Though it is not given as a gift much these days, books still make really good birthday gifts for children, especially young children. To give a book as a birthday gift means you are investing your money in a child’s true well-being; you want to help him or her develop mentally.
Books are a great way to stimulate a child’s imagination because it forces the child to create his own images for different scenes. Additionally, the child reader must pay attention to what he or she is reading to fully understand what is being said, unlike television shows which only require passive viewing.
With that being said, here are some books that are great for children between the ages of four and 8 and a brief overview of each book.
Green Eggs and Ham – Dr. Seuss
You probably figured that this title would be on the list. If you are a new parent, you probably remember reading this when you were a child. Do you remember the kinds of feelings and emotions this book provoked in you? It was probably feelings of wonder, excitement and even confusion.
The strange characters that are in almost every Dr. Seuss story are typically a child’s first encounter with other-worldly things — even though many cartoons these days feature bizarre characters.
The story is strong enough to keep children engaged, but the overall story’s moral is to not only try new things, but also persevere with your convictions. Of course, children will not understand that there is any point to the story other than pure entertainment, but the philosophical messages will stick with them for a lifetime.
Curious George – Rey, H. A.
These books are great for inspiring adventure in children, which is an important part of childhood. Not having a sense of adventure in childhood will inhibit them from exploring their world and options in life as an adult.
The thing about these books is that it can relate to young readers, with the exception of a monkey as a pet. The father figure is a businessman who has no time for adventures, and the child figure is a monkey who loves to see new things and experience the world around him. This may resemble a lot of children’s home-life. Parents are busy at work, and children are busy at play.
Pete the Cat — Eric Litwin
Pete the Cat is a new series of books for children between the ages of three and five. These books prepare children for their new life in school, but present it in a very fun and musical way. Never once does Pete the cat stop singing merrily along his way.
These stories teach children to always keep a good attitude, even during scary or confusing times.
Books as a gift
The next time you search for a birthday gift for a child, pick up a few books. Learning and inspiring a child’s imagination is very rewarding.
