December marks the start of the holiday season; it’s a time for family to come together, and what better way to bond than to gather around the fire with a good story? For those looking to connect with their young grandkids this winter, we have just the books for you! Whether you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas or you’d just like to get them something special (because they deserve it!), get ready to write down these titles. From a grandma making memories with her grandson at the strawberry farm to a grandpa teaching his granddaughter some tai chi, you’ll be inspired to recreate these activities with your own little ones! Feel the love this holiday season and start planning for future storytimes with your grandbabies.
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/how-to-babysit-a-grandpa.jpeg
How to Babysit a Grandpa
by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
In their best-selling How To series, Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish capture the bond between grandparents and their grandkids and the fun they can create together. How to Babysit a Grandpa assures children that while their parents may be away, their grandpa will be there to care for them — or is it the other way around? This clever children’s book flips expectations on their head and tells a story where the grandkid takes babysitting into his own hands. He’s so busy entertaining his grandpa — eating ice cream and cookies, hunting for lizards and playing pirates — that he doesn’t have time to miss his parents! How could he when he and his grandpa have another fun adventure to plan?
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Grandmas-Sugar-Cookie.jpeg
Grandma’s Sugar Cookie
by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Kathryn Selbert (Sourcebooks Wonderland)
Filled with touching rhymes, whimsical illustrations and a whole lot of sweetness, this charming board book is perfect for the Christmas season. The heartfelt prose of Grandma’s Sugar Cookie captures the love that every grandma feels for her grandchild — and sprinkles some sugar and chocolate chips on for good measure! The book shows a myriad of animal grandmas baking with their grandkids and spending valued time with one another. Along with making sure grandkids feel all the love that they deserve, this book comes with a cookie recipe in the back, so a fun bonding activity is built-in! Stuff this in a loved one’s Christmas stocking to share some sweetness this year.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Quinn-Goes-to-the-Farm.jpeg
Quinn Goes to the Farm
by Mary Mueller (LifeRich Publishing)
Be inspired by a tale of bonding and keeping traditions in the delightful story Quinn Goes to the Farm. While his Grandma Mary drives them to the strawberry fields, Quinn can barely contain his excitement. The two of them get to the farm, where they ride on the farmer’s tractor before walking through the rows of strawberry plants, filling their buckets with tasty fruit that will later become a jam in Grandma Mary’s kitchen. As they pick the best strawberries they can find, Quinn’s grandma tells him stories of when she was a little girl, picking strawberries with her own grandparents. Quinn Goes to the Farm shows kids that while an activity can be fun, spending time with our loved ones is what make things extra special. Keep this book in mind for a great activity once the weather gets warmer!
Read our full review of the book here.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Little-Red-Ruthie-1.jpeg
Little Red Ruthie
by Gloria Koster, illustrated by Sue Eastland (Albert Whitman & Company)
Hannukah is here, and no one is more excited than Ruthie! She’s packed her basket full of latkes, applesauce and sour cream and is ready to head through the woods to her bubbe’s house. As she treks through the snowy thicket, however, she spots a dark shape hiding behind a tree. It’s a wolf, and he’s planning on cutting her Hannukah plans short — by eating her! Ruthie needs to think quickly if she wants to make it to her bubbe’s house. Rich with descriptions of delicious food, this book is a feast for the eyes — and the story is just as engaging. Young readers are sure to get a laugh out of Bubbe Basha’s hospitality when inviting the wolf to join her for the holiday, and be impressed by the clever way she and Ruthie avoid any further trouble.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/A-Morning-with-Grandpa.jpeg
A Morning with Grandpa
by Sylvia Liu, illustrated by Christina Forshay (Lee & Low Books)
In her award-winning book A Morning with Grandpa, author Silvia Liu paints a gentle picture of the love between Gong Gong and his granddaughter Mei Mei. As she watches her grandpa practice his tai chi in the garden, Mei Mei is itching to join him. As Gong Gong tries to show her the flowing movements from one pose to another, Mei Mei puts her own spin on the moves. She wants to teach her Gong Gong in turn and shows him the yoga poses that she’s learned in school. This charming tale of intergenerational bonding is sure to warm your heart and may even inspire you and your little one to try a tai chi or yoga class together — after all, learning something new is always more fun when you have a buddy.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/My-Nana-and-Me.jpeg
My Nana and Me
by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson (Xist Publishing)
This heartwarming book perfectly encapsulates a grandmother’s love for her granddaughter and the incredible bond that they share. Author Irene Smalls takes the reader through a day in the life of a grandmother and her granddaughter as they spend time with one another. From teatime to dance parties, hide-and-seek to story time, their day is jam-packed with fun. Filled to the brim with love and care, My Nana and Me is like a warm hug condensed into 28 pages. The melodic writing and sumptuous, colorful illustrations help lift the story to new heights and create something truly special.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Grinny-Granny-Donkey.jpeg
The Grinny Granny Donkey
by Craig Smith, illustrated by Ms. Katz Crowley (Scholastic)
We’ve all needed a good laugh this past year, and some of you may have gotten one from the viral video of a Scottish grandma reading The Wonky Donkey. Craig Smith’s zany rhymes and Katz Crowley’s playful illustrations work in perfect tandem, adding unforgettable personality that will have you roaring with laughter. Now Smith and Crowley are back with another sequel in this beloved children’s book series, and it’s a doozy! Meet Dinky Donkey’s sweet grandma and learn why she’s called the “grinny granky plunky-plinky swanky clinky-clanky zonky dunky-drinky clunky donkey!” The Grinny Granny Donkey makes for the perfect read-aloud experience and will have readers of every generation cracking up.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/all-grandparents-love-their-grandbabies.jpeg
All Grandparents Love Their Grandbabies
by Zoe Michel, illustrated by Nejla Shojaie (Give Back Books)
This board book is the perfect stocking stuffer for young grandkids, and is a must for any grandparent looking for a great storytime read. Different animals grace everypage, each with a tender rhyme that carries the message of the story. From elephants to giraffes, chipmunks to sloths and penguins to dolphins, one thing unites them all — their love for their grandbabies. All Grandparents Love Their Grandbabies evokes a heartfelt message on every page, but the most heartwarming part of the book is at the very end. There, you can find an illustrated picture frame — the perfect place to put a photo of you and your little loved one.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Thanks for including HOW TO BABYSIT A GRANDPA! This post put a smile on my face.
Jean Reagan (the author)