Dot Girl Gift Recommendations – Books!

Christmas 2013 #1

Only 17 days left for Christmas shopping!  Which means it’s time for Dot Girl to roll out our annual list of gift recommendations.  This week we are concentrating on books of which there is a perfect one for every child.  These are books that are new (to us at least) this past year – some you may have heard of, some may be new to you.  All of them are great reads.

Something to Hold by: Katherine Schlick Noe

Based on the author’s childhood growing up on Warms Springs Reservation in Oregon the book explores differences and how friendships can still grow from those differences. Winner of the 2012 Washington State Book Award for Middle Grades and Young Adults

The Book Thief by: Markus Zusak

This young adult novel (ages 14 and up) is getting quite a bit of attention later because of the movie release.  Skip the movie and read the book instead.  It is one of my all time favorites and I didn’t read it until last year, well past young adulthood.  Cleverly narrated by Death, the book demonstrates what it means to care for others while we are on this earth.

A Tangle of Knots by: Lisa Graff

Set in a magical world where everyone has a special Talent, the main character Cady – whose Talent is cake baking, embarks on a journey that may lead to her long lost parent.  Whimsical and delightful and sure to capture any young girl’s imagination. Winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Drama by: Raina Telgemeier

I’m partial to this book because our youngest son, and all his friends, are drama geeks.  He’s a college student now, but we spent years driving him back and forth to a community theater where he took part in many productions.  This book captures well the ‘drama’ of being involved in the dramatic arts – especially at the middle school level.

Three Times Lucky by: Sheila Turnage

A debut novel, this book has garnered lots of recognition, all well deserved.  Rising sixth-grader Mo LoBeau leads her small town through mystery and adventure as she investigates a murder and searches for her long lost mother.

May your daughter enjoy happy reading this Christmas season!