Thoughtful gifts

The gift that is
read out loud.

A book with their name in it tends to be the one that gets asked for again. Here is how to choose one well, even from a distance.

Birthdays
Their own adventure, on their own day.
Choose a story for the age they are turning, add the date to the dedication, and make the sample feel like theirs.
Stories for ages 3 to 7
New arrivals and big-sibling days
A story for the one who just got bigger.
When a new baby arrives, the older one could use a book that is only about them. The dedication is a good place to say why.
Choose a story
From far away
Grandparents, godparents, old friends.
You do not need to know their favourite colour. Choose the story, write the dedication, and see a personal sample with your words inside.
How the dedication works

Don't know every detail?

Three things that always work.

Their first name is the only thing the story needs. Check the spelling before saving it to your bag.
The story can match their interests: an adventure, a little courage, or something for bedtime.
The dedication is yours. A line about the day you met them beats a long speech.

Sending it as a gift