best bets when buying books + a giveaway! #aSIMPLEChristmas

What kinds of things go under your tree each year? I’ve heard this “rule” when it comes to buying gifts for your kids–something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to READ! While I don’t always follow that advice exactly, one thing that I ALWAYS have under the tree for my kids is something to read. Books have a huge place in my heart and my home. I love to read and I hope to pass on that love to my kids.

I have to admit, my older kids go through books so quickly that we often use our local library to stock up on books. Purchasing every single book they read seems a bit much. Here is my rule for buying books–if the book is a reference book that I know we will refer to time and time again, if the book can be written in, if the book includes extra items beyond the book itself, board books or books for my youngest who might bite or rip the pages, heirloom books or books I just want to be able to keep on our shelves. I was so happy to find the books for under our tree at Downtown Bookworks this year.

Downtown Bookworks is made for moms like me–those of us who like our books to work “double duty”–entertaining while educating. All of their books have major kid-appeal. They aren’t books you just read once and are finished with. These books go beyond just words on the page. There are field books, craft kits, activity books, cookbooks and a slew of great PBS Kids titles. I decided to get my kids books from the PBS Kids collection–one for my bug lover, one for my nature/craft girl and one for my little guy who is always asking about the birds we hear.  I love that these PBS kids kits have an informational book and also extra items to take your learning even further.

Let’s take a look at Super Simple Crafts :: Sticks and Stones.  In this collection, you get a fully illustrated book with ideas for 50 different nature crafts–from fairy houses to coneflower hedgehogs–and some extras to help make those crafts like paint, glue, felt and googly eyes.  Take a look at some of the sample pages in the book–so cute!

My 8-year-old son loves bugs.  We spend a huge portion of our summer catching grasshoppers and looking for other bugs in the backyard.  Look and Learn Insects comes with a 64-page book that helps identify insects and also a laminated card with common insects.  I can totally see us referring to that card a lot over the summer!  What I love best is that it comes with a magnifier jar.  So once we catch the bugs, we can take a really close look at them before we release them.

My 4-year-old always notices the world around him.  He loves to listen for birds and try to identify them.  Unfortunately I’m not really helpful at this since I really don’t know much about birds.  So this Look and Learn Birds is perfect for us! I can help him look through the guide to see what birds we see and hear.  In addition to the 64-page book, there is a laminated checklist so we can keep track of the birds we see, an activity poster and also a super cool set of binoculars (what kid doesn’t love looking for things with binoculars?!)

Also in the PBS Kids collection is this Do It Myself Cookbook.  It includes recipes safe enough for young kids to prepare, step by step illustrations and a set of measuring cups and spoons.  How fun would this be for your budding chef?

A SIMPLE GIVEAWAY

Downtown Bookworks is giving away the PBS Kids Title of your choice to one SIMPLE reader!
a Rafflecopter giveaway