Books for Christmas

Merry Christmas!!! Christmas is not just one day… it's a whole season! And one of the gifts we love to give our kids to last the whole season is a stack of books on Christmas Day.

One question I get asked frequently is what they my kids are reading. I can't publish the books I plan to give my kids for Christmas before Christmas because all of my big kids read my blog. So there would be no surprise. My kids have always been voracious readers so they go through books like crazy using a plethora of paperbacks, ebooks, library books, and audiobooks to sustain them. We allow for a little fluff now and then but most of the books they read are classics. Some of the books we give them for Christmas are books they've already read but loved so much that they want to have their own copy. Some are books that they've never read before. Here are the books each child received this year {all links are affiliate links}…

Yes, there are a lot. Don't judge. ;) If you wanted to give your kids books, you don't have to give them as many. I started buying books (some new, some used) back in July and I try to give each child the same number. As my husband just said, "If there is one thing I will always overindulge our kids in… it will be books."

~The Professor~
(age 16 going on 17)

Legions of Rome: The Definitive History of Every Imperial Roman Legion (recommended by his Latin teacher)

Sword and Serpent

Scribblers, Sculptors and Scribes (also Latin teacher recommended)

The Ballad of the White Horse (illus. by Ben Hatke)

The Ball and the Cross (illus. by Ben Hatke)

A Year With C. S. Lewis

The World of Odysseus (recommended by a good friend)

and some very special, mind-blowing, he never expected in a million years books...

A 50th edition copy of The Lord of the Rings (he's been eyeing this copy for years) and a hardcover copy of The Silmarillion… his two absolute favorite books in the whole wide world. He's only had a digital copy of The Silmarillion and his LOTR paperback was falling apart from near daily use. These books totally blew his mind. I love that about him.

~Sunshine~
(age 15)

Tasha Tudor's Heirloom Crafts

The Ultimate Hairstyle Handbook: Everyday Hairstyles for the Everyday Girl

DIY Braids

The Secret Garden (illus. by Tasha Tudor)

A Little Princess (illus. by Tasha Tudor)

The Cranford Companion

the whole Boston Jane Series

Sense and Sensibility DVD (this was part of a set… 

Sunshine received Sense and Sensibility, Rain got Persuasion).

~Rain~
(age 14)

The Hobbit Chronicles: The Battle of Five Armies

Tales from Shakespeare

Doodle-Stitching

Quidditch Through the Ages

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Cranford

Penengro

and Writing Magic 

(and Persuasion DVD ~ not pictured)

~BigBoy~
(age 10)

The Book With No Pictures (hilarious!!!)

Sisters of the Last Straw: the Case of the Haunted Chapel

Sisters of the Last Straw: The Case of the Missing Novice

King Oberon's Forest

The Castle in the Attic

Lord Brocktree

High Rhulain

Shepherds to the Rescue

Danger at Sea

Braving the Storm

~Cupcake~
(age 3)

Dream Animals
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Catholic Churches Big and Small
A Story of St. Catherine of Alexandria
Snowflakes: A Pop-up Book
Meet the Neighbors
One Year With Kipper
Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How A First Lady Changed America.
And…

Julia's House For Lost Creatures
(which was promptly passed around to everyone.)
 This one is definitely in the "give this away to every child you know" category.

~From godparents and grandparents~

Brick Shakespeare (huge hit with everyone! There is a whole series to explore!)
Tea With Jane Austen
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The Manger Mouse
The Empire Striketh Back
The Jedi Doth Return (BigBoy's godparents gave him
William Shakespeare's Star Wars for his birthday back in May. These were also a big hit with everyone.)
and The Owl and the Pussycat (not pictured
because I think Miss Cupcake ran away with it)