Holiday Gifts
We at Lexington Family believe that every child’s holiday should include a new book. This year, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite children’s books, including books we loved when we were kids as well as those our own children loved to hear.
Laurie Evans, Writer: “Barnyard Dance” by Sandra Boynton (Workman Publishing, 1993, $5.99). Laurie’s two girls were big fans of all the Sandra Boynton board books, but this one was their hands-down favorite.
Karyn Potts, Account Executive: “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein (Harper Collins, 1964, $18.99). Karyn loved this classic story of giving when she was little and she’s excited to read it to her little girl now.
Dana Tackett, Publisher: “The Jack Tales: Folk Tales from the Southern Appalachians” by Richard Chase (Houghton Mifflin, 1943, $7.95). Dana loved these stories of Jack (from the Beanstalk) when she was a child and read them many times to her son as he was growing up.
John Lynch, Editor: “The Napping House” by Audrey and Don Wood. (Harcourt Big Books, 1991, $25.95). Vivid illustrations and a silly story made this a favorite for John to read to his son.
Carla Hall, Office Manager: “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss. (Random House, 1960, $8.99). Carla remembers this classic as her older son’s favorite. Wonder if she’ll be reading it to her new grandson?
Glenda Isaac, Account Executive: “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by Mo Willems. (Hyperion Press, 2003, $14.99). This Caldecott Honor-winning book was a favorite with all three of Glenda’s children. Look for the other Pigeon books, too.
Becca Carmichael, Account Executive: “Anything by Dr. Seuss!” says Becca. The engaging rhymes and distinctive illustrations kept Becca fascinated every time these classics were read to her.
Daniel Morgan, Graphic Artist: “Encyclopedia Brown” Donald J. Sobol. (Puffin Press, 2007, $19.96 for the box set). Daniel remembers this series of detective stories from his childhood. Get the box set because your kids won’t want to stop at one!
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Toy Safety Web sites
How do you find the best toys for your kids this holiday season? How do you know if the toys you buy are safe? Check out this list of websites for the inside scoop on buying great toys this year.
Consumer Product Safety Commission’s list of recalls:
www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html
Keep up with recall notices on this searchable list:
www.usrecallnews.com
For all government recalls: www.recalls.gov/
Award winning toys for 2009: www.drtoy.com
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio:
www.toyportfolio.com/index.php