The Perfect Gift For YOUR Grandchild written by: Laurie Esposito Harley

“If you see a book, a rocking chair, and a grandchild in the same room, don’t pass up a chance to read aloud. Instill in your grandchildren a love of reading. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give.”
~ Barbara Bush

Having a hard time choosing a gift for your grandchild? Her room is filled with every toy imaginable. She has a distinct taste in fashion that you just don’t understand. You want to get her something that she’ll really like… something she can learn from… something that will bring the two of you closer together. Consider an item that fulfills all of these goals. It’s not high tech, doesn’t require batteries, and won’t break your budget. What is this great gift? A book.

Books teach and entertain children of all ages. Even newborns benefit from being read to. But you may find the choices overwhelming. How can you pick a book that you can be sure your grandchild will like?

There are all sorts of resources available both online and off. Visit your local library for assistance in choosing a book, or go to http://www.ed.gov/Family/RSRforFamily/booklist.html to get the American Library Association’s Suggested Book List for Young Readers. This list supplies the titles and authors of books suitable for children at birth to five years of age and includes such favorites as:

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown [Birth – 8 mo]
Pat the Bunny, by Dorothy Kunhardt [8 mo – 18 mo]
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss [18 mo –36 mo]
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter [3-5 yrs]

If none of the books on the ALA’s list tickle your fancy, then head to your nearest bookstore with the following tips in mind.

Infants enjoy books with bright colors, simple pictures, or photographs of faces. Rhymes or stories with a sing-song quality are best, however descriptive picture books work well also. Books with different textures or ones that make noises are also preferred by infants. Be sure that the cover and pages are made of sturdy cardboard – or better yet, cloth or vinyl. An infant gets involved in books in ways that older children do not. Infants feel and taste their books. They throw them at the cat and use them as building blocks. Be sure the book you choose is well crafted both inside and out. Durability is essential.

Toddlers are exploring their world and increasing their vocabulary. They want to know the name of everything and are constantly asking, “What is that?” Picture books that identify objects are great for this age group. Books with repetitive words or themes are also good choices. Pop-up books go over well with toddlers, but it has been my experience that pop-up books aren’t quite sturdy enough for active two-year-olds. At this age, kids are still prone to throwing books at the cat. However, if you keep pop-up books out of reach and only read them together, you’ll both enjoy the 3-D story, and you can ensure that the book doesn’t get torn or bent, like so many of mine have. Edward Tall & Teddy Small Pop-Up Shapes & Colors by John Patience; the pop-up book that my toddler enjoys destroying.

Preschoolers are possibly expanding their social circle, and they’re learning new concepts like counting and the alphabet. They are developing a sense of humor and enjoy all that is silly. Preschoolers like making up new words and rhyming – now is the perfect time to introduce your grandchild to Dr. Seuss. Stories should focus on familiar activities – eating, getting dressed, playing. Is your grandchild getting a new sibling? Maybe he’s going to preschool for the first time. Books are the perfect way to prepare children for changes in their lives as well as open the lines of communication. At this age, children like to help, so be sure to get a book with easy-to-turn pages. Preschoolers are old enough to learn to respect their property – so cardboard pages aren’t necessary if you teach your grandchild how to carefully handle paper pages.

Elementary school age children enjoy books with chapters and books in a series – usually labeled by reading level. A good rule of thumb is the smaller the print, the older the reader. (Although as we age, this rule flips and older readers need larger print!) Also, always choose paperback books, because hardback books are more difficult to handle. The story should relate to topics they’re learning about in school, after-school clubs, or hobbies they enjoy.

High school age grandchildren are the most difficult age to select books for. Teenagers have their own tastes and styles that may change from week to week. Do not choose a book that is required reading in school. Instead pick one that has a main character that is the same sex and roughly the same age as your grandchild. It should reflect her interests, have exciting plot twists and be humorous. If you are the least bit unsure about which book to purchase for this age group, either get a gift certificate at a bookstore or simply ask your grandchild which book she’d prefer. Or even better… take your grandchild to a bookstore with a coffee shop in it and make a date out of it. Let him browse and choose his own book, then buy him a hot chocolate and spend some quality time talking – just the two of you.