After our son was born, I began a tradition of purchasing one book for each birthday.  The books I’ve selected are not necessarily age-appropriate, yet they are books I want him to have for his personal collection.  Last birthday, he received “To Kill A Mockingbird.”  The year before that, I purchased “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” so that he would have it in hardback.  Now, he is a few days away from his fifth birthday and about to receive an illustrated version of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 100^th Anniversary Edition.”  I inscribe each book with a note and the specific birthday that the book commemorates, and then store the book in our son’s bookcase.

Three months ago on Twitter, I tweeted that going forward, all my gifts – be they birthday or holiday – will be books.  My husband and I have nine nephews and nieces and a number of other family members, children, and friends for whom we give gifts throughout the year.  Most of the children are at an age where their primary desire is electronic.  By now, they’ve heard my book-giving mantra and I’m certain that eyes were rolled by some, and a number consider me antiquated and out of touch.  This aunt, however, has a thick skin and I’ve decided that as an author, book buying is one of the most important things I can do.  By buying books as gifts, I support my industry and fellow authors, the bookstores that promote our work, and best, I give a gift that can nourish the mind and imagination of a child.  And, in light of the fact that my genre is children’s picture books, I’m focusing on those books as much as possible.  So, when a friend’s husband recently turned 50, after thinking of all the possible gifts that I could send as a gift, I turned to an amusing, children’s picture book.  This man will now have new memories to create with his young daughter as they read the book my family has sent.  Coincidentally, the book is being made into a movie in 2010 so they can not only read it, but later, see it on screen together and enjoy it all anew.

Related posts:

1. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Picture Books for a Lamb-of-a-Month of April
2. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Historical Fiction in Picture Books
3. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Children’s Literacy – A Call to AuthorsNow! Members
4. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Screenplays
5. Author Spotlight: Samantha R. Vamos, BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR (Giveaway Alert: Now – 05/22/09)