Tag Archives: holiday gift guide

Episode 58: Holiday Gift Guide, Part 2

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The Mamas are shopping again, and the books are piling up. This episode, our two favorite surly elves offer up gift buying guides for the Middle Grade (ages 8-12) and Young Adult (ages 13-18) readers in your life. So, eat until your fat pants are tight and then take advantage of Black Friday and Small Biz Saturday deals to snatch up some great books that will leave your big kids asking for more please, Oliver Twist style.    

Holiday Gift Guide:

Middle Grade (ages 8-12) books

Quest Kids and The Dragon Pants Gold by Mark Leiknes  

The Kwlade series by Emily Chenowith

The Confessions of a Dork Lord series by Mike Johnston

The Switch by Roland Smith

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

The Secret Letters by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Odder by Katherine Applegate

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

Spaceboy by David Walliams

Big Rig by Louise Hawes

Young Adult (ages 13-18) books

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater

Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy Lin

Once Upon a Broken Heart and The Balland of Never After by Stephanie 

Gabe in the After by Shannon Doleski

I Must Betray You – Ruta Sepetys

Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid

Episode 57: Holiday Gift Guide, Part 1

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Giftmas and the Mamas are here for it with board book, picture book, chapter book, and activity book recommendations. Grab a hot toddy and fill your shopping cart while sharing a few laughs with your two BFFs.

Board Books

  1. Oink I’m a Pig and Roar I’m a Dinosaur by Merril Rainey
  2. This is a Book of Shapes by Kenneth Kraegel
  3. Rainy Days by Deborah Kerbel and Miki Sato
  4. Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book by Britta Teckentrup
  5. Odd Birds, Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Gareth Lucas

Activity Books

  1. The Highlights Books of Things to…
  2. Life Skills for Kids: How to Cook, Clean, Make Friends, Handle Emergencies, Set Goals, Make Good Decisions, and Everything in Between by  Karen Harris
  3. Edible Craft Kids’ Cookbook Ages 4-8 by Charity Mathews
  4. Upcycle It Crafts for Kids ages 8-12: Fun and Useful Projects to Recycle and Reimagine by Jennifer Perkins
  5. Brain Games Science books: Kitchen Science Experiments, Outdoor Science Experiments, Engineering Science Experiments

Picture Books

  1. Sunday Pancakes by Maya Tatsukawa
  2. The Path by Bob Staake
  3. Alphabedtime by Susanna Leonard Hill and Betsy Snyder
  4. Here We Come by Janna Matthies and Christine Davenier
  5. Three Little Vikings by Bethan Woollvin

Chapter Books

  1. Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed by Suzanne Lang
  2. The Investigators series by John Patrick Green
  3. Max Meow series by John Gallagher
  4. The Agent Moose Series by Mo O’Hara and Jess Bradley
  5. Waffles and Pancake and the Castronauts by Drew Brockington

Join us next episode for Holiday Gift Guide Part 2: book recs for Middle Graders and Teens. 

Episode 37: Holiday Gift Guide for Ages 0-9

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Need gift suggestions for your kiddos this holiday? The Mamas have your back with board book, picture book, and chapter book recommendations. And, if book recommendations from Two Mamas isn’t enough for you, we’ve invited a Third Mama, author Rebecca Mullin, to help us get this holiday party started. 

Board Book Recommendations (ages 0-3):

The Lovely Haze of Baby Days by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen

The Night is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Sue Todd  

One Tomato by Rebecca Mullin, illustrated by Anna Mullin 

Picture Book Recommendations (ages 3-7):

Inside Cat by Brendan Wenzel

Phoebe Dupree is Coming to Tea! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Alea Marley

A Vote for Susanna, the First Woman Mayor by Karen M. Greenwald, illustrated by Sian James

How to Change the World in 12 Easy Steps by Peggy Porter Tierney, illustrated by Marie Letourneau. 

Chapter Books (ages 6-9): 

The Secret Explorers series by SJ King 

The Ninja Kid series by Anh Do

JD the Kid Barber Series by J Dillon

The Pug Who Wanted to Be…..  by Bella Swift

Definitely Dominguita series by Terry Catasus Jennings

Show Links:

Bookshop.org

Twolitmamas.com

The first two people to leave a comment on this blog post will receive a free copy of One Tomato by Rebecca Mullin, illustrated by Anna Mullin!!

Episode 13: Holiday Gift Guide Part 2, Middle Grade

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3-2-1 Shop! In this episode, the mamas share many – let’s face it, probably too many – gift recommendations. Concentrating on upper and lower middle grade books, these crazy, wined-up Santa’s helpers go to town on their faves. From series and standouts to interactive finds, the mamas have got your holiday book shopping covered.

The mamas faves from past episodes:

We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey

Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim

Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

The Creativity Project edited by Colby Sharp

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

Fantasy Recs:

Glitch by Laura Martin

Tristan Strong Punches a Whole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Series Recs:

America’s Test Kitchen’s Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs, Complete Baking Book for Young Chef, Complete DIY Cookbook for Young Chefs

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Deep End by Jeff Kinney

Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gibwitz

New Release Recs:

Murder Most Puzzling by Stephanie Von Reistwitz

Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

Middle Schools a Drag You Better Werk by Greg Howard

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins

Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer

Cut, Color, Create books by Merrill Rainey

Show Reference Links:

NaNoWriMo

Edge of Extinction Series by Laura Martin

Rowley Series by Jeff Kinney

Episode 12: Gift Guide Part 1, Picture & Chapter Books

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Happy Holidays! The mamas flipped the script this episode to bring you their Pick 6 gift guides upfront. Not surprisingly, the opinionated broads have gobs of recommendations for their favorite 2020 picture books and chapter books so, get out your quills and parchment paper and let the mamas help kickstart your holiday shopping.

Heather’s 2020 Picture Book Faves

1. Over and Under the Rainforest by Kate Messner, art by Christopher Silas Neal

2. Vote for our Future by Margaret McNamara, art by Micah Player

3. On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex

4. The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith, by Madeline Kloepper

5. Soaked by Abi Cushman

6. We Walk Through the Forest by Lisa Ferland, art by Yana Popova

Heather’s Fave Diverse Picture Books

1. Blue Cat by Charlie Eve Ryan

2. What I Like Most by Mary Murphy, art by Zhu Cheng-Liang

3. Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, art by Juana Martinez-Neal

4. La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya, art by Juana Martinez-Neal

5. Crown, an Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, art by Gordon C. James

6. Mae Among the Starts by Roda Ahmed, art by Stasia Burrington

Margie’s Fave Chapter Book Series

1. Mac B Kid Spy Series by Mac Barnett, art by Mike Lowery

2. Mia Mayhem Series by Kara West, art by Leeza Hernandez

3. Big Foot and Little Foot Series by Ellen Potter, art by Felicita Sala

4. Pocket Pirates by Chris Mould

5. Sam Wu is Not Afraid Of Series by Kate and Kevin Tsang 

6. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls Chapter Book Series 

Other resources for book recommendations:

Imagination Soup

Afoma Umesi All My Beautiful Things

Colby Sharp

Avery & Augustine

From the Mixed-Up Files

Kidlit411