Baby Showers
Book for baby shower
I am going to a baby shower next weekend and the host is asking that we bring books instead of cards. Does anyone have any suggestions of what book to bring? I would like to find a good one that isn't too popular since I don't want to bring the same one as someone else! Any help is appreciated!
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Re: Book for baby shower
I would boycott this because it's so rude, so I've got no suggestions.
I have about a 250 children's books and love so many!!! Are you wanting to go with a board book or just a regular paperback?
Do not get: The Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Good Night Moon, The Napping House, The Rainbow Fish, The Mitten, The Polar Express etc.
Still Cute books but not so over-used are:
A pocketfull of kiss by Audrey Penn
Any of the Llama Llama Books are adorable
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (LOVE LOVE!!) Actually any Kevin Henkes books are good
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
I could go on for days but there are a few!
He's the single greatest thing I've done in my life and reminds me daily of how fun (and funny) life can be. He's turned out pretty swell for having such a heartless and evil mother.
Gismo, I think it's hysterical that she called you cranky! ??
I also think it is rude - actually it is always rude to tell guests what to buy...but I wouldn't boycott it either. I've gone to a couple of showers that have requested a book instead of a card and since I almost always add a book to the gift anyway it is not a big deal. However, I will NOT sign the book. I just get a card and sign that. That is just nonsense as far as I'm concerned. It is defacing a book and I was taught at a young age not to write in books. So...if the mom gets 5 copies of Good Night Moon or the Very Hungry Catapillar are you really going to keep all 5-8 copies?
I am very surprised at the amount of people that would keep several copies of the same book because people signed then but would not keep cards. I would ONLY keep cards...not the books. Those would be donated pronto - even with the signatures in them...but then I would not ask for them in the first place. I have the 1st years' cards my kids got and will save/store them so when they are parents they can look through them. I love looking through the cards my mom saved when I was born. Do I have any of the books from when I was little...maybe 1-2 and they are pretty worn. After going through us kids plus nieces and nephews they get pretty chewed up. The cards are pristine because they've been packed away in the "baby box".
apparently i was the victim of a drive-by rude-fest, because i attended a baby shower that requested us to 'bring our favorite baby books' and i went out and bought two on top of the original gift i was bringing! i definitely wasnt offended at all, but i guess to each their own.
in my opinion, my very favorite kids book is the original Winnie the Pooh series
One of my favorite books growing up was "Too Much Noise" by Ann McGovern. Though it's kind of an old book so I'm not sure how easy it would be to find, being old also would help to ensure it doesn't get duplicated.
I too am of the mindset that giving books instead of cards is a great idea. I've even had some friends and family tell me how much they like the idea, without me mentioning it. I sort of understand other people's opinions but I also am a bit confused.
If you aren't supposed to tell people what to buy you then why bother registering? Like many others have said if someone doesn't want to do it they don't have to. It's the same as if someone doesn't want to buy something off of your registry I don't think anyone would go haywire on that person.
Also, if people are informed in the invite then they can factor that in when buying a gift.
I agree that you shouldn't write in books but what is so bad about writing a little something on the first blank page? Authors do it all the time when they autograph books. I have two Shel Silverstein books from my parents that I got as Xmas presents when I was little and my mom wrote "Merry Christmas" with the year and I cherish those books because of that.
Sadly, I don't know how to ensure you don't wind up with multiple copies. However, I think you have a better chance if you ask for books to get a bunch of different ones than if you didn't and didn't register for any. If people know that there will be others buying books they may try and steer more towards lesser known books. I think I may register for some books as well to give people some ideas.
I know the etiquette police will be on my butt for this but we book instead of card lovers need to stick together.
I am doing this for my shower... so I guess I am rude. I am a HUGE reader and we have built a special entire wall of shelves to display all the books our family and friends lovingly give us. My favorite book as a child was The Velveteen Rabbit and my best friend already got it for my little girl to be! I also think when it is your first baby (like mine) and you have no childrens books it is a great gift.
Too many people get fired up on these boards about things that aren't worth it. You know your friends and family, so do what you are comfortable with, and ignore the haters!!!
This was done for me at my shower - I got one duplicate and it was a locally written book about from a child's perspective about my home state. DD's already ripped one of the pages completely out of one copy so I am glad I got two. I also love reading these books to DD and telling her who gave it to her and what they had to say. She likes it too. And no one side-eyed me, they all gushed how creative the hosts were by thinking of it. But to each their own, so whatevs.
That said, for OP - DD's fave book for her first year or so was Little Quack's Bedtime. We read it every night before bed and when we accidentally left it at grandma's and had to wait for it to arrive in the mail, we recited it by heart every night. Little Quack also has a self-titled book and a hide-n-seek book and maybe others. Now she likes the old golden spine books, and my childhood favorite has become one of her favorites also - The Pokey Little Puppy. I actually got this for a friend's new LO as a small board book at B&N for $5.98 this week. Also, there are a bunch of books about a little yellow puppy named Biscuit - he has touch and feel books, lift the flap books, early readers and more. DD loves biscuit. He "woofs" a lot and she learned when to woof when we read them together.
My sister just got invited to a shower with this request.
I told her to get Only One You. It's not well known, but IMO, it's beautifully illustrated and is a great book from birth through adulthood (the message)
Totally agree.