The 10 best children's books that are a perfect gift for young readers!
It’s never to early to bond with your child over a book. Here are our picks for the 10 best children’s books that you can gift to the ray of sunshine in your life.
Long before we were waiting on a letter from Hogwarts, or taking expeditions to search for the wardrobe door to Narnia, our imagination was occupied with thoughts of flying pixies, magical lamps and talking animals that all lived in enchanted lands far, far way.
Today, we take a look at some of our favorite childhood books, which are an absolute must-reads for young book enthusiasts, and make perfect gifts for any home library.
Peter Pan and Wendy
Alice in Wonderland
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Complete Poems for Cristopher Robin
The Little Prince
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
The Jungle Book
Grimm's Fairy Tales
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Arabian Nights
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Peter Pan and Wendy
Ever since it first came out more than a century ago, the story of the never-aging Peter Pan has captivated the imaginations of young readers around the world. For me, it was the ultimate tale of boyhood adventure - fighting pirates, befriending fairies and following your dreams without worrying of ever growing old.
Alice in Wonderland
"Lewis Carroll possessed an unforced genius for the most brilliant nonsense and deliciously mad dialogue" - Guardian.
I couldn't have said it better myself. The world that Carroll created is a monument to the boundless reach of our imagination. Filled with quizzical conversations and bizarre creatures, Wonderland is a magical place where nonsense and logic walk hand in hand, making it one of the most imaginative tales ever written.
The Velveteen Rabbit
Margery Williams's everlasting tale of the power of love was a favorite of mine growing up. Surprisingly, my wife had never heard of it until she watched an episode of the hit TV series FRIENDS, where an entire segment is dedicated to Chandler's quest for finding a first edition copy of the book to impress his current love interest. Taking a page out of the show's playbook, I got her a copy of the book and although it wasn't a first edition, it quickly became one of my wife's favorite stories.
This year actually marks the one century anniversary of the tale of one cloth rabbit's quest to become "real", and of teaching young readers that the strongest magic in the world is none other than love.
The Complete Tales and Poems for Winnie the Pooh
Every once in a while, the literary world is treated to a book that speaks as profoundly to adults, as it does to children.
Such is the case of the one written by A. A. Milne for his son Christopher Robin in the 1920s. The adventures and unbreakable friendships of Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Tiger have become one of the most widely recognized symbols of childhood innocence and will continue to captivate audiences young and old alike for ages to come.
The Little Prince
The Little Prince was one of the first books that I can remember my parents buying for me. To give some context, I have two older brothers who already had shared numerous books (and toys) with me up until that point, but this classical tale by Antoine de-Saint-Exupéry was bought and gifted to me specifically. To this day, I still possess and treasure that same copy, which although having suffered through some substantial wear and tear by its many re-reads (and my chocolate covered paws, apparently) still holds a nostalgic sentiment as one of the defining stories of my childhood.
The book tells the story of the Little Prince, who lived alone on a very small planet. One day, tired of being alone, he leaves on a journey across the stars to explore the mysteries of life, love, loss and questionable grown-up logic, eventually finding out that sometimes there truly is not other place like home.
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Many stories from our childhood and early teens featured magical, almost incomprehensively powerful antagonists that sometimes seemed larger than life and nearly impossible to vanquish.
Yet no other villain has ever had such a lasting impact on my psyche as Cruella de Vil. Mainly, because she was so real and plausible - as I grew older, I have unfortunately found that there are many real-life Cruella's in this world and they don't always get their just deserts. But sometimes, as in the enchanting tale from Dodie Smith, goodness prevails and justice is served - and all that in time for Christmas.
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book is probably one of the most famous works on this list, having been adapted to numerous stage and screen productions, including the 1967 Disney movie of the same name, which still makes me hum "Bare Necessities" every time I think of it.
It tells the story of a boy, who after being chased by the tiger Shere Khan is rescued by a wolf pack and raised as one of their own. Along the line he makes friends with Baloo the Bear and Bagheera the black panther, who take it upon themselves to truly teach Mowgli, and the readers, about the laws of the jungle and the meaning of family.
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Close your eyes for second and think about your most favorite works from Disney. The Marvel movies are probably up there and a lightsaber or two likely came to mind.
But before the age of Jedi and superheroes, Disney captivated audiences around the world with stories about Snow White, The Sleeping Beauty and the Little Red Riding Hood. So would it surprise you to know that the entertainment giant owes a big chunk of its success to the works of two German brothers, who lived in the 19th century?
The brothers Grimm dedicated their lives to collecting traditional tales from Northern Europe, which might have otherwise been lost to the annals of history. But thanks to the duo's tireless efforts, audiences all over the world get to enjoy tales like The Frog Prince, Rapunzel, and Hansel and Gretel. Not to mentioned their iconic Disney adaptations. The brothers' influence on Western culture is so strong that their works are still considered some of the most important contributions to literature.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
When you think of Kansas, three things usually come to mind - sunflower fields, beef, and the adventures of Dorothy, the Wicked Witch of the West and, of course, Toto.
One of the best-loved children stories of all time, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz takes us from the fields of Kansas to the magical land of Oz, where monkeys fly, scarecrows can live without a brain, tinmen live without hearts and a particular lion lives without courage. We follow the story of Dorothy, who must find the Great Wizard of Oz, help her friends reclaim what they've lost, and, hopefully, find a way to return back home to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Arabian Nights
Which one of us hasn't been amazed by reading the seemingly never-ending stories told by Scheherazade to her husband, each one more deviously inventive and exuberant that the last?
One of our favorite books of all time, The Arabian Nights made us fall in love with Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad, and their world of mysticism, magic lamps, all-powerful sultans and fantastical beasts.
What do you think of our list for the 10 best children’s books that are a perfect gift for young readers? Did we miss any of your favorites? Make sure to tell us in the comments below!