(Part 2) Top products from r/SantasLittleHelpers

So, given the recent kerfluffle about people entering contests too much, feel free to disregard this one but my books are my prized possessions and I had to write this.

I love love LOVE this!

I was a rare and antique book dealer, many moons ago, and am happily wrapped in a sever case of bibliophilia so I can't agree more that books are something to be treasured.

When I was a child, back when dirt was the latest and greatest thing, I made a promise to myself that I would read at least an hour a day. For pleasure! Not just the newspaper or the like. I'm still proud to say that since the age of 12 I have done just that. I will go without sleep for an hour just so that I can read.

Good on you for this one. Good on you tea.

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The books that I want EVERY child to read are a bit. . . different.

I recently fell in love with Pat Rothfuss and have devoured his books as soon as they come out. His latest release is something of a departure. A small novela called The Slow Regard of Silent Things in which a minor character from his main series is spotlit in a unique way.

This book, in my opinion, can (and does) help children to understand that different isn't always bad. That feelings are both important and personal. That sometimes having things be just right is the right thing to do. The language isn't difficult, it's a BLAST to read out loud with someone, and can be enjoyed by just about every genre reader of any age!

My next choice is a more traditional choice for children. But not for the traditional reasons!

Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland!

This is one that I think is so overlooked by people of every age. And that's so sad for me. Carroll may, well. . . let's be honest here he DID, have some issues but something that I think he got spot on was his ability to make both the absurd and silly MEANINGFUL though his words and stories!

Through all the adventures and the creatures and the characters something that is telling throughout the whole of the story. . . Being a child is fun! It should be fun! Because if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong!

I have personally read these stories dozens of times. For myself, for my nieces and nephews, and more again for me!

Last choice is one that I may have to defend here.

The greatest introduction to space, sci-fi, fantasy, and. . . towels!

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Gude to the Galaxy by the amazing Douglas Adams!

In my opinion the story alone is broad enough to engage children, as well as young adults, as well as teens, due to the simplicity of characters and the variety of situations.

But!

The more often you read these books the better they get! The more you learn about the world at large the funnier the books get!

When I first read Hitchhiker's I was a mere lad of 10 and thought it was a cute book. When I read it again at age 16 I thought it was hysterical! At 21 it was a thought provoking comedy in the vein of Shakespeare! At 25 I thought 21 year old me was a tool, but thought the books were great!

The more you read them, or have them read to you, the better they get!

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I also wanted to point out this article on the front page of /r/books from the NYT that talk about one of the best things you can do for a child is to own books. Shelves full of books!

So thank you for doing this. Thank you very much.

Oh my goodness... This is my kind of contest! Even before I ever had kids of my own, reading has always been the number one priority with any children I worked with (I was a nanny).

As soon as I found out I was having a baby, I was all about the books. My baby shower was a book baby shower, asking for books instead of cards so I could start his library.

His birth announcement pictures were all about the books. His nursery is book themed (with a touch of woodland animals). Since day one, we have been reading to him and letting him read to himself. Charlie LOVES BOOKS!

Of course, all of those pictures are from when he was not able to go grab a book by himself. Now he is 16.5 months and will gladly sit and read by himself at any time of day. Even when he's supposed to get in the bath...

As you might expect, his wishlist is full of books I want to read him.

Here is a video of him last week. I was spying on him with his baby cam, and just loved his little reading process. He did this for about twenty minutes, getting books off the shelf, reading them on his chair, then putting them back. :)

I guess what I'm trying to convey is that if we won this contest, the books would be well used and well loved.

As for the other part of the contest- what books would I recommend? That is a very loaded question...

I guess, on the 3 year old end, I would recommend The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It was actually adapted from an Oscar winning short film. It's a book about books, and the journey they can take you on throughout you life. The art is captivating, and the story is magnificent.

Moving on to the older child, I would have to recommend My Side of the Mountain. It's a classic book about coming of age and independence. I find this is a good book to gift a 8-9-10 year old reader, as it is one that will really immerse them in an adventure they want to relate to.

Since my final book would also have been "Le Petit Prince" (LOVE the French version too!), I will defer to The Giver. It seems like such a gimme, but it really is a book that every child should read.

I know books are available for free at the library, but, like you said, there is something different about owning your own. I understand if I am precluded from this contest on the grounds that we already have "enough books", but in my world, there are never enough books. Also I really wanted an excuse to share all his cute baby book wall pictures!

Thank you for this fabulous contest!

TL/DR: I'd love to enter my son Charlie in this contest. We love books! :)

Edit: format

I've never entered things like this, but it caught my eye and we could use the help! My 6 year old son is in first grade. I'm worried his learning has declined because he's behind with words and lacks true interest in reading! I think these books would help and be fun for him! I'm a single mama on a fixed disability income. Your gift will make a kid very happy! Thank you for doing this!

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Purple-Book-Beginner-Books/dp/0307975878/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1543125165&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Boys+reading+beginning+reader&dpPl=1&dpID=51AtAI9c0iL&ref=plSrch

Gifts for Babies/Toddlers

• Spin and Learn Color Flashlight
  
• Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket
  
• Turn & Learn Driver
  
• Tap n’ Learn Hammer
  
• Singin’ Soccer Ball
  
• Click & Count Remote
  
• Baby’s Learning Laptop
  
• Take Along Tunes
  
• Cinderella Carriage Pull Toy
  
• Octopus Bath Toy
  
• Stack & Sing Rings
  
• Number Blocks
  
• Texture Ball Set
  
• Roll n' Swirl Ball Ramp
  
• Laugh & Learn Lantern
  
• Lil' Critters Ferris Wheel
  
• O Ball Rattle
  
• Touch & Teach Elephant Book
  
• Caterpillar Stacking Cups
  
• Catch & Count Net
  
• O Links Rattle
  
• Bendy Ball
  
• Shape Sorter and Stacker Bundle
  
  Gifts for Mom
  
  
• Love You Mom: Colouring Book
  
• Burt’s Bees Toes and Hands Kit
  
• Family Tree Picture Frame
  
• What I Love About Mom: Fill In The Blank
  
• MOM Picture Frame
  
• Mom Butterfly Sun Catcher
  
• Superpower Mug
  
  
  Gifts for Dad
  
  
• DAD Picture Frame
  
• Favourite Child Mug
  
• World’s Greatest Dad Parking
  
• Best Dad Ever Mug
  
• What I Love About Dad: Fill In The Blank
  
• Sh*t My Dad Says
  
• Working Hands Creme
  
• Potty Golf Set Gag Gift
  
  Gifts for Grandma
  
  
• Grandma Keepsake Box
  
• NANA Picture Frame
  
• I Love You, Grandma Book
  
• Grandma’s Book of Crosswords
  
  Gifts for Grandpa
  
  
• PAPA Picture Frame
  
• Grandpa Grilling Apron
  
• Grandpa’s Book of Crosswords
  
• Grandpa Mug

We have 4 children, and I'd like to nominate my 9 year old daughter for this prize. She is so helpful and compassionate. When she has money, she hardly ever spends it on herself. She will almost always buy one of her siblings something instead. She goes out of her way to help others, even strangers. The one thing she really wants from her wish list is one of the Warrior Cat books listed on it. Thank you for this contest. Here is her wishlist: http://a.co/5gKhsS7 and here is one of the books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062366971/?coliid=I3UA7JLVUZEQ8A&colid=T6QITKI13PDR&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it. Merry Christmas!

My 3 year old loves me to read to him and tries to read to me as well, we have TONS of LGBs on his list! I'm slowly trying to expand his small library, I'm getting really, really tired of The Hungry Caterpillar.


We have wishlisted:

Go To Sleep Little Dragons
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0307929574/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=38QNUV09XHD6D&coliid=I346SMDHRF4FLF

I'm a T-rex!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0375858067/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_2?colid=38QNUV09XHD6D&coliid=I3T1U2K0CVYIZU

Robots, Robots, Everywhere
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0449810798/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_3?colid=38QNUV09XHD6D&coliid=I3GFAWHZ6C0IKU

A Roaring Adventure (Toy Story)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736429077/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_4?colid=38QNUV09XHD6D&coliid=ID3O7LM2R16LJ


Can you tell he loves dinosaurs? ;)

Yes! Its This one right it seems everyone loved little bear!

This would be amazing, I've been wanting this Study Bible for a while but haven't been able to buy anything extra for myself.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310434092/?coliid=I2R8552XYX9FRT&colid=3MUU8OVGANT2I&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I'd like to enter my husband for this please https://www.amazon.com/KFiAQ-2019-Scraper-Windshield-Cone-Shaped/dp/B07ZPC9TMW/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?keywords=magic+ice+scraper&qid=1574198053&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sprefix=magic+i&sr=8-14 it would make his mornings before work so much easier as we dont have a ice scraper so he usually ends up using a old card and tying to drive with only a patch scraped off.