Wondering what to buy your young friends and family members this holiday season? Look no further.

First, check out the Free Library of Philadelphia online shop. An Edgar Allan Poe puppet? Green Eggs and Ham lunch box? Signed books? Dr. Seuss pajamas? Yes, please!

You know, libraries need love, too! Share the holiday spirit with your favorite library. You can give a general donation to the Free Library of Philadelphia on our donation page, or use the drop-down menu to choose your favorite Neighborhood Library branch. If you choose a Tribute Gift, when you donate $50 or more, you can have a personalized bookplate and letter made for your special someone.

And now, Miss Mary of the Central Children’s Department recommends her favorite new books for babies, preschoolers, and school-age kids. Come to the library to give them a free spin before committing to buying them from your local, independent bookstore. Miss Mary enjoys sharing her love of reading with babies, toddlers, and their grown-ups!  Friends ages birth to 23 months are welcome to join her every Monday at 11:00 a.m. for stories, songs, and rhymes in Central Children’s Department! 

For babies, toddlers and preschoolers:

The Bunny Rabbit Show by Sandra Boynton (Board Book)

Open up this book and enjoy the Bunny Rabbit Show!  In typical Sandra Boynton fashion, we have a lively story with equally lively illustrations.  Sing the song to any tune and you are sure to have your little ones dancing around, even if you aren’t actually bunny rabbits!

Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle (Wordless Picture Book)

Flora and the Penguin is a beautifully illustrated story, using calm blue and yellow hues to tell a tale of friendship. This wordless book, a follow-up to Idle’s Caldecott Honor book Flora and the Flamingo, incorporates lift-the-flaps to show the graceful movements of Flora and her new friend.  This sweet tale takes us through the joys of meeting a new friend, to the disagreements we may find ourselves in and right back around to forgiveness.  A great read for a calm, winter day!

Edgar’s Second Word by Audrey Vernick; illustrations by Priscilla Burris (Picture Book)

A new baby brother is exciting news for Hazel, but this isn’t your typical new-baby story.  Hazel loves her new baby brother, Edgar, right from the start!  She has a pile of books to read to him but she quickly learns that Edgar reacts no differently than her stuffed animals when read to.  Then one day, Edgar says his first word, “No.”  We see Hazel struggle to interact with Edgar, receiving only loudly shouted No’s.  Hazel never gives up trying, especially when it comes to reading him books, which leads to Edgar’s second word. Colorful illustrations accompany this wonderful book about a sister’s love of her little brother.  A great read for parents and children to see that a new sibling’s arrival isn’t always met with jealousy but with excitement!

For school-age kids:

Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon (Chapter Book, Ages 6-9)

6-year-old Dory has quit the imagination, much to the dismay of her older sister Violet, her older brother Luke, and her parents.  Dory enjoys the company of many house monsters, including her best (imaginary) friend, Mary.  But what happens when Violet and Luke warn of the 507-year-old baby stealer Mrs. Gobble Gracker?  How will Dory, Mary, and her fairy godmother Mr. Nuggy keep Mrs. Gobble Gracker from kidnapping Dory?  Join Dory and her friends on this grand adventure, which includes beautifully simple illustrations, inside the mind of a most imaginative 6-year-old!

Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey by Timothy Roland (Chapter Book, Ages 6-8)

Clyde is full of energy, loving to run and jump, much like a monkey!  After eating a banana shot by a special ray, when Clyde gets too excited he turns in to a monkey, for real!  Interspersed with comics depicting Clyde as a monkey, craziness ensues while the real golden monkey statue goes missing from the museum!  Join Clyde and Claudia on an adventure sure to drive you bananas! 

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (Chapter Book, Ages 9-12)

11-year-old Ellie is the least dramatic person in a very dramatic family.  Her mother is a drama teacher, her father a stage actor, but Ellie is just trying to find her way through middle school.  To make matters worse, or better, her 76-year-old scientist grandfather is now a 13-year-old boy living with them while trying to patent his “Fountain of Youth.”  With humor, science, new friends, and some awkward situations, Ellie is finally finding out who she is in the grand scheme of things.  Join Ellie, her grandfather/”very distant cousin,” and Raj, her new friend, on the misadventure of a lifetime to learn why growing up isn’t all that bad.

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy (Chapter Book, Ages 9-12)

Take two dads, four adoptive boys, Sir Puggleton the dog, and Zeus the cat and you have the family Fletcher!  Told from the perspectives of 12-year-old Sam, soccer star but hopeful stage actor; 10-year-old Jax who is losing his best friend in the midst of trying to make nice with the new grumpy neighbor; Eli, also 10 (but younger than Jax, a distinction that is very important to make),  who is trying to adjust to a new school that seemed perfect at first; and 6-year-old Frog (not his real name) who may have a vivid imagination but swears his new friend Ladybug is real.  It’s hard growing up and trying to figure things out for yourself, but it’s always easier with a loving family to help guide you through.