Christmas Book Ideas

Christmas Book Gift Guide!

Books make a great Christmas present! Whether it’s a little something to pop in the Christmas eve box, or maybe you’re looking for something that would occupy little minds on Christmas day; Books make for a lovely timeless present because they’re easy to keep and easy to pass on! (Also, books don’t need chargers or batteries, not sure if I could sell them as the ultimate present any more than that)

Here’s a few top picks I thought would suit each age group:

Bowie for Babies 0-3 years

Generally speaking, every family or friend group tends to have a Bowie fan somewhere in the mix, or at least a big 80’s enthusiast and if you don’t maybe you need to turn the new baby into one.

Jokes aside, this is a very stylish board book, if nothing else it looks great on the bookshelf, with gorgeous bright bold colours and a glossy finish. It’s easy to read and super engaging for little ones., with references to all of Bowies famous projects including The Goblin King from Labyrinth.

Practically, it’s a board book so it can withstand a decent amount of dribbling, ripping, throwing or any other forms of attempted destruction and aesthetically, I mean… Look at it!

This is a book that adults and children will delight in, a great way to introduce little ones to Ziggy Stardust and Major Tom and a lovely keepsake book for generations to come.

My Amazing Body 5-8 years

I often wish that non-fiction books for adults were as interactive and fun as children’s books, I think I would genuinely read a bit more!

This book is a great example of that, it has a moveable magnifying glass that continues throughout the whole book and shows the various layers of the body! It also describes what each part does and how they get it done.

 It’s split into easy-to-follow sections such as the digestive system, the nervous system and muscles and tendons, the information is easy to digest (…See what I did there) and especially useful for when the body and biology pop up on the curriculum. It’s also a great starter book for chats about anatomy and the right terminology for our body parts.

A fab non-fiction pick for young little ones exploring what makes their bodies work!

Illumisaurus – 7-9 years

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs!

I’m more than happy to admit that I was a dinosaur child. I had all the books, toys.. Maybe even a T-shirt somewhere and spent my Sunday nights watching Walking With Dinosaurs, I think I would have absolutely adored this book. (Still would, hint, hint mum)

This book has it all:

Dinosaurs - Check

Plants - Check

Maps - Check

Special glasses that isolate different creatures depending what colour you look through? - Check, Check, Triple Check.

Illumisaurus gives specific information about each continent and how dinosaur habitats differed depending on their location, it also pin points the locations of where different dinosaurs have been found. It also includes species guides with in-depth dinosaur info and huge, colourful, double page spreads ready for the user to put the glasses on and isolate different species to learn more about them.

This really is the perfect gift for dinosaur lovers and budding palaeontologists! Jam packed full of information but with the added interactive-ness of the glasses, Parents and children will learn so much

Spin To Survive: Frozen Mountain 8-11 years

This is a true choose-your-own adventure book that uses a compass style spinner to combine survival facts and gripping story line to create a fun game in a book. It’s an exciting activity book that kids can play over and over again.

Readers begin stuck on a mountain after an emergency plane landing and quickly need to make survival decisions based on where they are and what’s available around them. 

Older kids will love the tension of trying to escape the mountain and figuring out which survival strategy works better for each situation; and younger children will love being able to decide the outcome for themselves using the special spinner.

The compass style spinner creates a new adventure every time you play and also develops decision making skills!

Scattered throughout the book are cool facts about other survivors and explorers that have faced incredible circumstances and shown courage and determination in the face of adversity. Alongside these snippets of information you can also find more facts about the best ways to survive, including how to treat a wound and how to use the sun and moon to navigate.

Older children can play unsupervised but younger readers might need some help through wordier sections of the book. Spin to Survive Frozen Mountain is written in an exciting and dynamic way that will grip and excite young minds.

Christmas is Coming Advent Book - all ages

Reusable advent calendars are all the rage at the moment and this gorgeous book fits right into that category!  - This is also a good alternative to chocolate calendars if you’re thinking about avoiding sugar and/or plastic this year!

Christmas is Coming really is a lovely festive keepsake that includes an activity, story, craft or recipe on each page. Don’t worry there is still an element of ‘door opening’ on the front cover!

The ideas included could quickly become family traditions that can be adapted and reused year after year. There’s something for the whole family and all ages, jam packed full of stories, games, recipes and craft ideas. A great way to make each day of advent a real event.

The crafts are cost effective and uncomplicated, similarly the recipes are basic and easy to make. It’s the sort of book that would be lovely to have after a few years annotated with different family members thoughts and ideas.

How To Love - teens and up

Isn’t it wonderful when love strikes? When you encounter someone beautiful and interesting and suddenly: feelings. But what do you do when that first crush squashes you flat, when sparks fly but fizzle out, when you and your other half just don’t click together? 

Enter How to Love! Your funny, wise and very different guide to relationships of all shapes and sizes, covering topics from singlehood to jealousy to happily ever after – all delivered in Alex Norris’s clever, accessible and bright graphic style.

Full colour throughout and in an Agony Aunt format, with each chapter posed as a question – answered in comic book form. Inclusive of all genders and sexualities, and created by a queer non-binary artist.