Christmas Book Shopping

Image source: https://www.kinokuniya.com.au/

Image Source: Gleebooks - https://tinyurl.com/tfysuye

At this time of year I like to collect book shop Christmas catalogues. I enjoy comparing the books for children which the shops are promoting.  Shops in this city mostly list titles that are already popular with children and well known to their parents.  It would be so good to see them extending these choices to showcase other books that really deserve to be discovered by young readers.

In her library newsletter, a friend of mine who works as the Teacher-Librarian in a large independent school explains this idea further. The newsletter details the top ten titles taken from this list of the most popular children's books of 2019 and then she says:

"See nothing you don't already know, all popular books by well-known authors, but the good thing about our school library is that you can find books that you won't know as well as these, books that will enlighten and amaze you."  If your child borrows a book from the library which is not on this list and and they enjoy it why not look for others in the series or other books by the same author. Perhaps one of these 'other' books might be the treasure you purchase for Christmas.

What do I see in the Christmas catalogues? In the interests of disclosure these are the shop catalogues I've collected: Abbeys, Beachside Bookshop, Dymocks, Gleebooks, Harry Hartog, Kinokuniya, and the Kids' Reading Guide which is produced by the Australian Booksellers Association.

Popular titles listed in nearly every catalogue:

Picture books: 
The Return of Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey
Mr Chicken all over Australia by Leigh Hobbs
Summer Time by Antonia Presenti and Hilary Bell
All of the factors why I love tractors by Davina Bell illustrated by Jenny Lovlie
Beast Feast by Emma Yarlett
I see I see by Robert Henderson

Middle Grade:
Funny bones edited by Kate and Jol Temple
Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror by Natasha Farrant illustrated by Lydia Corry
The Impossible boy by Ben Brooks
The secrets of Magnolia Moon by Edwina Wyatt and illustrated by Katherine Quinn
Madame Badobedah by Sophie Dahl illustrated by Lauren O'Hara
Atticus Van Tasticus by Andrew Daddo illustrated by Stephen Michael King

Non Fiction:
The illustrated Encyclopedia of Ugly Animals by Sami Bayly
Let's get Gardening DK Books
Young Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
Explore your World; Weird, Wild, Amazing! by Tim Flannery
Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street by Felicita Sala
Australian Birds; Australian Sea life by Matt Chun

Well worth a look:
Other titles which are found in one or two catalogues which I recommend you consider for your shopping list:

Picture books:
The Crayon's Christmas by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
Dumazi and the big Yellow Lion by Valanga Khoza illustrated by Matt Ottley
Just Because by Mac Barnett illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Middle Grade:
The Glimme by Emily Rodda illustrated by Marc McBride
Nevertell by Katharine Orton
Detention by Tristan Bancks
The Adventures of Harry Stevenson by Ali Pye
Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn
The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell
Beverly, Right here by Kate DiCamillo

Non Fiction:
Fauna: Australia's most curious creatures by Tania McCartney
The Good the bad and the Silly: Stories of our past by John Dickson and Bern Emmerichs
Dr Seuss's Horse Museum by Dr Seuss illustrated by Andrew Joyner

Other aspects of these catalogues which I like to think about:

Do they list recommended ages?
How do they group the books?
Are the kids books at the back of the catalogue or the front or elsewhere?
How are the author and illustrator acknowledged?

Happy Shopping for Christmas books to enjoy over the Summer!

Read a review of this new Australian Christmas Board book for children aged 3+