Birthday gift etiquette

[VERYBRUISEDPEAR]

Please help as I can't decide what to do:

3yo DD is invited to a 4th birthday party, which is a joint party with the birthday girl's sister (the sister will be 6, I think). I don't know the parents that well although they seem lovely and the girl is a very good influence on my daughter 😬. The invitation said "Your presence is the only present we need. No present required". Presumably they don't want any more tat in their house, so I definitely won't get an actual present, but should I get a book token? If so, should I get a token for the sister as well? And how much for?

Any ideas? The instruction to not get a present is so far causing me more stress than just buying a bloody present 😂

They say no presents.
That means no books, no cash, no gift/book tokens.

Do your kids not wonder why their friends get presents from their friends but they don't?

I'd only do a present for the child you were invited for.

Not so far :) Hadn't thought about that actually. It's been the norm amongst our group to not do presents for parties so far so that's probably helping matters! Guess I'm lucky they've just gone with it.

Lots of careful/age appropriate discussion about consumerism and climate change amongst our friends and school mates too, so that likely strongly plays into things.

'No presents' is so about the parents. Kids love presents - let them enjoy their birthday. Trust me as an adult there will be plenty of times when your birthday is overlooked or an after thought.

My kids loved wrapping presents, writing the card and carrying it to the party. I get the clutter thing but how offensive is a small token gift they can open, like a book.

No gifts means no gifts. At most, a box of Heroes/Quality Street that the family can share.
I would never give cash to such young children. Parents could pocket it.