Thursday
Jul152010
What gifts do you give to kids?
I'm lucky to have several adopted nieces and nephews in my life (and one not-adopted-but-actually-related-to-me on the way!), but sometimes I wonder how lucky those kiddos feel to have me as their adopted aunt. And that is because, when I show up at their house for a visit, I do not bring stuffed animals, or fancy video games, or plastic toy thingies, or trendy TV character tchotkes. Instead, I bring them books. More specifically, I bring them kids' books about New York City.
This accomplishes two goals:
1) As an English major and a professional writer, I feel that I am charged with helping improve literacy in the United States and beyond.
2) It allows me to brainwash said children into falling in love with NYC, and as a result, they prod their parents into planning a visit to see Aunt Amy.
Everyone wins.
Here's a list of some of my favorites:
- 123 New York: A Cool Counting Book by Puck
- A Teeny Tiny Baby by Amy Schwartz
- A City Is by Norman Rosten and Melanie Hope Greenberg
- A Walk in New York by Salvatore Rubbino
- Lisa in New York by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben
- This Is New York by Miroslav Sasek
- 123 NYC: A Counting Book of New York City by Joanne Dugan
So what do you give the little ones in your life?
in Gift Ideas, New York City | tagged children's books about nyc | Email Article | | Permalink | 5 Comments
Reader Comments (5)
I love Joanne Dugan's ABC NYC - I bought several copies at the Strand when I was in the City last spring for all the nieces and nephews. I live far away so I try to send them books that are specific to the various cities I visit during my travels.
Nicholas--last time I gave that book, the mommy kept it for herself! (-: It's a great one...
Books (of course) and Automoblox. Love Automoblox!
Love, love, love NYC children's books! The bonus - parents love them equally as much, as these precious books bring us to NYC each time we read them with children! (We secretly get a nice, relaxing and sometimes necessary mental vacation.)
XOXO
Adding this to this list: http://kickcanandconkers.blogspot.com/2010/09/subway.html