do your children like books as presents?

[sallyseton]

mine do, not sure about the wisdom of giving them to others as gifts though! would yours be happy or would they prefer something more fun?

I only give books as presents to children I know like reading, or if I know their parents generally would approve of books as presents. I have occasionally given books and noted a child looking less than impressed, but that happens with other presents sometimes too.

My dc might not look as overjoyed when opening a present and it's a book, especially if it's a book they haven't heard of, but they always read them. so maybe initial reactions to presents aren't the be all and end all.

dd1 - yes, loves books as presents
dd2 & ds - no, they like books but think that they are something that your parents supply like loo roll or fruit in the fruit bowl, so to them its a crap present.

Don't you just love them.

Mine both love books and reading, but would be a bit disappointed to get a book as a present [shame]. They LOVE Waterstones vouchers, though, so that's a good alternative.

I think mine regard boos as a limitless natural resource - it's a bit like being given a tube of toothpaste or a box of cornflakes.

My DD2 asked for a new BOOKCASE! for her sixth birthday, so , yes in answer to your question she loves receiving books as presents.

I have a long list of things my dds don't like as presents. Practically everything that people recommend on mumsnet threads for "what to buy a 10yo dd or an 8yo dd". all that "glitter pens, make up, pretty bags, fairy dust, HSM crap, nail varnish, clothes vouchers, jewellery, pretty notebooks, purses". They find all of that boring or bemusing.

Mine would much rather have a book. Thank goodness. (Unless it was a book about fairies or pretty bags or glitter pens or HSM)

Mine are very happy with books 2, 6 and 9. They would to get only books - like crappy toys too!

All three of mine do.

If they have been good/done something well etc (eg parents evening) and I ask them what they would like as a reward, 9 times out of 10 it is a book.

They always have amazon wish lists built up before birthdays/christmas.

Mine would have tv viewing or sweets as their ideal reward. When I say they like books, I don't mean above TV or sweets.

So would I Fennel!

Yes, they both LOVE a new book!

3 out of my 6 childldren loved getting books as presents. They were/are avid readers!

The other 3 would have been polite and said thank you for the gift but would not have been too impressed. They are dyslexic and enjoyed building lego or airfix modles much more than struggling to read. Books with pictures of sportsmen, castles, dinosaurs etc. would have been looked at occasionally at bedtime but they much prefered stories on tape.

I did make sure they looked at books and practiced reading every day well into secondary school. The youngest is 14 now and only reads to do his school work.

Yes, my dd would.

She would be even happier with a book token though because of the added excitement of choosing it.

Not initially - would prefer more plastic tat. But the books bring more lasting pleasure.

Waterstone's have some nice little picture gift cards (like credit cards) you can load up with money. The pictures include The Snowman, and Charlie and Lola and the children can keep them afterwards.

My ds likes a good book, but his definition of a good book is quite narrow (ie horrid henry, mammoth academy, just-so stories, scooby doo annual, any joke book going...)
He has received some lovely reference books, (underwater creatures, how your body works etc) and they've not been looked at. He also likes to listen to his story cd's in bed, usually while reading something else completely!

So I would say if you're going to give a book it has to be a book that is of interest to the child, not one you particularly like.

We have given horrid henry books to some of his friends and they have gone down extremly well. But I checked before hand that they would be happy with such an item.

Books are the presents you by for children whose parents you like enough not to subject them to glitter, play-doh and stuff with loads of bits.

ds loves getting books, but also enjoys getting book tokens. He then gets the fun of picking the books as well as reading. Books last for forever and much much loved in this house.

ds(5 at Xmas) got a boxed set of Roald Dhal books for Xmas and was not impressed as they were 1) books 2) didnt have many pictures.

Loved his Star Wars ultimate lightsaber which got all the attention.

6 months on ultimate lightsaber is back in original box in cupboard and rarely touched. Roald Dhal books are still being read at bedtime each night and he's begging for another chapter.

So yes, he would intially prefer/respond better to the expensive plastic tat, but he has had more enjoyment out of the books.

"Books are the presents you by for children whose parents you like enough not to subject them to glitter, play-doh and stuff with loads of bits."

I don't agree. I think that, unless you know the child VERY well and can choose the perfect book, books are the presents you buy for children whose parents you want to impress!

Sorry, my grin was meant to show I was being tongue in cheek - our house is full of the messy stuff and I enjoy it as much as the children do.

My two love books but they love very different books to each other.

It's funny, isn't it? Mine love books too - but I know they would be a bit disappointed to get a book as a present, unless it was one they really really wanted. They both love a Waterstones voucher though!

Yep, both love books. I often give books as presents.

Yes DS likes getting a book as a present but I have given books to other children and seen both them and their parents look kind of faintly disgusted like "this isn't a present - it's a bloody book!" kind of expression so I tread carefully now! I had no idea before but now I would only do it if I knew they were book-lovers.

I think some people genuinely see books as "merely" educational and therefore not fun IYSWIM.

DS loves books and the house is full of them but I would agree with others who say that a Waterstone's card is a much better gift. DS loves his special trip to town to spend his birthday money; it adds another dimension to the birthday itself.

"I think some people genuinely see books as "merely" educational and therefore not fun IYSWIM"

I don't think my children look at it like that. I think it's more that they regard books as a limitless natural resource that they can have whenever they want, so a present should be something that's not an everyday thing. IYSWIM!