Ten Magical Children’s Books For Gift-Giving

Kids say and do the darnedest things. So often, they provide tender or hilarious or wonder-filled inspiration for picture books.

One day children's book author Jo Ann Kairys said she heard her granddaughters complaining about the rain as they thumped on the window. Eager to get outdoors, they waited impatiently for the storm to end. Suddenly, they pretended they were the rain. “SWOOSH! SPLAT! SWISH!” Their sounds were innocently poetic, perfect ingredients for a rhyming picture book. Putting it all together in story form is when the magic happens—a sound in just the right place, a vibrant image that brings the story alive, and characters who draw you right into their world.

There are so many wonderful children’s picture books. Kairys shared a few from 2011 that she thought have that special magic—the kind that children will love to hear and read over and over again. Some are from major publishing houses. Others are from smaller, independent publishing companies. Several have received high honors and distinctions.

Check out the photo gallery that accompanies this article for her picks of this year's 10 most magical books for gift giving. Check them out first at the Eureka Hills Branch Library.

Find more great children’s books at IndieBound Community, Goodreads, Library Thing and Scholastic.

Read and enjoy!