And a few were good gifts for my daughter when she was young.

 

So as we approach this gift-giving season I checked in with three Bay Area booksellers to see what they're recommending for the holidays.

 

Let's start with Valerie Lewis, co-owner of Hicklebee's, in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood. Hicklebee's is worth a visit for it's extensive Kid's Book Hall of Fame and Museum alone. It features original drawings by children's book illustrators who've read at the store, plus the acorn that landed on Chicken Little's head, the key to The Secret Garden, and author approved replicas of a pair of blue jeans from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and the pin from The Hunger Games, and lots more.

 

Asked what she looks for in the books she recommends, Lewis says, "The most important thing is that I like it, for whatever reason. Whether it breaks my heart, whether it captures me in that first sentence, it just will not last with children unless there's a good strong story."

 

Here's her list:

 

In Front of My House by Marianne Dubuc
I missed this last season, now one of my favorites.  My two year old granddaughter asks me to read it again and again.  The story begins and ends in front of ‘my’ house but in between takes the reader to mountains, outer space, down into the ocean and beyond.  When we get to the few images (ghost, vampire...) that I worried would frighten her, I had her tickle those images.  They became the most anticipated pages.  Ages two and up

 

Oh No! Candace Fleming/Eric Rohmann Schwartz & Wade

This powerful team creates a picture book that begs to be read aloud.  Young listeners will shout “Oh, No!” as one animal after another falls into a deep hole.  Have fun with this one.

 

Spike the Mixed-Up Monster  Susan Hood/Melissa Sweet

Spike is a Mexican salamander (axoloti) who, thinking he is a monster, tries to scare the other animals. When a real gila monster shows up, Spike saves the day and learns a better way to make friends. Spanish words throughout and a glossary of nonfiction information about the animals in the book. 

 

Birds of a Feather Bernadette Gervais and Francesco Pittau

One of my favorite lift-the-flap books is the over-sized Out Of Sight. This year it’s partner has just been released and will be my gift to the families on my holiday list.  The lush, beautiful book includes more than 40 lift-the-flaps and more than 15 pop-ups, plus intriguing facts about each bird.  

 

Bananas in My Ears Michael Rosen Quentin Blake

 A charming collection featuring rhymes, stories and poems from a quirky team that thrives on nonsense.

 

A Boy and A Bear in a Boat Dave Shelton

A boy and a bear equipped with a suitcase, comic book and a ukelele travel to the sea in a boat.  Droll humor makes this adventure great fun to read aloud.  

 

Young Adult Books:

 

The False Prince  Jennifer A. Nielsen

First book in a new trilogy. This adventure story, filled with danger, lies, orphans and a missing prince, will have young adult readers clinging to the edge of their seats. It’s a page turner.

 

Seraphina Rachel Hartman

Hartman has created a new world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce. Dragons can take human form, but lack human emotion. It is original, a page-turner that will have you thinking about dragons as never before.  Sequel to come.

 

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Green Apple Books:

Ashley Despain does the children's book buying at Green Apple Books in San Francisco's Inner Richmond District. He says he and his wife don't have children of their own, but he's the cool uncle, with 21 nieces and nephews. He has an MFA in kids book illustration, and he says the image that guides him in picking books is one of his brother with his daughter on his lap, reading one of Despain's own books. "Witnessing that moment of them sharing time together and bonding over such a simple thing as a  picture book just made me realize there was nothing greater that I could do than make kids picture books."

 

0-2 Years (Board Books):

Monkey World ABC by Matthew Porter

I just can't decide which is the most awesome, D for monkey DJ, R for roller monkey, V for monkey ventriloquist, or W for monkey wrestler.

 

Moby Dick by Jack and Holman Wang

Herman Melville's classic is boiled down to 12 words and 12 brilliant needle-felted illustrations. (The reason why Captain Ahab does what he does: MAD).

 

Color by Gloria Fowler

what better way to introduce your little fashion designer to color than using amazing Girard's amazing designs and patterns.

 

3-5 Years (picture books):

 

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Although not officially a sequel, this is still in my top three best follow-up stories ever.

 

Bartholomew Biddle And The Very Big Wind by Gary Ross, illustrated by Matthew Myers

This epic story has a unique storytelling format (a mash-up of Shel Silverstein, Robert Louis Stevenson and J.M. Barrie). Destined to become a bedtime favorite.

 

Sky High by Germano Zullo

The funniest story ever, accompanied by the most imaginitive pen and ink line work, so chock full of details and puns you find something new every time.

 

6-8 Years (early readers)

 

Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot by Anna Branford, illustrated by Elanna Allen

An unexpected hit. This small heroine with really big ideas will surely win you over.

 

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile

If you've ever been a best friend or had one, you will definitely enjoy these two and how they always agree to disagree agreeably in the end.

 

Great Big Enormous Book of Tashi by Anna and Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble

Weirdly delightful telling of a delightfully weird character named Tashi and his just plain weird and delightful adventures.

 

9-12 Years (middle grade readers)

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

After seeing this one literally fly of the shelf, I had to see what the hubbub was all about. This story delivers a powerhouse of a tale with a heroine you can't help but instantly adore.

 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Told from the point of view of a captive silverback gorilla who has a Zen-like penchant for drawing, my favorite line: "If I get tired and need a break, I eat my crayons."

 

The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

Intriguing, unique and told with artistic prose, the greatest mystery of this story is how did a 16-year-old write that?

 

Young Adult:

Every Day by David Levithan

This story made my mind explode, but in a good way. It's about what it truly means to try on someone else's skin, to see what it's really like to be them, and how that defines what love really is.

 

Undead by Kirsty Mckay

Told like a really great zombie-movie should be filmed: hilarious, snarky, gory and peek-through-your-fingers scaredy-cat fun.

 

Josie Griffin Is Not a Vampire by Heather Swain

The answer to the deluge of supernatural teen-angst drama, about a plucky heroine involved in supernatural teen-angst drama who really isn't a vampire, she just got sent to the wrong anger-management support group.

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Pegasus Books (2 locations in Berkeley, one in Oakland):

Emily Somberg is the children's new book buyer for the Pegasus Books on Solano Ave.

Somberg writes she's a Berkeley native, and avoids fads, "I try to order books that seem like they will still be asked for two years from now, and we do carry a fair amount of classics that have remained relevant. I think a lot of the smartest and most interesting writing is done in the young adult genre these days. Also, if it makes me laugh, it's in."

 

Here's Emily Somberg's list:

 

Young Adult:

 

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

New in paperback, this post apocalyptic book is TERRIFYING and is a must read for older teens.  It tells the story of a teen trying to find his way home after a supervolcano in Yellowstone erupts and the Midwest descends into chaos.

(True story: I know two people who made emergency kits after reading this.  That’s how realistic it feels.)

 

Picture Books

 

A Rule is to Break: A Child's Guide to Anarchy by John Seven and Jana Christy

San Francisco’s Manic D Press has published a perfect book for parents (and their kids) who have been inspired by the message of the Occupy movement.  This picture book uses fun and simple graphics to inspire kids to follow their own path.

 

Hello, Doctor by Michael Escoffier, illustrated by Matthieu Maudet

In this board book for young children a group of animals wait patiently in the doctor’s office for their check-up.  As they visit the doctor one by one observant children will realize that not all is as it seems in the waiting room.

 

Dragons Love Tacos

by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

This picture book contains all the information you'll need to successfully host your own dragon party.  Most important: DON’T EVER, EVER serve a dragon spicy salsa!

 

Red Cat, Blue Cat by Jenni Desmond

A boldly drawn and hilarious picture book, Red Cat, Blue Cat follows two cats who are initially jealous of each other's talents but come to realize that they respect each other, and are happiest just being themselves.

 

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

A truly silly retelling of the classic fairy tale as only Mo Willems (of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus fame) can do.  In this version, Mama and Papa dinosaur and their friend (who happened to be visiting from Norway) definitely did NOT set up the trap house in the hopes of luring in a succulent little girl.

           
We'd love to know the books you consider great holiday gifts for kids. Please leave your lists in the comment section.