| Books make wonderful gifts, but it can | | | | which require a certain level of |
| be hard to select the right book. As | | | | maturity to deal with and parents will |
| publishers of children's books, we are | | | | know best whether their child is ready |
| often asked for advice on selecting a | | | | to deal with content like this. |
| book for a birthday or holiday gift. | | | | 4. If you have no clue, there are some |
| Here are suggestions about how to select | | | | topic areas that most children enjoy. |
| the perfect book to give to your niece, | | | | Humor, fairy tales, and animal stories |
| nephew, friend's child, or grandchild. | | | | have broad appeal. Our experience |
| 1. Knowing age and gender does help. | | | | indicates that Japanese manga (comic |
| Now we know you may not remember exactly | | | | books) are very popular in urban areas |
| how old the child was at their last | | | | of the US right now, but not nearly as |
| birthday, but being in the ballpark is | | | | welcome in rural areas. Manga varies |
| useful. If the child is preschool age, | | | | wildly in content from "great for kids" |
| you will choose different material than | | | | to "strictly for adults". Pay attention |
| if they are in high school. Also, if | | | | to what you select. |
| you don't see the child often enough to | | | | 5. Ask for help. Bookstores often have |
| know about their interests, knowing | | | | a bookseller who manages the children's |
| whether you are choosing a book for a | | | | book collection. This person is a |
| boy or girl can help define what type of | | | | valuable resource about the most popular |
| book will be welcome. | | | | books. They also will often know what |
| 2. Talk with the child's parents. Ask | | | | choices might work for your situation. |
| about the child's current interests, | | | | Having followed the tips above, you |
| activities, or hobbies. Books related | | | | should be able to provide the bookseller |
| to what a child is doing make great | | | | with enough information for them to come |
| gifts. You can find books specifically | | | | up with several recommendations. |
| about the topic or books which | | | | Librarians are another good resource. |
| incorporate the topic as part of a | | | | 6. "Tweeners" are a challenge. There |
| story. For instance, if the child is | | | | are lots of books for young children and |
| fascinated by snakes, you could choose a | | | | lots of books for adults, but the |
| scientifically-oriented book with | | | | in-between years of 10 to 15 years old |
| pictures and information about snakes or | | | | can present something of a challenge. |
| you could choose a story book featuring | | | | The books for young children are too |
| a snake. | | | | childish for these budding adults, but |
| 3. Be sensitive to family values. Make | | | | the books for adults tend to have strong |
| your gift a happy addition to the family | | | | thematic elements which are not |
| rather than a bone of contention. The | | | | appropriate to this age. Our best |
| most common issue is religious content. | | | | advice for this group is to buy |
| Most parents we talk to do not want | | | | classics. Authors like Robert Louis |
| books for their children which press any | | | | Stevenson, Jane Austen, or Mark Twain, |
| particular religious point of view. We | | | | the Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boy series |
| have heard this from people of all faith | | | | are all good possibilities. Writers |
| backgrounds. Other content on which you | | | | from previous eras presented material |
| would want to understand the parents' | | | | differently. |
| position, or simply avoid, include level | | | | Using these suggestions, you'll find |
| of violence, sexual content, and sexual | | | | great books to give to the children on |
| orientation. These all tend to be areas | | | | your gift list. |