Books Giveaways

Books at Every Birthday

Tee Turns Five

In our house, every birthday, Christmas, and celebration that comes with presents, come with books. Our friends at Raincoast Books were kind enough to send us this selection of books perfect for celebrating a fifth birthday! In the last two or three months, Tee’s reading skill has grown by leaps and bounds, and giving her age-appropriate and engaging books encourages that development and fosters her love of reading.

One of my favourite things to do lately is to curl up with Tee and let her read to me. I catch her reading to her little sister too, and I’m just so proud of her.

Goodnight Darth Vader by Jeffrey Brown

Goodnight Darth Vader by Jeffrey Brown

Star Wars and parenting go together like C-3PO and R2-D2. That’s why we’re big fans of Jeffrey Brown’s Star Wars comics around here. Last Father’s Day, Tee gave a copy of Darth Vader and Son to Daddy. They’ve enjoyed reading it together several times, so I knew Tee would love her very own Darth Vader book. In Goodnight Darth Vader, Vader tells Luke and Leia a bedtime story in rhyming couplets about how the other Star Wars characters go to bed. Will it work? Who will fall asleep first?

Goodnight Darth Vader - Episode Eight 8 P.M.: BEDTIME

How to Speak Wookiee by Wu Kee Smith, illustrations by JAKe

How to Speak Wookiee by Wu Kee Smith

This book is just so much fun! Ever wanted to know what to say to a Wookiee on public transportation?  In the cantina? At the park? The plastic Wookiee head on the front has 10 buttons, and each roars a distinct Wookiee phrase so you can hear and practice your pronunciation. (Thankfully, the batteries are replaceable so you’ll never end up speechless on your next Kessel run.)

How to Speak Wookiee - press the buttons to hear authentic Wookiee phrases

More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt, illustrations by Troy Cummings

More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt

This picture book establishes what most of us have known for a long time. We need more bears! Against his better judgement, the author introduces more and more bears into the story. How many bears will fit into this book? A lot! This is a really fun interactive book. Both Tee and Kay love shouting out, “More bears!” as we read it together.

Press Here & Mix It Up! by HervΓ© Tullet

Press Here by HervΓ© TulletMix It Up! by HervΓ© Tullet 

These last two books are family favourites. In a time when tablets and iPads and video game apps are so pervasive, I love the way HervΓ© Tullet’s books turn those touchscreen conventions on their heads and ask children to use their imaginations to accomplish the same ends. Press Here starts with a big yellow dot and gives the simple instruction, “Press here.” What happens next is both astoundingly simple and magical at the same time. Dots multiply, move, and grow in a fantastic exercise of the imagination.

Mix It Up! uses a similar approach to learn about subtractive colour theory. Both books are tons of fun, even for adults! At Tee’s birthday party I watched my brother go through Press Here from beginning to end, following the directions on each page. These interactive books are perfect for all ages. Little sister Kay in particular can’t get enough!

Press Here - fun for all ages!

Win Press Here & Mix It Up!

Win children's books "Press Here" & "Mix It Up!" (CAN, 4/2)

One lucky reader will win this set of favourite children’s books from HervΓ© Tullet, courtesy of our generous friends at Raincoast Books. Enter in the giveaway widget below. This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only, 18+. Entries will be verified.

Check out my other open giveaways listed in the right sidebar!

Disclosure: I received sample items for review purposes. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. This West Coast Mommy is a participant in the Amazon.com.ca, Inc. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.ca.

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62 Comments

  • We usually give the usual Dr. Seuss type books, but recently received some very interesting ones for our first bundle due in May. I read a lot as a child (still do), but don’t know what I’d get kids anymore for reading, there’s so much YA choice now!

  • I like to give book that will sparkle interest from my granddaughter. Right now she loves Mini Mouse.

  • I love to give books that have a hidden meaning in them which will also teach children something instead of just entertaining them. Any book with interaction is also good.

  • My granddaughter who is turning 8 on Friday loves reading mystery books. She also likes Little house on the Prairie – easy version and Anne of Green Gables!

    • Thanks, Susan! That’s somebody else’s Facebook page though. To receive this entry you need to comment on another one of the posts on my blog. πŸ™‚

  • I give my grand daughter books that are interest/development based.The latest is I AM A BIG SISTER for when she meets her new sibling!

  • It all depends on the child and how old they are, but I love buying the interactive books for the wee ones, they are so fun!!

  • I like to give books that fit with the kid’s interests…and for girls I like to get really female positive ones about spunky, clever liittle girls.

  • This past holiday season I discovered a wonderful website that personalizes books for children. PutMeIntheStory.com has a wonderful selection of stories. I chose a book entitles I Believe in You for my 12 year old granddaughter that was just perfect for a child entering the teens.

  • My all time absolute favorite that me and my son would read over and over is “There’s a nightmare in my closet” i found it at a thrift store for $.50 and my son had me read it to hik constantly.

  • Like the classics Beatrice Potter.
    especially the little book series of Peter bunny,
    the drawings are so life like.

  • We like giving Scholastic books we order from school so that way the classroom gets free books too. We also love any of the Dk pop up books.

  • I like to give traditional books… Mostly legends and fairytales from around the world; I also like to gift books I enjoyed as a child.

  • I was recently gifted a book for kids with no pictures and it was just as much fun. I’d even gift a book without words πŸ™‚ As long as I think it encourages creativity, I’m interested.

    Besos, Sarah
    Journeys of The Zoo

  • I tend to give classic books (winnie the pooh or beatrix potter for instance) or books that just strike me as being either really cute or funny or that have beautiful illustrations…. just something I think that would be loved and read for a long time.

  • Oliver Jeffers has a bunch of great books, such as Lost and Found, How to Catch a Star, and The Way Back Home. In addition to his boy and penguin books (which got us started with him!), he has Stuck, The Great Paper Caper, This Moose Belongs to Me, and many more! We didn`t get into his Hueys series, but love and own everything else he wrote! Any of them would be great gifts. πŸ™‚

  • For parents with lots of kids, I like to give “A Quiet Night In” which is hilarious and written as much for parents as kids (though my kids love it too).

    For parents with a young child becoming a big sis or fro, I like to get “Oh David.” They love reading about it the funny things David (the baby) does…and may even read it TOO their baby brother or sister. it’s a good book to give once the baby is at least 6 months old, cause that’s the stage it describes, in really funny pictures, and short sentences.

    I also like to give The Animals on Maple Hill Farm (just a charming down to earth book), Stellaluna, and all the Farmer Brown/Duck series (Click Clack Moo, Dooby Dooby Moo, Duck for President, etc.)

  • Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons, Mo Willems (pretty much anything of his, but my little guy loves the Pigeon series) and Dr Seuss books…I love giving books as gifts and have said for my four year old’s birthday this year books only for gifts

  • My favourites to give are Each Peach Pear Plum, I Love You Through and Through, and Oh the Places You Will Go.