Clarice Bean in a Box

When I was a kid, the only Christmas gift better than a plain old book, was a box set of books by a favorite author. (Yes, I was supremely geeky, but now I’m not afraid to admit it). I’m not sure why, but there’s something about books that come with their own nifty container that just makes the world feel tidy, sensible and full of promise.

This is why I think that The Exceptionordinarily Good Boxed Set of the first two Clarice Bean books, complete with Clarice Bean notebook, pencil and handy storage case, is sure to leave many a groovy 8-year old girl utterly satisfied this holiday.

Picture please:

Clarice Bean floats my boat. She is clever, kooky, artistic and smart. She is what every 8 year old girl would be in a perfect world. These stories are just right for almost any kid – avid reader to reluctant and all those in between. The reading level is friendly, with fun images scattered throughout. The jokes are plentiful, and the characters are real and oddball enough to keep the pages turning. Also, Clarice’s adventures are rooted in typical kid experiences. I guess that makes them “relate-able,” which works for most children.

The best part of all this is, after this prezzie has made you the most beloved aunt (mom / dad / cousin / grown-up person) of all time, you can continue to be the coolest gift-giver ever by providing that lucky kid with the latest, freshest Clarice Bean book: Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now for her birthday (this one happens to be a Cybils ‘07 nominated title for Middle Grade). Feel free to read my review.

So there you go. All 8-10 year old girls on your list taken care of.  Easy peasy.