Easter Book Baskets

It's that time of year again ... my annual Easter Book Basket post.  In this house, books take front and center at Easter.  We have made it an annual tradition that the Easter Bunny brings book baskets Easter morning.  The kids always look forward to the new titles and it takes the emphasis off toys and candy. 

However, I am not grinch.  An Easter basket without a chocolate bunny would be cruel and unusual punishment!  As always I am sharing the baskets I have put together for my family.  I hope they give you inspiration for an "eggcellent" Easter!  To see my baskets from the last two years, click here and here.

I do want to note that as my oldest child continues to grow, the books I select for him do as well.  While some of the choices I have made for him may appeal to a younger audience, be advised that he is fifteen, and the content of these books will be more mature and contain more violent scenarios.  I note this because I generally blog for a younger audience.

Basket for my fifteen year old son (who is too old but doesn't want to miss out on the books and chocolate bunny!)

1. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.  This is a dystopian tale where resources are scarce.  When Nailer finds a scavenger's dream, a ship filled with parts, he has to make a choice between saving the ship's lone survivor or striping the ship for parts.  This one won the Printz award in 2011 for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.  To purchase, click here: Ship Breaker  

2.  Bad for You: Exposing the War on Fun by Kevin C. Pyle.  I think my son will love this one, but I am little scared to give it to him.  This book will give him plenty of ammunition on why I should let him play video games, text and get his hands dirty.  However, I love that it encourages kids to intelligently question the use of technology!  To purchase, click here: Bad for You: Exposing the War on Fun!  

3.  Pluto:Urasawa x Tezuka.  In this graphic novel, robots and humans live and work together.  It is a futuristic thriller aimed squarely and a YA audience.  To purchase, click here: Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 1  

Basket for my twelve year old son

1.  Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done by Stephan Pastis.  My son loved the first book (I did too) so I know he will be thrilled to get the second book in this series.  To purchase, click here: Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done  

2. Say It Ain't So by Josh Berk.  My son loved Berk's first book and so I am hoping this one will be a home run too.  For kids who love baseball and mysteries, this series is top of the order.  To purchase, click here: Say It Ain't So (Lenny & the Mikes)  

3. Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue.  We have all the titles in the Origami Yoda series and these get read over and over again.  I expect this one to be no different.  To purchase, click here: Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue: An Origami Yoda Book  

Basket for my ten year old daughter

1. Switched at Birthday by Natalie Standiford.  By the author of the Secret Tree, a book I loved last year, I can't wait for my daughter to read this one.  She loved Wendy Mass' 11 Birthdays, so this will be a perfect fit.  To purchase, click here: Switched at Birthday  

2. The Kicks: Saving the Team by Alex Morgan.  This series is written by the soccer player Alex Morgan, who my daughter greatly admires.  This is the first book in a series about a girl's soccer team.  A perfect book for soccer loving girls.  To purchase, click here: Saving the Team (The Kicks)  

3.  The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall.  This is just a charming series that reminds me of the innocent books we used to read 30 years ago, but solidly set in today's world.  While the sensibilities are old fashion the girls are thoroughly modern. To purchase click here: The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy