journey—a magical tale that encompasses the joys of friendship and discovery.
ELEVEN // Julian at the Wedding: The star of Julián Is a Mermaid makes a joyful return—and finds a new friend—at a wedding to be remembered.
TWELVE // The Dinosaur That Pooped a Planet: One boy, one space rocket, one very hungry dinosaur: the ingredients for an explosive space adventure of epic poop-portions! But when Danny realizes he’s forgotten Dino’s lunch box, the very hungry dinosaur eats everything in sight, including their only way home: the rocket! How will Dino get them back home?
THIRTEEN // Construction Site Mission: Demolition*: The newest adventure in the #1 New York Times bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series! In Construction Site Mission: Demolition!, the construction team we all know and love has an exciting job to do—smashing, crushing, sorting, hauling.
FOURTEEN // The Boy with Big, Big Feelings: Meet a boy with feelings so big that they glow from his cheeks, spill out of his eyes, and jump up and down on his chest. When a loud truck drives by, he cries. When he hears a joke, he bursts with joy. When his loved ones are having a hard day, he feels their emotions as if they were his own. The boy tries to cope by stuffing down his feelings, but with a little help and artistic inspiration, the boy realizes his feelings are something to be celebrated.
FIFTEEN // Our Class is a Family: In Our Class is a Family, kids learn that their classroom is a place where it’s safe to be themselves, it’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s important to be a friend to others.
I truly enjoy putting these gift guides to share with you all. I earn a small commission on purchases you make through my blog links. The price is the same for you either way. It works whether you buy what I linked to or other things. It makes my heart swell every single time I see a purchase has been made (no, I can’t tell who purchased, only that a purchase was made from a link). Thank you for your support!
