9 Children's Books That Belong In Your Gift Closet

My 3 year old started preschool three weeks ago, and so far we've been invited to three birthday parties! I've always been one to shop for family gifts year round. After all, you never know when you might find the perfect item or the perfect deal that you don't want to pass up. Now I can tell it's time for us to build a gift closet that can help us be ready for last minute invites and occasions without having to run to the store every time or break the bank.

Children's Books Belong in a Gift Closet!

I know what you're thinking: of course you think you should put books in a gift closet; you sell children's books! I have always loved giving books as gifts to grownups and kids alike, long before I became a Barefoot Books Ambassador. Books can offer hours of entertainment for a child who will read them over and over again. They spark a love of learning, which every family wants for their children. 

There are practical considerations that also make books great gifts: they're compact, for example. My son's room is tiny and we don't have a play room. I love it when he receives books as presents because I don't have to re-configure our entire space to find a place to store it. Books are also easy to wrap. I stink at wrapping presents. You should see them. Once my son gets a little older, I'm going to start lying and saying he wrapped the presents. Even someone as incompetent as me can wrap a book though!

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links.

9 Barefoot Books That Make Great Gifts and Are On Sale in August

One of the goals of a gift closet is saving money, so if you need books for your gift closet, I highly recommend checking out Barefoot Books' end of the summer sale. My favorite gift giving ideas from the sale, which ends August 31st, are:

Cleo on the Move (Paperback. Ages 1 - 4. Sale price: $3.50, was $6.99)

Does your child have a friend who will be moving soon? This sweet and simple book of a young boy, his cat, and his dog moving to a new house will help little ones understand the change they're about to experience. 

I Took the Moon for a Walk (Large format board book. Ages 1 - 7. Sale price: $12.99, was $14.99)

This gentle, lyrical story of a boy who explores the night with his friend the moon is a customer favorite. It makes a perfect bedtime book, but I also recommend it as a preschool teacher appreciation gift. It's large format makes it ideal for reading to a group of children.

My Daddy is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids (Paperback. Ages 3 - 7. Sale price: $7.99, was $8.99)

Know a child who can't sit still for a book? This storybook includes instructions on numerous yoga poses that you can practice as you tell the story. Pair the book with a yoga mat and you have a great gift set!

I Dreamt I was a Dinosaur (Paperback. Ages 1 - 4. Sale price: $6.99, was $7.99)

If you have a preschool aged child, you need something dinosaur related in your gift closet! The jeweled fabric artwork featured in this book is so realistic that many children will try to touch the textures. After the rhyming story there are bonus learning pages with info on fossils and each dinosaur featured in the story. To round out your gift, pair it with this adorable Little T Rex puppet, or the Dinosaur Block Puzzle based on illustrations in the book. 

If You're Happy & You Know It (Paperback with singalong CD. Ages 3 - 7. Sale price: $7.99, was $9.99)

Music, color, movement, and language all combine for a rollicking good time in this multicultural revamp of the classic singalong. Children can learn how to say hello in 36 different languages. For a gift set that will entertain for hours, pair the book with the Children of the World Memory Game, which features the children from the singalong book. 

My Granny Went to Market (Paperback. Ages 3 - 7. Sale price: $5.99, was $6.99)

Who wouldn't want to travel with granny on her magic carpet ride around the world? Children who are learning to count can track the number of steadily increasing souvenirs granny gathers on each page. This book is on many preschool classroom must have lists, so consider it for your next teacher appreciation gift.

Out of the Blue (Hardcover. Ages 4 - 9. Sale price: $12.99, was $16.99). 

This is THE book to give at your next 5 year old birthday party. Why? It's a beautifully engaging wordless book, so the child who is on the verge of learning to read can enjoy this book all by him or herself. While the story is wordless, they are numerous pages of end notes on marine life, lighthouses and more from the world of beach life.

The Greatest Gift: The Story of the Other Wise Man (Hardover. Ages 6 - 12. Sale price: $10.19, was $16.99)

If you need a Christmas gift to give to an entire family, The Greatest Gift is a lovely choice. Artaban, the fourth wise man, stops to help a dying man and is too late to give his present to the King of Kings at his birth in Bethlehem. So begins a long journey amongst the poor, the sick and the hungry, bringing comfort to those in need.

The Adventures of Odysseus (Hardcover with narration CDs. Ages 8+. Sale price: $14.39, was $23.99)

The lavishly illustrated re-telling of Odysseus comes complete with two narration CDs, making it a great gift to give before heading out on a car trip. The young adventure seeker is sure to enjoy following the hero's harrowing journey home after the long and brutal Trojan war.

What other kinds of children's items do you keep in your gift closet? Share your ideas in the comments!