Books and Records For
Grandchildren
Gift Books for Grandchildren
What to buy? Goodness, I have such trouble picking out books when there are so many good ones in the stores today. There is a wealth of good reading available for all ages, from toddlers to teenagers. Old classics and new releases line the shelves and invite us to consider their merits. It's puzzling to know just which book to choose for each child.
The following book-buying guidelines have helped me discover books that match each grandchild's age, interests, and needs.
Georgiana Walker, who compiled these lists, has helped me with suggested titles of longtime favorites, as well as new titles. There are many creative approaches to communicating Christian values and biblical principles. Just looking at the marvelous illustrations make many of the books a visual treat.
How gratifying it is, grandparents, to give young people quality books, full of beauty, truth, and hours of enjoyment.
Books for the Very Young
(Ages Six Months to Two Years)
Cardboard books, with their sturdy pages, are excellent for babies and young toddlers. Plastic and cloth books also provide much enjoyment without the frustration of torn pages.
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Baby's First Book; Baby's First Toys; Baby Animals. New York: Platt & Munk. Teddy-Board Books. Spiral-bound cardboard books that open flat. Excellent first books.
God Made Food; God Made Animals. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1981. Nontoxic, washable cloth books with realistic, bright pictures to talk about and identify.
Green Frog; Friends. St. Louis: Concordia, 1975. Caterpillar Books series. Clear, colorful pictures, brief text. Good to talk about books with details in pictures for child to discover.
I Can Do It by Myself. New York: Golden Press, 1981. Illustrated by June Golsborough. Delightful pictures of at-home scenes. Excellent for pointing to and talking about and discovering what a child can do.
Just Before Bed Time; God Made Me. Norwalk, Conn.: C.R. Gibson. Plastic books of songs, rhymes, and prayers. Appealing illustrations. God Made Me encourages awareness: "God made my eyes... God made my ears... my hair... my feet... God made all of me."
Kundhart, Dorothy. Pat the Bunny. New York: Golden Press, 1962. A longtime favorite. Heavy paper pages. Each page provides a texture to feel or something to do.
McNaught, Harry. Baby Animals. New York: Random House, 1976. Animals are large and clearly drawn. Good for learning animal names and introducing sounds animals make.
Murphy, Elspeth. Jesus Is God's Son; Jesus Does Good Things; Jesus Tells About God. Elgin, Ill.: David C. Cook, 1981. Small, easy-to-hold board books. Bright pictures and simple text.
Pfloog, Jan. Animals on the Farm. New York: Golden Press, 1977. Fine realistic illustrations. Good for conversation: "God made the strong horse. God made the friendly cow."
Scarry, Richard. What Animals Do. New York: Golden Press, 1968. A thin, tall book with much to talk about. One sentence on each page tells what each animal does: "The kangaroo hops."
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Books for Preschoolers
(Ages Two to Five)
God's Beautiful World; Jesus Make Me Happy; God Made Kittens. Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1980. Happy Day Books include twenty-one additional titles. Inexpensive, well-done books, reminiscent in size and format of the familiar Little Golden Books. Look at these — delightful!
Hymns; Prayers for Children; My Little Golden Book About God. New York: Golden Press. These are a few of the religious titles available in the Little Golden Book format. Fine illustrations, songs, poems, prayers, and simple text make these inexpensive books real treasures to share with young grandchildren.
Coriell, Ron and Rebekah. A Child's Book of Character Building; A Child's Book of Character Building, Book 2. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1980. Read-to-me stories that teach children good character traits. Each trait has a story about children at school, at home, at play, and a Bible story with Scripture references. A great teaching tool for parents.
Decker, Marjorie. The Christian Mother Goose Book; The Christian Mother Goose Treasury. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1980. Children enjoy the rhyming language and lively jingles of these rewritten Mother Goose rhymes, paraphrased to communicate Christian concepts. Colorfully illustrated.
Dienert, Ruth Graham. First Steps in the Bible. Waco, Tex.: Word Books, 1982. Simple language tells basic Bible stories and relates biblical truth to child's experience. A quality book: heavy paper, beautiful format, appealing photographs.
Field, Rachel. Prayer for a Child. New York: Collier Books, 1973. Beautifully illustrated prayer that gently relates child's life to God's love and care. Randolph Caldecott Medal winner — a classic.
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Lindvall, Ella K. Read-Aloud Bible Stories, Volume 1. Evanston, Ill.: Moody Press, 1982. Five favorite stories about Jesus, with bold, bright illustrations and action-filled text. Written especially for preschoolers and early-school-age children. A special book. Large, two-lap size.
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Together; Frog and Toad Are Friends; Frog and Toad All Year. New York: Harper & Row. Frog and Toad are great friends for children and the adults who share the stories. These books acquaint children with the seasons, the value of caring about one another, and much more.
Milne, A. A. Winnie the Pooh; The House at Pooh Corner. New York: Dutton. Winnie the Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Kanga, and Baby Roo have been favorites of young children (and older children, too) since the 1920s. Pooh stories are available in many formats.
Murphy, Elspeth. What Can I Say to God? Sometimes I Get Lonely; Where Are You, God? Elgin, Ill.: Chariot Books. Verses from the Psalms, paraphrased in the language of young children, help the child learn of God's greatness and presence at all times. (There are seven books in the David and I Talk to God series).
Wilt, Joy. You're All Right; Mine and Yours; You're One of a Kind. Waco, Tex.: Word Books. The Joy Wilt series. A step-by-step series to help a child understand himself and relationships. There are twenty-four books in this series.
Books for School-Age Children
Early School Age (Six Through Eight)
As the child's experiences multiply and interests expand so do the possibilities for books that will please the youngster. Here are just a few of the fine books that widen understanding and bring joy.
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David; Daniel; Joshua; Noah; Paul. Elgin, Ill.: Chariot Books. These titles, along with others, make up the Burl Ives Bible Stories With Tapes. Each story pack includes a colorful book and cassette tape of the story, told by Burl Ives.
Exploring Kittens. San Francisco: Heian International, 1980. Photos by Nobuo Honda. Eighty-eight pages of fascinating color photos of kittens. Text is less than two pages, to introduce photographs. Youngsters will thoroughly enjoy the kittens — so will the entire family.
Jonah. Westchester, Ill.: Cornerstone Books, 1981. Illustrated by Kurt Mitchell. Text from the New International Version of the Bible, foreword by Edith Schaeffer. After you discover this book, it may be difficult to give it away — even to a grandchild. Jonah is pictured as a mouse being sent by God into a city of sleek cats. Truly good art. A large book, a future classic.
The Thief Who Was Sorry; Nicodemus Learns the Way; The Lord's Prayer. St. Louis: Concordia. Arch Books are an on-going series of freshly rhymed, attractively illustrated Bible stories. Also available as Arch Books Aloud. Each Aloud set includes two Arch Books and the stories told on one tape cassette.
Hall, Donald. Ox-Cart Man. New York: Viking Press, 1980. Engaging full-color illustrations create the mood of another time and place: nineteenth-century New England. The theme is the work the family does together to grow the crops and care for their animals. A Randolph Caldecott Medal winner.
Kashuya, Masahiro. The Beginning of the World. Nashville: Abingdon, 1982. The story of God creating all things, told in beautiful, cheerful paintings. Helps acquaint the child with God the Creator, reverently, with few words.
Moore, Judy Hull. God's Plan for the Seashore; God's Plan for Seasons; God's Plan for Birds. Evanston, Ill.: Moody Press, 1980. God in Creation series. Colorfully illustrated with a blend of artwork and photographs. Easy-to-read text, pictures
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to color, follow-the-dot fun. Books to enjoy. Books that teach. Nystrom, Carolyn. Who Is Jesus? Who Is God? What Is Prayer? The Holy Spirit in Me. Evanston, Ill.: Moody Press, 1980. Questions children wonder about and ask are skillfully answered in direct, simple language. Colorful contemporary art illustrates the text.
Roberts, Evelyn. Heaven Has a Floor. New York: Dial Press, 1979. When young Jon Oral lost his parents in a plane crash, he asked, "Does heaven have a floor?" This book is his grandmother's sensitive answer. Notes with Scripture references for parents to explore provide biblical authority for the statements about heaven.
Spiers, Peter. People. New York: Doubleday, 1980. An oversize picture book that helps a child see people from all over the world. Color and detail are superb. Much for a child to see and learn about "Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight...."
Winston Press Editorial Staff, eds. The Christmas Pageant. Minneapolis, Minn.: Winston Press, 1979. Illustrated by Tomie de Paola. Text from Matthew and Luke. Refreshing art retells the story of Jesus' birth as the children of the book act out the story. A center section provides puppet characters for your grandchild to create his or her own Christmas story. Find this lovely book now and save it for Christmastime.
School-Age Children
Older Children (Ages Eight Through Twelve)
Although children's reading skills vary widely, the eight-to-twelve-year-old span can be exciting years of discovery for young readers. Try to choose books that match your grandchild's reading level, but do provide opportunities for him or her to explore the realities of faraway times and places, out-of-this-world fantasies, and the wonders of now.
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Barrett, Ethel. Ruth. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1980. Well-known for her storytelling skills, Barrett retells this Old Testament tale with tenderness, beauty, and suspense. She has also written the stories of Joshua, Joseph, Daniel, and Paul for young readers. All are published by Regal.
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden. Milwaukee, Wis.: Raintree Children's Books, 1978. A wonderful story of an unhappy, physically handicapped boy and the two children who help him make a happy discovery. Read it yourself before you give it to a grandchild.
Couldridge, Rhoda. Christian's Journey — John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Nashville: Abingdon, 1980. Excellent retelling of Bunyan's allegory helps child glimpse the Christian's journey through life. Delightful artwork by a child.
Gaines, M.C., ed. Picture Stories from the Bible. New York: Scarf Press, 1980. Stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament, illustrated in full-color comic-strip form. This is a format children respond readily to — and read. Words of Christ are printed in red.
Grahame, Kenneth. Wind in the Willows. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1980. Well-known classic loved by millions. Your grandchild will like making friends with Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and Toad. Morality is not mentioned, but it permeates the actions of the animals — real people under their fur.
Hasler, Evaline. Martin Is Our Friend. Nashville: Abingdon, 1981. Martin is different from the other children in his apartment. His inability to think or walk as fast as they do makes it difficult for the other children to understand Martin. An experience with a horse brings all the children together. A fine book for encouraging respect for and acceptance of one another.
Keller, W. Phillip. A Child's Look at the Twenty-Third Psalm.
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New York: Doubleday, 1981. The child's understanding of the Psalm grows as the book tells facts about sheep and shepherding.
Krasilovsky, Phyllis. The First Tulips in Holland. New York: Doubleday, 1982. A beautiful big book, created by a well-known children's author, illustrated by S.D. Schindler. This story of how tulips first came to Holland is a treat of pictures and words.
Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; The Horse and His Boy; The Magician's Nephew; The Last Battle. New York: Macmillan. These Christian children's books, favorites of our century, take youngsters to enchanted lands, where they discover shining truths of Christianity woven through the fairy tales. Some children as young as seven and eight enjoy listening to the Lewis fantasies. Advanced readers explore these special books on their own — with joy.
MacDonald, George. The Christmas Stories of George MacDonald. Elgin, Ill.: David C. Cook, 1981. Illustrated by Linda Hill Griffith. A collection of the Christmas tales told by this beloved Scottish storyteller. This colorfully illustrated hardback will be a family favorite.
Paterson, Katherine. The Great Gilly Hopkins. New York: Harper & Row, 1978. The story of a lonely foster child and the difference between being tough and being strong. There's fun, humor, and tenderness in this John Newbery Medal book. About the author: a fine Christian writer of a number of award-winning children's books. Look for her Bridge to Terebithia; Angels and Other Strangers; and Jacob I Have Loved, all published by Crowell.
Richardson, Arleta. Stories from Grandma's Attic. Elgin, Ill.: David C. Cook, 1980. Happy nostalgia, especially for girls. A
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warmhearted view of family life in the late 1800s in the Midwest.
Schoolland, Miriam M. Leading Little Ones to God. Grand Rapids, Mich., Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. A newly illustrated edition of a fine old classic. A book for parents and child to share. Bible stories well told.
Wangerin, Walter. The Bible: Its Story for Children. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1981. The author of this 416-page book of well-written stories is the Lutheran minister whose award-winning The Book of the Dun Cow has been read and loved by many young people. A richly illustrated book, with 250 full-color pictures.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods; These Happy Golden Years. New York: Harper & Row. First and last titles of the eight Little House books. Told as fiction, the stories cover the author's life from four years to eighteen and give today's boys and girls a taste of pioneer life in the late 1800s. Also provides glimpses of family life where happiness was not tied to possessions but was found in facing hardships and good times together.
Books for Teenagers
Before buying books for teenager grandchild, you need to know who that teenager is. Teens are very much their own people, with definite interests and preferences. Find out about your grandchild's hobbies, sports interests, work experiences, career ambitions, church involvement, and his or her faith before you go book buying. Show your love by respecting the young person's likes and dislikes.
The following suggestions are based on books teenagers choose for themselves.
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Fantasies
Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia. New York: Macmillan. Each of Lewis's seven Chronicles is popular with teenagers who enjoy fantasy. Why not give one at a time, on special days, to a grandchild? Begin with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and follow with Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle. Teenagers will discover more of Lewis's allegories and their meaning than when (and if) they read the books as children.
Siegel, Robert. Alpha Centauri. Westchester, Ill.: Cornerstone, 1980. Intriguing story of truth in another time and place — the world of the centaurs and their human enemies, the Rock Movers. Siegel has woven wonderful allegorical threads into this exciting narrative.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Tolkien creates whole new worlds and peoples and takes his readers captive. Principles of Christianity shape the action, but are never obvious. The adventures are set in Middle Earth, which finally becomes free when the Dark Lord is defeated as the One Ring of power is destroyed.
Wangerin, Walter. The Book of the Dun Cow. New York: Harper & Row, 1978. A fantasy high in medieval atmosphere and gusty humor. Characters are a cast of imperfect animals battling for their lives and beliefs in a timeless war between good and evil.
The Christian Life
Brand, Paul, and Yancy, Philip. Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1980. For older teenagers. While they will probably skip through the text, they will
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discover much about the wonder of who they are — man, a complex creation of God. Encouragement for a personal relationship with Him.
Hartley, Fred. Dare to Be Different. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1980. Encourages teenagers to accept their individuality, instead of following the crowd. Describe the problems of peer pressure and points out the need for Christ in the teen's life.
Hartley, Fred. Growing Pains: First Aid for Teenagers. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1981. Helps teens handle the hard times with advice on self-esteem, parents, dating, conscience, the future, and problems.
Hartley, Fred. Update, Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1977. A guide to dating that helps teens deal with all the accompanying problems.
Kesler, Jay. Growing Places, Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1977. Devotions based on the promises God has given His people. The light touch the author uses will encourage teens to spend time in prayer.
Klug, Ron. Lord, I've Been Thinking. Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg, 1980. Eighty-three true-to-life prayers to help teenage boys express their feelings to God. Touches on problems, relationships with self, others, and God.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Change in the Wind. Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg, 1980. Award-winning author shows how teenagers deal with feelings, problems, and questions. Points to a wide variety of ways God helps teens grapple with life's challenges. Not heavy reading.
Ridenour, Fritz. How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1967. Basic truths and encouragement for the Christian life, from the Book of Romans, combined with quotes from The Living Bible Paraphrase and clever cartoons. A great book — Ridenour's books are read by millions of young people. Ask for his other titles.
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Fiction
Hill, Grace Livingston. A Daily Rate; The Girl from Montana; The Man of the Desert; The Story of a Whim; An Unwilling Guest. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1982. A series of reprints of some of the author's early novels about young girls who find romance and commit their lives to Christ. Each has an unusual background and an exciting adventure.
Jenkins, Jerry B. Margo; Karlyn; Hilary. Evanston, Ill.: Moody Press, 1980. First three books in an ongoing mystery series. Combines fine suspense with good storytelling. Jenkins, former director of Moody Monthly magazine and now directing editor of Moody Press, has written numerous books that appeal to teenagers. Ask for other titles.
Johnson, James L. Code Name Sebastian; The Last Train from Canton. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. Two of the Sebastian thrillers, written by the coordinator of the journalism department at Wheaton College Graduate School. These books are fine reading for older teenagers. Inquire at your bookstore for other books in this series.
Biography
Porter, Alyene. Papa Was a Preacher. Old Tappan, N.J.: Spire Books, 1979. Vignettes from the family life of a preacher's daughter. The high jinks of this lively group will have teens roaring with laughter.
Wilkerson, David. The Cross and the Switchblade. Old Tappan, N.J.: Spire Books, 1963. An exciting story of David Wilkerson's work with ghetto teens, bringing them to know Christ. The story of his amazing success will touch many hearts
The list could go on forever. Teenagers enjoy books like biography, animal stories, books on sports, and romances, as
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well as fact books and nonfiction that zeroes in on their interests.
If you really want to be the supplier of good reading for your teenager grandchildren, visit bookstores often, particularly your Christian bookstore. Ask the person who handles the books for teenagers to point out something that will appeal to young people the age of your grandchild.
Happy book shopping and happy reading for all your grandkids.
Gift Records for Grandchildren
Records are especially fine gifts for the child or teenager who is interested in music. Also, the youngster who does not enjoy reading is often a great listener.
Joyful Noise, Bill Ingram, arranger, Lillenas, 1982. Twelve contagious tunes that invite children to join in the truly joyful noise. Except for "All Night, All Day" and "Fairest Lord Jesus" the selections are fresh, unfamiliar, but easy-to-learn songs.
The Kid's Praise Album, produced by Ernie and Debbie Rettino, Maranatha Music, 1980. Simple but lively arrangements are performed entirely by children. A happy record, aimed at teaching children that there's a difference between just singing songs and truly praising God.
The Very Best of the Very Best for Kids, The Bill Gaither Trio, Word Records, 1980. Twenty joyful songs sung in the wholesome, rhythmic Gaither style. Although the songs touch on a variety of aspects of the Christian life, the central theme is "You're something special! God loves you!"
Little Big Lunch, Sonny Salsbury with Fletch Wiley, arranger, Word Records, 1982. Easy-to-learn, hard-to-forget tunes with narration that retells the miracle of Christ with the
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loaves and the fishes. Delightful orchestration and choral work. Good listening for children.
Super Gang: On the Road for Jesus, produced by Tom and Robin Brooks, Star Song, 1981. Two albums that combine fine energetic music and dramatic interaction that help children know what it means to trust Jesus and live His way. On the inside of the double cover of On the Road for Jesus is a board game that makes this album special fun for elementary-age children.
Agapeland Series
You will want to look at the five following records as possible gifts for your school-age grandchildren. The Agapeland Series is produced by Candle and distributed by Sparrow Records. The records feature well-crafted lyrics, set to a wide range of music styles, performed by very talented musicians. Some of the records are developed around a story, usually well presented, the plot reinforced by the songs.
Music Machine, 1977. In Agapeland, children discover the Music Machine. It's a noisy contraption that turns almost anything into a song. Galatians 5:22 becomes more brilliant songs, each about a fruit of the Spirit.
Bullfrogs and Butterflies, 1978. Lively, spontaneous tunes. Great for a sing-along. There is no story line, just a fine collection of fun songs that tell about life in God's kingdom. Quality and content excellent.
Nathaniel the Grublet, 1979. A tale about a kind of dwarf, Nathaniel the Grublet, his puppy, and other grublets. As a children's morality play the story comes into focus when grublets begin stealing instead of doing honest work. Story and songs provide good entertainment and a clear contrast of good and evil. A good record to talk about with children.
Sir Oliver's Song, 1979. Sir Oliver, an owl, is the MC who
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leads a choir of children from all over the world as they sing about the "ten royal decrees" — Ten Commandments. The music has a definite international flavor. You will hear various stylized rhythms: polka, Irish jig, folk, calypso, and other familiar forms. Some of the songs are outstanding.
The National Philharmonic Orchestra of London Plays Agapeland for the Whole Family, 1982. A fine medley of tunes from The Music Machine, Bullfrogs and Butterflies, and Sir Oliver's Song. A record that will be played over and over for its great sound.
Records for Teenagers
Never Say Die, Petra, Star Song, 1981. Recipient of a 1981 award of merit from Campus Life, Never Say Die features several songs that make powerful statements about commitment to Christ. Music styles: Christian pop/rock.
One of the Dominoes, Mark Heard, Home Sweet Home, 1981. This record speaks to those in high school and college who are torn between love for Christ and attraction of the world. With a contemporary rock sound, Mark deals with difficult issues facing Christians today.
In Concert Volume 2, Amy Grant, Myrrh, 1981. A favorite Christian female vocalist demonstrates her fine talent in this concert, recorded live at Oral Roberts University. From delicate soft music to foot-stomping tunes, the music shows the range and versatility of this talented singer.
Joni's Song, Joni Eareckson, Word Records, 1981. Joni Eareckson is well known as a best-selling author, artist, and actress. She is also a quadriplegic — injured in a diving accident. Now in her debut album she is a convincingly good singer. The finest song of the album is "Journey's End." Will be especially appreciated by teenagers who have read Joni's books.
The Hobbit and the Fellowship of the Ring, read by J.R.R.
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Tolkien, Caedmon Records, 1952, 1981. In 1952 Tolkien was discouraged because he could not find a publisher for his trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. At that time he recorded excerpts from his earlier book The Hobbit. The readings on this album are from those recordings. This record is a must for young people who have read and enjoyed Tolkien's writings. Side 1: readings from the riddle scene from chapter five of The Hobbit. Side 2: short excerpts from The Lord of the Rings.
