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This is page 1 of 2 (This thread has 18 messages.) First | Previous | Next | Last Go to page

Classic (keeping forever) books for young teen and toddler Christmas presents...ideas please

(18 Posts)
By Sat 07-Nov-09 08:03:34 Add message | Report | Contact poster
We have decided to buy our relatives children classic book collections for their christmas presents, hard back, well illustrated, books they can keep forever.

They are from america, with strong UK roots so I would like something traditional, or with some history to them, especially for the teenager (almost), and it would be fitting as they are all coming over for christmas with us, so we want something that will be good memory of their trip and we will write something special in them.

12 year old girl - very bright academically, in advanced year at school in california, into typical young girl things, but also likes european history, stuff about kings and legends.

7 year old girl, not into typical girly things, likes computers, academic stuff (but not sure if not into girly things due to lack of opp or lack of interest!)
2 x 3 year old boys. Into typical boy things I think!

I have a brain fart so I just cannot think of any good classic collections to buy them, any suggestions would be welcome

TIA smile
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 12-Nov-09 15:07:00
I wouldn't pitch it too young for the 12yo. In dd's class it's only the really immature ones who are still reading the children's classics for the first time (as opposed to re-reading their own battered childhood copies); the rest have moved on to adult books. And you'd want a present to last for a good long time.

Hitchhiker's Guide is good: can't get more English than that.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 10-Nov-09 21:48:12
dd's favourites to keep are Little House, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and Narnia. The first three are American (and Canadian) though.

Her favourite book at 12 was Black Beauty.

At 13 she has read all of Jane Austin, also Jane Eyre and others like that so I think a "grown-up" collection of children's classics would be great for your 12 year old.

What about The complete Works of Roald Dahl for the boys - not English, but given to my ds2 for his christening, and read and re-read for years. If you want English specifically, Wind in the Willows and Winnie the Pooh (and the other A.A. Milne, When we were Very Young and Now We are 6.

I think the best, lasting books for the little ones by far are Dr. Seuss - classics, but again not English.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 20:53:25
I had Shakespeare's collected works for my 12th birthday (after reading the Swish of the Curtain and falling in love with the idea of playing Juliet). It saw me through A level, my Eng Lit degree and my first ten years as a teacher. And it is impossible to get more quintessentially English than Bill
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 00:30:47
Watership Down
Wind IN The Willows
the Dark Materials trilogy for the 12 year old
101 Dalmations (the original Dodie Smith, not the Disney version)
THe nice big hardback collection of original Thomas the Tank Engine for the little boys
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 00:14:33
I mean THE Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, there is only one!
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 00:12:45
Oh yes, Rosemary Sutcliff, I used to love them!

In the same vein, I loved The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper when I was about 12. The first one is Over Sea Under Stone

My DP says the Hobbit and 2001 a Space Oddessy.

Also I think I was about 12 when I first read A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 08-Nov-09 23:18:28
The 12yo may be ready for something a bit more grown-up, like Pride and Prejudice or Wives and Daughters.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 08-Nov-09 14:06:28
For the 12 year old girl - Rosemary Sutcliff. The Eagle of the Ninth trilogy (The Silver Branch and the Lantern Bearers are the other two) which lead up to her King Arthur book, Sword at Sunset, which is the best retelling of the Arthurian legend of the twentieth century, I think.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 08-Nov-09 13:39:58
legend of king arthur

shakespeare plays written as stories (I loved these when i was little) - I had both volumes of this
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 08-Nov-09 13:25:14
They have got some excellent classics packs on the book people website at the moment.
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