These are gifts that help not only the recipient but also our community by fostering a love of reading. These books will be read again and again.

1. This gorgeous, high-interest book is for grade 3 and up. Eighth-graders in the county are devouring this; it is "flying off library shelves." It's good for grownups too: D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths ($11.91 oversized paperback, $19.77 oversized hardcover). Read the reviews at Amazon: (link...)

By the way, this is the same book Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame gave to his little sister in Remember Me.

2. Read this beautiful book to age 2 up, or let readers from grade 3 up read it themselves. It is very high-interest, too. Eighth-graders love it: D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths ($16.47 oversized hardcover). Read the reviews at Amazon: (link...)

3. This richly illustrated tome is excellent to help reluctant readers grades 3 through 8 plunge into a longer book. It is also good for the rest of us. One eighth-grade class in the county had a waiting list this month for this book that was 17 deep: The Invention of Hugo Cabret ($14.99 hardcover, 533 pages). Read the reviews at Amazon: (link...)

Please also consider getting an extra copy or two to donate to your local school or town library.

-- OneTahiti