Top Ten Gift Ideas for Great Children's Picture Books

Books always make a great holiday gift because they can be enjoyed over and over, and even passed down for generations. Some of my most cherished books the older books I was read as a child and now read to my children. If you choose hardcover books, they will have a greater chance of standing up to the test of repeated readings and becoming a favorite to be handed down.

Books are relatively inexpensive, so they are a wonderful gift option if you have lots of kids to buy for. Check Half.com, e-Bay or Amazon Marketplace for great deals on slightly used books in great condition, or buy new for a few dollars more.

Here is a list of guaranteed kid pleasers:
1.  Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse, by Leo Leoni
A childhood favorite of mine, now I read this book to my kids and it's still a favorite. Alexander is a mouse with problems. Whenever anyone sees him, they scream and chase him with a broom. All he wants are a few crumbs. One day, he meets Willy, the wind-up mouth, Annie's favorite toy. Willy lives a life of ease and everyone loves him, however, Willy can only move when someone winds him and has to stay put most of the time. Alexander loves Willy too, but deep down inside, he is envious of his easy life.

One day, Willy tells Alexander about a magic lizard that can change one animal into another. Alexander is thrilled to think that he, too, could be a wind up mouse. But when it comes right down to it, that is not the decision that Alexander makes.

This is a cute book about realizing that the grass is not always greener on the other side. The illustrations are a funky collage style, similar in style to those of like Eric Carle, but with a lot more texture and pattern.