Great Graduation Gifts Are Children's Books

Graduation marks the end of a stage of life and the beginning of another. Kindergartners seem as excited over the prospect of moving on to the next grade as high school and college graduated do about moving forward towards the next stage of their life. Gifts given at this time are given out of recognition for the achievements that graduate has accomplished. It is a way of acknowledgment of a right of passage. Gifts to mark this special once in a lifetime event, to many, seem to carry special significance. The giver usually wants to give something memorable, useful, or extremely personal.

Books can be that memorable, useful and personal gift. Do you remember the Velveteen Rabbit and its ability to communicate its truth to children of all ages? That is the miracle of children's books. Scratch the surface of an adult and you will find the heart of a child within. This is why children's books continue to grow in popularity each year as one of the number one picks for graduation gifts.

If your graduate was a Dr Seuss fan as a child, perhaps they would enjoy the last book that Dr Seuss wrote called, The Places You'll Go. Seuss speaks of the exciting places the reader is going to go on their journey through life. He paints an over all positive picture but also includes a dose of realism the life won't be all sunshine and roses. The rhymes' of Seuss do not end on a negative note. The reader is encourage that even though at times things may get tough the tough times won't last forever, especially if you don't give up.

Attached to The Little Engine that Could as a child? Then your graduate might enjoy, I Knew You Could!:A Book for All the Stops on the Way. The book encourages the reader to stay on the track they have chosen and to be true to themselves. At one point in the book by Craig Dorfman, there is a picture of a train track going into a tunnel with a light at the end of it. It is a subtle reminder in picture form that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The accompanying text states, "The track you took in must also go out".

Perhaps the person your graduation gift is for is a lover of Curious George. New in 2008, was the book Curious You, On Your Way! Authored by H.A. Ray, the words of this book congratulate the reader on their accomplishments and encourage them towards future ones. This book would make a great gift for almost anyone entering a new and exciting phase of their life.

Only One You is another book that would be appropriate for the graduate on your list. This book is about a mother and father fish that it is time that junior learns from the benefit of their wisdom. They teach that, "If something gets in your way, move around it"I particularly like the fun art in this book written by Linda Krantz.

My final selection is not truly a children's book but rather a collection of quotes that teach truths and lessons from children's books.This anthology collected by Amy Gash is called Remember What the Doormouse Said, Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books. In case you don't recognize the phrase, "Remember what the Doormouse said..."is a quote from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Psychoanalysis research and author, Judith Viorst wrote the forward to the book. Her comment related children's books is, "At their best, children's books offer insights we'll want to remember and ponder and savor and learn from and revel in."

Perhaps, Judith Viorst sums up why giving a children's book to a graduate or to anyone is a wonderful gift. When you give your gift,remember to include a personal note inside the book listing the date, the occasion, and perhaps why you chose this gift for them.That will make you gift especially meaningful.