2016 Holiday Gifts for Little Readers Ages 3 – 5
by Janssen Bradshaw
The holidays are swiftly approaching and with them comes the wonderful (and agonizing) process of picking the perfect books for the little ones in your life.
We’ve combed through hundreds of recent titles to find the ones that are sure to be winners not just when they’re unwrapped but for dozens and dozens of re-readings too.
And if you can’t pick just one of these amazing titles for your pre-K reader, don’t worry. We can’t either!
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For “Star Wars” Fans
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I Am a Princess
Available from:For those of us who have wanted a cinnamon bun hairstyle for the last three decades to those who are just discovering the gutsy and determined Princess Leia, this book, with its fun retro illustrations, is perfect for every “Star Wars” lover.
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Star Wars Little Golden Book Collection
Available from:All seven of the major “Star Wars” stories, from “The Phantom Menace” to “The Force Awakens,” are packaged together in this completely engrossing treasury with illustrations that bring the epic sci-fi adventure to life for readers of all ages.
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Star Wars Epic Yarns
I don’t know how any “Star Wars fan” could resist the original trilogy reproduced in yarn. With so many fun details to check out, don’t be surprised if your child asks for some yarn to make scenes of their own.
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For Animal Lovers
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Animals
There’s nothing I like quite as much as a giant book — it looks so fun wrapped up under the tree and is also perfect for lying on your stomach and poring over for the rest of vacation. Each page in this oversized book showcases a different animal from all over the world in gorgeous, eye-catching style (you’ll be tempted to rip out each page and frame it!).
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The Lion Inside
I think we’ve read this book 50 times in the past few months — my girls can’t get enough of this hilarious story of a mouse who, tired of being trampled on and ignored, decides to work up the courage to ask a lion to teach him to roar. The results are surprising and hilarious.
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The Bear and the Piano
What happens when a young bear discovers a piano in a clearing in the woods? This magical book, with illustrations that you will make your jaw drop, explores the adventures that come to the bear as he learns to play this mysterious instrument. It’s one of those incredible books with enormous appeal for both children and adults that doesn’t lessen with dozens of re-readings.
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For Hands-On Kiddos
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Give and Take
Book meets puzzle in this game of opposites where you pop out colorful shape pieces on each page to make new pictures and then turn around at the end of the book to work your way back to the beginning. If you’re doing some holiday traveling, this is a great choice to keep little hands busy on an airplane or road trip.
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Bunny Slopes
This is a brand-new one, and we’re already hooked. My girls love shaking the book to make snow fall, and tipping the pages to create a nice steep ski hill for this fearless bunny. Perfect for fans of Press Here.
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Train: A Journey Through the Pages Book
What’s better than a book about a train? A book that COMES with a train designed to run along the tracks on each page. Perfect for someone who needs to keep their hands busy while they read or someone who never leaves the house without a pocketful of vehicles.
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Christmas Stories for the Pre-K Set
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The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas
Available from:The Gingerbread Man stories are favorites for a reason and this one is perfect for Christmas, as the Gingerbread Man tries to brave the snow and cold to deliver his special holiday card. And for extra gingerbread fun, package this one with the new The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo that just came out this fall!
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Little Babymouse and the Christmas Cupcakes
I love graphic novels for those beginning readers who enjoy making their way through a longer book on their own, and Babymouse are the most popular at our house (my 3-year-old, who doesn’t read yet, loves looking through the pictures and narrating to herself).
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How to Catch Santa
Available from:What child isn’t dying to catch Santa Claus on Christmas Eve as he flies around the world delivering gifts? This dynamic sibling duo gives you all their best hints on how to do just that — do you think it will work?
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Classics to Cherish for Years to Come
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The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles
Available from:I love anything Erin Stead illustrates because it has that gorgeous classic feel — even if it was just released two weeks ago. In The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, a man lives alone, opening bottles that are found at sea and delivering those messages to their intended recipients, all the while secretly hoping for a letter to arrive addressed to him.
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The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots
Beatrix Potter wrote this book 75 years ago, but it was never illustrated. Now, all these decades later, it’s finally available with clever drawings by the inimitable Quentin Blake. It follows the story of Miss Kitty who goes out hunting at night and, like her predecessor Peter Rabbit, finds herself getting into all sorts of adventures that will delight new and old fans of Beatrix Potter.
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A Celebration of Beatrix Potter
This is the perfect book to celebrate the 150th birthday of Beatrix Potter, one of the most beloved authors and illustrators of all time. A Celebration of Beatrix Potter showcases her characters reinterpreted by other famous illustrators, along with a note from each artist sharing what her stories mean to them.
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