A gift guide for aunts and uncles
Books for kids of all ages if you want to rule the holidays.
A couple weeks ago, I spent the weekend with two of my oldest friends who have younger kids, and we talked a ton about the impending holidays and the blizzard of gifts in the forecast. One of these friends lives in a dual Hanukkah-Christmas household, so it was a polar vortex of gifts. Humans, how did we get into this situation. I need a generational analysis. Do any of us want this much stuff? I don’t even really think so! (My friends and I said to each other as we stared in each other’s eyes with a mixture of dejection, fear, and steely determination.)
Another data point: I am an extremely proud aunt of both the real and fake variety! So I am scarily quick to turn on a dime from, “How can I reduce the things that come into our home!” too “Oooo, what would a beloved niece like for me to put right into their home!”
I get it, fellow hypocrites! You want to give gifts! Here’s the thing: Books make great gifts! They’re cheap, they don’t take up much room, and they provide many more hours of enjoyment. Or maybe your book doesn’t land with this kid! That’s OK too—they won’t think any less of you, I promise. (Try asking a kid who gave them what last year.)
I polled some parents and children of various ages for gift recommendations. They were very enthusiastic. Whether you’re a real aunt or uncle, or just an enthusiastic friend of the family, click, buy, or take this to your local bookstore. Fa la la!
Do you have friends who need help with this very situation? Forward this email to them or share on your socials by hitting the button below!
Babies and Tods
Press Here — Herve Tullet
Very Good Hats — Emma Straub
Giraffes Can’t Dance — Giles Andreae
All these came courtesy of Jo (nearly 1)!
Poppy and Vivaldi — Magali Le Huche
This is an interactive one with music, and a fave of Oscar (2), and I know this because I was sent a video of him dancing along.
Luminous — Julia Kuo
This is about bioluminescence and looks amazing. Thanks, Anya (2)!
Little Blue Truck — Alice Schertle
This comes courtesy of Eliza (3)!
Elementary age kids
Dumpling Day — Meera Sriram
Yellow Bird, Black Spider — Dosh Archer
Thank you, Olive, and happy late 6th birthday!
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales — Various
Special thanks to Lester, age 8. There are tons of these, and we got into them, too. Pick whichever one sounds the most fun. Trick question, they’re all fun. History is fun.
Young adults
The Girl Who Drank the Moon — Kelly Barnhill
Vivian (11) is a ferocious reader (that’s her actual library haul pictured above) and sent me this one and the next two, when I asked her the question I wish anyone had asked me at her age, “What’s something you wish everyone would read that they’re not reading?” Vivian reads I am sort of not joking, literally everything—like I’m not even sure what would be left in a library if this the result of one singular library visit, then I think we can trust her.
The Ogress and the Orphans — Kelly Barnhill
Dragons and a town called Stone-in-the-Glen. You know the kid in your life this is for.
Basil and Oregano — Melissa Capriglione
This is from the back of the book, which means I will be reading it: “Mix two parts The Great British Bake Off with one part magical boarding school plus a generous dash of romance, and you’ve got Basil and Oregano, a sweetly delicious lower young adult graphic novel.”
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst — Jaclyn Moriarty
This one comes to you from another voracious reader named Zahra. I’ve been told by Zahra’s mom that I also have to read this and that I will instantly want to read all the rest of them and possibly cry. She was very insistent! I will read it! Insistence is the language I understand best!
The Rise of Kyoshi — F.C. Yee
My child, who will be 12 next week, just finished this, and I’ll just go ahead and say it, he borrowed it from me. It’s a prequel to the Avatar: the Last Airbender TV show, which is possibly my favorite intellectual property to exist. This is technically YA but skews a little bit older, even. You get this for a teenager, or even an adult—anyone who loves Aang and the gaang. It’s fantastic.
But Susan, I need gifts for grown-ups!
Sure, sure, I’ve got an entire spreadsheet for that—if you’re an EELS subscriber, I’ll give you access to it. It’s free, it’s easy, maybe it’ll help!
OR reply to this email, tell me some info about the recipient (what kinds of books they’re into, what other content they like) and ask for help! It would be my pleasure to assist.
Next week, back to our regular format, and I’ve got a great theme for you. Just wait.
That was the thirty-first EELS! I would be just so grateful if you’d share widely with your networks! As always, send any and all questions, feedback, and shouted book recommendations by hitting reply.
📚 Susan
Love these recommendations. We always talk about how we want someone to start a food truck where all they sell are the various dumplings and dumpling-ish foods of the world.