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Today my friends, my post is about feeding your brain! As part of the gift giving formula my mom talked about here, I am sharing with you some great books to give as gifts for the "Something to Read" category.

Getting your kids books is sooo important! The sooner you start reading to a child the better. It will impact their verbal skills and help ignite their imagination. If you help instill a love of reading in your child when they are young, then as they grow they can get lost in the world of a book and learn about new people and cultures. Books expand horizons!

So, lets break these ideas down by age group!

Something to Read: Ages 0-3

For newborns you can really read them anything, but once your kid becomes a little wiggle worm, board books are so great to save books from torn pages. It can't always be avoided however, because not all great books come in board book form. Just be aware and be careful of where those tiny hands flail! (Also, my daughter got a paper cut on her toe one time while we were reading, so watch out for those wiggly little toes as well! I never even thought it could be possible, but she slid her foot across the book at the perfect angle!)

We have some Baby Einstein books in our house and our little girl loves them! They're so interactive and fun, and can grow with her as she gets older! Amazon has a whole page dedicated to this brand, so you can find all kinds of great board books for your little ones!

I have to give a shout out to this book because my daughter absolutely loves it! Lift the flap books are a big hit around our house because she can lift it herself. She looks forward to it on every page. Underneath each flap is a new farm animal and its a great way to teach her animals sounds associated with each animal! This book is how she learned how to say "dog" and "hello!"

This is another favorite with our little one. It is a great book that teaches that we all have different talents, and also, it's never okay to make fun of or judge someone. It's a fun read, and is in rhyme form, which is a great thing to learn at a young age!

Something to read: Ages 3-6

This is a fun age where kids really start getting interactive with their books and try to read them on their own!

My daughter just got one of these e readers from my aunt as a Christmas gift. As a 1 year old she just likes to push the buttons and pretend the reader is a phone and I just read the books to her. It would be a fun gift for a slightly older child to have to learn to follow along as someone reads aloud!

I love the Little Critter books! I think the way they are written is so funny, they're enjoyable for parent and adult!

I have heard mixed reviews about the Pinkalicious television show. I love the books however! Emily has three of them and they are cute. Not only do they teach stories about being true to who you are, its a great way to learn your colors! I highly recommend the books! You can decide how you feel about the show.

I am also a huge fan of the Berenstain Bears books! I grew up with these books and love them. They teach great lessons. They're especially valuable for children with siblings!

Max's journey to where the Wild Things are obviously had to make an appearance for me! This is my absolute favorite children's book of all time! I love reading it to my daughter! Her nursery is Where the Wild Things Are themed. She has a little Max doll (complete with crown) and her newborn photos includes a Where the Wild Things Are theme! 

Something to Read: Ages 6-12

I know this is a pretty large age range in terms of level of reading skill, but I wanted to give a broad range of options for you to consider when getting your children a book because maybe you feel like they could read something a bit more difficult but are unsure where to start.

I first heard about Harry Potter in the 7th grade. Alicia had gotten the first two or three books through the scholastic book fair, she was in second grade. She read them and loved them at 7, and I read them and loved them at 13. Harry Potter is a book for all ages. The earlier ones especially are quick reads and a great start to chapter books.

Okay I love Junie B Jones. She is such a funny girl and the stories are always so fun! When I worked in a 4th grade class we went to see a play based on these stories and the kids absolutely loved it! So did I! I highly recommend these books!

When I turned 8 years old, I got a copy of Ramona Quimby Age 8 for my birthday. I loved it, and soon wanted to read all of the Ramona Quimby books! She is like the original Junie B Jones to me! I even made my mom check out some television episodes from the library for us to watch as kids. Everything that happens is from Ramona's perspective, and that is really the best thing about these books. Children can understand exactly how Ramona feels!

Something to read: Teens and Young Adult
For the teens and young adults in your life there are so many wonderful books out there to get them into amazing stories! Harry Potter is still an excellent option at this age, as well as these ideas:

The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I first read it in junior high and it is such a sweeping epic story that teaches so many valuable lessons about choosing good, being a loyal friend, and everyone can do hard things. But it isn't so basic. It is a deep read and a fascinating world! Someone people pass the Hobbit off as boring, but I really like the Hobbit, and if you read it first, it helps set the scene for the story to follow in the next three books. These books are classics and should definitely be read by everyone.

Full disclosure, I haven't read this book yet. My mom has though and told me it is so good! I intend to steal it and read it. You however, can buy it through this link and gift it to your teenage child! (Or yourself, I don't judge!)

Any book that focuses on a true story from the Holocaust is a must for me (Hello Diary of Anne Frank and The Hiding Place). This is a true story of a young girl named Dita Karus who was in charge of a set of books that some Jews snuck past the guards at Auschwitz. Be prepared to cry guys.

Well those are my something to read suggestions for you. I hope I've given you a good place to start. I'd say go buy a gift for the reader in your life, but maybe buy one to help someone become a reader as well!

Also, don't forget, we've been talking about the#LightTheWorld campaign. Have you seen any of these giving machines near you? There is one here in Gilbert, Arizona, and little lady and I are going to go on Friday to see what we can give!

​**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. ​  But, all opinions expressed are ​

      You may have noticed that for the past 2 weeks, our normal Friday Faves posts have been taken over by something delicious. PIE!  That's right!  We have just published our Pie E-book entitled, For the Love of Pie.  WE ARE SO EXCITED!  It's on sale right now and you can order your own copy right this instant by clicking this link! 
       Let me tell you about what you will find in this nearly 50 page e-book! 

• Yes, there will be pies from this blog that we have compiled into one easy place to find them. (Like the Best Ever Pecan Pie recipe that I have perfected over the years. My husband's Fave!)
• There are recipes for classics, like lemon meringue and peach,  that we haven't shared before. 
• There are delicious recipes for pies that we invented that no one but our closest friends have ever tasted! You will want to try Caramel Apple, Peach Cobbler Pie! 
• There are vegan pies, like Coconut Banana! 
• There is a list of things you will need or would like to have to assist in your pie baking.  You can make fabulous crusts! 
• The best crust recipes are in there and how to make them look amazing! 

The list goes on! 
     Just think you guys, it is almost Thanksgiving and then Christmas!  Here is the opportunity to becoming the pie aficionado of your family and friends.  You can bring the best and most beloved desserts to any gathering with confidence when you use our tried and true recipes. It really is as easy as pie! 
     The  great thing about an e-book is that you can just keep it as a file on your computer or you can download it and print it all or print only the pages that you want. I love printing the recipes I find on the internet because the next time I want to make it I don't have to search for it.  I keep it in my Bloggelicious Baking Binder and they are right at my fingertips!  While you are in our shop, you may want to grab the Bloggelicious Baking Binder set for yourself. It is a great place to store the recipes that you print from Pinterest or Our Blog! There is a pie section that will be the perfect place to store your For the Love of Pie Cookbook. And if you came to our Pie Night Party, you should have received a special code that will give you a substantial discount on the book.  But, use it by November 10th because that's when it expires. 
     Thanks so much for your support! We know you will love the book if you love pie. And I want to give a special shout-out to Alicia for all of her great computer skills that totally made this book possible. Not to mention everyone's baking skills! There is a lot of love in these pies! 

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. ​  But, all opinions expressed are my own.

    August 26th is National Dog Day.  While we don't have any pets right now, our family has definitely been dog people throughout my life.  We have had a few cats and other pets but, dogs are the animals we have loved the best.  National Dog Day is what has inspired today's Friday Fave topic. 
What is your favorite book about dogs? 
Oh my goodness! There are so many choices!  Today we are sharing some of our faves. If you know any dog lovers, this is a list they will enjoy.  Have you read all of these?

Dog Story Books:

• Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell: Kids love these many stories about Emily Elizabeth and her big, red dog named Clifford. Clifford always saves the day!
• Spot by Eric HIll: The perfect series of books about a dog for young toddlers. It is available as board books with eye catching illustrations.
• The Pokey Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey: This is a storybook that I remember from my childhood and it is one of the original Little Golden Books. This is a sweet story about a cute puppy with a lot of curiosity.
• Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli: This little puppy will steal every child's heart! There are 10 stories about Biscuit's adventures. The illustrations by Pat Schories are adorable.
• Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman): This is a cute book about Ree Drummond's dog Charlie and his life on the ranch. You can hear Ree read it to you herself! There is a very good taste of a lot of the story to hear on Amazon. Just click the link. The illustrations by Diane deGroat are super cute. This is the first book, but there are others available about Charlie as well.

 Chapter Books For Young and Old:

• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls: Warning, this classic is a tear jerker. I remember sobbing over it in my youth. Billy worked hard to be able to own his 2 hunting dogs. The story of his love for them is a classic that everyone should read.
• The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford: This story about the dogs that carried medicine across frozen Alaska to save children is inspiring and compelling. I have read it in the classroom with 3rd grade students and they have loved it.
• The Call of the Wild by Jack London: This is one of London's most well known novels. It is about a St. Bernard named Buck who is kidnapped from his owner in California and taken to the Klondike. Buck shows his resilience and calls up the strength of his breed's ancestors to survive in the worst conditions. This is the 100th anniversary edition.
• Marley and Me by John Grogan: This book is about a crazy Labrador named Marley and how he became the heart of a family. This book has been made into a motion picture and after you read it you will see why. Another tear jerker!
• Old Yeller by Fred Gipson: This is the book that inspired the classic Disney movie. I had third graders read this and then we would watch the movie. I would weep every time. So did they. Are there any novels about dogs that aren't tear jerkers?
• A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron: I haven't read this one yet, but it comes highly recommended. It is also on the big screen! It is told from a dog's perspective.
• Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight: I grew up with the TV shows and movies about this collie. This book is already being published in it's 75th anniversary form. It is a classic that I couldn't leave off of this list.
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo: This is the story of how one scruffy stray dog changes a girl names Opal's life. Also a film, this is a terrific book!
• Sophie-The Incredible Story of a Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse: This is truly an incredible story! It is about a dog who went overboard but she ended up making it to the Great Barrier Reef and then remaining loyal to her family. This one made it on Oprah's list.

    Did we miss any of your faves?  Let us know in the comments! If you haven't read some of these, give them a try, you never know when one made into a movie will make it onto From Cover to Reel! 
​     If you find any books on here you might like to read and want more, here are some other suggestions from past posts.