by Chris W.
Member since:
September 12, 2006

Are books still Christmas presents for the young?

December 02, 2008 04:40 PM EST
views: 155 | comments: 28

This is the question that occurred to me in a recent gather conversation I was having with other adults about young adult books such as Twilight, Paper Towns, etc.

Would you ever consider giving a book as a Christmas present to a young person (under 18)? It is possible to do this and have the young person turn to you in disbelief after unwrapping it and saying (as happened to me once) "a book?!?!"  As if to say, I cannot believe that this is NOT something electronic.
The thing of it is, your copy of Guitar Hero is not going to change your life. But many of you adults out there can remember a book that changed your life. I can remember a bunch of books that changed my life when I was a child/young adult.
McElligot's Pool  by Dr. Seuss (when I was 5 years old)
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley (when I was 9)
The Chronicles of Prydain series (Book of Three, Black Cauldron, etc) by Lloyd Alexander (when I was 11)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (when I was 17)
Sophie's Choice by William Styron (When I was 46)

Your list may look different, but you probably have a list. So, would you give Holes, or James and the Giant Peach to a fourth grade nephew?  Would you give Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice to a 16 year old grand daughter?  Or is it too much work to figure out if they have it already or if they would hate it?

Or- do you not consider books right for Christmas, but rather try to give them as presents the day that they are printed, to your OWN child (example: Twilight for Stephanie Meyer fans, Brisingr for Christopher Paolini fans)?


 

 

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Comments: 28

Sheryl O. Dec 2, 2008, 5:06pm EST
Books are the best present you could ever give anyone of any age in my opinion. I have given my kids books for the holidays as well as at other occasions since they were born, and am still buying them books in their early 20's. They now create their own book wish lists on Amazon for me.

I read a stat on the elevator today that said that high exposure to electronic media is ruining our children - making them obese, lazy, mentally and physically slow, sick, etc. What better way to help your child than to give them the gift of reading?
David S. Dec 2, 2008, 5:27pm EST
Books are wonderful, but I doubt that I would be that likely to buy one for anyone as a Christmas present or any kind of present. The reason for this is that I prefer to use the library, why buy it when you can borrow it?
Chris W. Dec 2, 2008, 5:28pm EST
Sheryl thanks for your view which resembles my own.

I tried this question out on my 18 year old daughter a minute ago and she replied depends entirely on the kd in question. Many will sneer at anything not electronic, but a minority could be MORE pleased with the book. After all many DVDs are only going to be watched once, and many other electronic items are a whole lot more expensive than a book, as well as less personal as a gift.
BTW, my daughter was pleased to receive a book of Shakespeare Sonnets from her boy friend.
David S. Dec 2, 2008, 5:29pm EST
BTW I just started reading the White Mountains, from John Christopher's Tripods Trilogy, to my 5 year old son. I loved this series immensely when I was a kid, and we were at the library on Saturday and he wanted a Star Wars book, but there weren't any 'first' books in any Star Wars stories, so I thought why not. So far he is enjoying it. I think I read it when I was like 10 to 12 years old.
Chris W. Dec 2, 2008, 5:41pm EST
David- I agree with you that not all books we read should be purchased. As a librarian, I marvel when someobody brings in ten boxes of nearly new books, probably they spent $1000 on them, and then they run out of room and just donate them to us.

There are, I believe, some books that deserve gift status.- classics or titles that are suited perfectly to the personality of the recipient. I don't see giving the latest John Grisham or James Patterson thriller as a present, what's the point the recipients could go get those for themselves.
Chris W. Dec 2, 2008, 5:43pm EST
I read the Tripod series around that age too. A great combination of science fiction adventure and boy coming of age story.
DesertDarlene L. Dec 2, 2008, 5:54pm EST
I love getting books for Christmas now and even when I was a child. But, it's always good to find out if that person wants a book or is a reader in general. A lot of people just don't read or have the time to read.
Sheryl O. Dec 2, 2008, 5:58pm EST
"BTW, my daughter was pleased to receive a book of Shakespeare Sonnets from her boy friend. "

Your daughter is a very, very lucky girl. What a romantic boyfriend! :-)
Courtney C. Dec 2, 2008, 6:24pm EST
I think it's a good idea to give books, and I have younger cousins and family that have children that LOVE to read. I think it probably depends on the child.
Chris W. Dec 2, 2008, 6:28pm EST
Mariah- seems to me you are doing a great job of encouraging reading and discouraging "aliteracy"- the ability to read but the inclination not to.

Thanks Courtney.
David S. Dec 2, 2008, 7:04pm EST
That is amazing that someone would have that many books, I used to buy more books, but when they became ten bucks for a paperback I decided that I had other things to spend my money on and started using the library much more.
Chris W. Dec 2, 2008, 7:08pm EST
David- I must admit a "big money" book donation like that is rare, but people donate several bags of paperbacks pretty often and you know even that is a couple hundred bucks. yes it is a good argument for library use.
Erin S. Dec 2, 2008, 7:14pm EST
Books as gifts for children? Always. It's like feeding them vegetables with dinner instead of cupcakes. They prefer the cupcakes, of course, but it's not in their best interest.
Debi S. Dec 2, 2008, 11:18pm EST
I have given and will continue to give books as gifts to my own as well as other children in my life.
Anyone who knows me knows they should expect a book as a gift at some point in their life LOL.
Carrieanne L. Dec 3, 2008, 11:39am EST
I bought a book for my niece a couple Christmas's ago and she really enjoyed it - it was called Dandelion by Sheelagh Mawe (I worked for the author's son at that time). I used to love receiving books when I was young but I used to give my mother a list of book titles that I wanted and she would pass that on to the rest of the family members that lived out of state so they would know what to buy me. But I used to love the classics... I especially remember enjoying Huckelberry Finn, the Great Gatsby, and Gone with the Wind (it was probably the longest book I've ever read). I'm to the point now where my family keeps giving me Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas instead of actually purchasing the books anymore.

As for donating the books... I actually sell the books that I do not want anymore on ebay to make room for new books for the new year. :) Our local Starbucks that I frequent has a bookshelf too where you can donate books for others to read... I'm sticking a couple there too. But I love the library that I collected and still have most of the books that were bought to me as a child - like the Black Stallion and Charlotte's Web, so one day I'll pass those onto my kids.
Fran S. Dec 3, 2008, 2:05pm EST
I nurtured a love of books in my own children (just as my mother nurtured in my sisters and I)..... for many years as children they did not seem overjoyed with Books in the early years, but now (they are adults) they love getting AND giving books as gifts.
Karen S. Dec 3, 2008, 2:07pm EST
I read chapter books to my son all the time. He's in kindergarten this year. He's getting books for Christmas. My husband is a substitute teacher, and did a long stint of covering a maternity leave recently, and the teacher was nice enough to let him use any book credits earned if he did any of the book orders for her. Every time a class places an order, they earn credits for free books, which are already cheap. He was able to order a nice stack of books for Josh.
Athelda E. Dec 3, 2008, 2:09pm EST
Let me preface this by saying, I am an author and Home School educator. Our family(including our 11 and 13 year old daughters) spend at least 4-5 hours a week in Borders. My husband and I write there, the girls study and read. Often I see young people(under 18) pouring over books for hours at the time(not just my kids). Books are such a great escape, and I believe they unlock not only the door to imagination, but offer a platform for the rest of life. Yes, give books for Christmas and maybe it will spark a new tradition in that family!
CyberGwen ! Dec 3, 2008, 9:16pm EST
I think that books are great for kids. Their joy over the gift will depend on the kid though.
Sometimes it also depends on the book

I have turned kids into readers by just giving the right books.
Chris W. Dec 3, 2008, 10:05pm EST
yes Cybergwen, I think it is possible to turn a non reader into a reader with the right choice. It takes two things: knowledge of the kid in question, and knowledge of the right book.
Paul G. Dec 4, 2008, 1:16am EST
Yes, for God's sake, give children books. Bury them in books. And start young. Read to them in the cradle. Mother Goose is good to start. Follow up with Dr. Seuss. Innoculate them with the wonders of language and literature. Line the walls of their rooms with the written word. And unplug the TV while you're at it. (Or flip the circuit breaker and light candles, if need be.) I swear, you'll not regret it.
Herb R. Dec 4, 2008, 7:06pm EST
The plethora of electronic gadgetry available for children's gifts today would have been the stuff of science fiction when I was a child. Yet what they found iinsatiably desirable two years ago, today they find dull.

I honestly have no clue as to what's in or out, except to assume that when indulgent parents are willing to stand in block-long lines for hours to get the new widget, it must be "In."

What I do know is that I never have regrets when I buy a child a book. Even if they don't appreciate it at the time, I know I've given them something valuable that waits to be discovered rather than discarded.
Chris W. Dec 5, 2008, 9:58am EST
Herb- that is a good point. A young person can own a book for years and then suddenly pick it up experience it at the right time. It's like a seed that does not sprout until spring.
Sarah Honenberger Dec 7, 2008, 1:19am EST
Why own a book, David? Books are vicarious living, a no cost opportunity to view another place, another time, another person's reality, and often one you will never have the opportunity to experience in real life. And when you find a good one, one that speaks to you or a challenge you are experiencing, you want to own it in order to re-read it. Owning things of beauty so you can refresh that experience of wonder and emotion is one of the ways humans are set apart from animals.
M.J. P. Dec 7, 2008, 11:27pm EST
I love buying books for children. My own son is now 18 and we have very different tastes in literature, so the book buying isn't as much fun as it used to be. Fortunately, I have good friends that let me borrow their grandchildren and Christmas time. I love buying books for children 10 and under, because I marvel at the art work. I am usually as concerned with the art as I am the story. I love Pheobe Gillam, all the Fernandez family's art work, the artists for Sheree Fithch, and of course the simple drawings of Shel Siverstein are always a favourite. Even Edward Gorey's drawings for Chicken Soup are just wonderful.
M.J.
Bridget Hopper Dec 17, 2008, 12:42pm EST
Books are right for EVERY occasion. I'm an avid reader so when someone buys me a book I'm ecstatic!
James B. Dec 26, 2008, 4:50pm EST
My wife (Meghan) and I are huge fans of buying books for children. Yes, we understand that they may not read it at the time in which it is received, but if it sits in their path long enough it my find its binding being cracked. I agree with the library fans among you that it is better to borrow than to buy in most instances. However, the phyisical presence of a book in the path of a reluctat reader may be the stimulus they need. Getting to the libraray is not going to happen unless they already have the "need to read".

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