HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR TEENS
by
Amy Skolnik, Young Adult Librarian
West Warwick Public Library
What are you going to buy for the teenager on your holiday shopping list this year? Another video game? Another music CD? Although they may not be on the top of their wish list, books chosen with a little creativity can make excellent gifts.
Choosing books for teenagers is not always an easy task. While many teen novels have great covers, it is hard to tell if the book will be interesting or age-appropriate by reading the book jacket. If you know your teen’s hobbies and interests, browsing through the nonfiction section of a bookstore may provide the inspiration you need to select the perfect gift. The art section will provide books about specific artists and forms of art, as well as how-to books about drawing, crafts and animation. Young scientists may enjoy books about famous discoveries or books with experiments to try at home. Books have been written about all types of animals and automobiles.
For the music lover, books about many popular singers and bands can be found in the music section of your bookstore. Some of the stars have taken to writing books about themselves. The popular boy bands Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync each have their own official books appropriately titled: The Backstreet Boys: The Official Book, by Andre Csillag and ‘N Sync: The Official Book by ‘N Sync. Britney Spears has authored her own book titled Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart.
Looking through the sports section of the bookstore, you will be able to find general books about different sports as well as biographies of athletes, teams and books about stadiums and playing fields. There are even books about the sport-entertainment field, better known as professional wrestling. For older teens, The Rock Says: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment by the wrestler known as The Rock and Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweat Socks by wrestler Mick Foley are entertaining autobiographies about two of the hottest figures in the sports entertainment industry. They have each spent more than twenty weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. Extreme Sport fans on your list may enjoy The Concrete Wave: The History of Skateboarding by Michael Brooke. This book presents the evolution of the skateboard industry, skate parks and famous skateboarders in a wild, appealing, graphic format with lots of color photographs.
In the teen section you will find many “life guides” that have been written to help teens through the turbulent years. Too Old for This, Too Young for That Survival Guide for the Middle School Years by Harriet Mosatche is for pre-teens who are just discovering who they are. The book is filled with advice about feelings, family and friendship and making the most of school. Using real-life examples charts and quizzes the book helps ease the pain of growing up. The Teenager’s Guide to the Real World: How to Become a Successful Adult by Marshall Brain is a great handbook for older teens. It covers a wide range of topics from building healthy relationships with friends and parents to the importance of financial planning. It speaks to teens in a very straightforward way with sound advice written in every-day language.
The Chicken Soup for the Soul series that is popular with adults also has three volumes for teens. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, compiled by Jack Canfield, includes 101 inspirational stories from teenagers or from adults looking back at their teenage years. Included are stories about friendship, loss, divorce and making a difference. Similarly, the Teen Love series by Kimberly Kirberger has short stories and poetry interspersed with advice from the author. The two books in the Teen Love series are Teen Love: On Relationship and Teen Love: On Friendship. Both the Chicken Soup and Teen Love series include a journal where teens can keep track of their own thoughts and inspirational stories.
If you are looking for fiction, but are unsure what to get, teens may be interested in reading books based on their favorite television series or movie. There are series of books based on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer; Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Clueless; Roswell High, and The X-Files television series. Many movies were novels first, and many books have been written based on popular movies.
Most online bookstores have their own teen section. Amazon.com (www.amazon.com) has reviews, recommendations and bestseller lists of teen books. They also post reviews from customers who have read the book. Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) also posts book reviews. Teen People magazine now offers a book club (www.teenpeoplebookclub.com) with reader reviews and popular books.
A subscription to a magazine may be an appreciated gift. Teens are always on the go; reading magazine articles provides a brief escape from schoolwork and other activities without taking up too much time. If you still cannot find that perfect item, both traditional and online bookstores sell gift certificates, allowing teens to choose what they like best.
The Backstreet Boys: The Official Book by Andre Csillag, Delacourt Press, 2000.
‘N Sync: The Official Book by ‘N Sync, Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1998.
Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart by Britney Spears, Three Rivers Press, 2000.
The Rock Says: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment, Regan Books, 2000.
The Concrete Wave: The History of Skateboarding by Michael Brooke, Warwick Publishing, 1999.
Too Old for This, Too Young for That! by Harriet Mostache, Free Spirit Publishing, 2000.
The Teenagers Guide to the Real World by Marshall Brain, BYG Publishing, 1997.
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul Series by Jack Canfield, Health Communications.
Teen Love Series by Kimberly Kirberger, Health Communications.