Now that the tryptophan of Thursday’s turkey has worn off and we’re all officially sick of the leftovers in the fridge – POOF! – we’re knee-deep in the holiday gift-buying season.
If you’re looking to get your creative kiddo a gift that (hopefully) won’t end up in the thrift store pile before the new year begins, we tracked down some suggestions. Three local experts in their fields shared gift ideas for the art, music and book lovers in your life.
“There are just so many good choices out there for kids to read and get into,” said Nancy Bagato, children’s bookseller at Maria’s Bookshop.
Here are some of her picks for the tweens to preteens on your list:
For bookworms who like Harry Potter-style reads, check out The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. The book, which won the 2017 Newbery Medal and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, is about a town that offers a yearly sacrifice of a baby to the witch who lives in the nearby forest. The townspeople hope that by offering her the baby, she will leave them alone. Turns out, the witch is actually kind and gentle, and she gives the babies to welcoming families on the other side of the forest.
Graphic novels continue to be popular. For girls, try All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson. The story’s about a girl who is going to public school for the first time, having been home-schooled her whole life. The worst part? She’s starting middle school.
For boys, check out The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid by Colin Malloy, author of the “Wildwood” series. Set in Marseille, it’s the story of a band of child pickpockets.
Bagato also recommends The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get Sick by Dr. Howard Bennett. “It’s got lots of facts, but it’s also got that little twist of gross that keeps you interested.”
“Books are always amazing because they help build vocabulary and they just transport you to another place, another time,” she said. “They help you understand the way other people see the world, and help you expand yourself as a person.”
Durango artist Brenda Macon offers suggestions for kids who are compelled to create.
“I’m 41 and still get excited about a new box of crayons,” she said, suggesting that you pick out “the biggest, baddest box of crayons you can get, with the little sharpener in the back. Every color you can almost imagine.” Also, a multi-pack of felt-tip pens won’t break the bank.
For kids interested in telling a story with their drawings, she suggests using paper formatted with cartoon strips.
And for a splurge, a set of Copic markers is an investment that keeps paying over time, Macon said. They have blendable, rich pigments and are great for a variety of applications. Plus, each marker has two ends, one wide chiseled end and one skinny end. A full set of these can run $150 on up, but you can buy them one marker at a time and build a set that way.
“I’ve had my set for 30 years, and they still work great,” she said.
For kids more serious about drawing, get them some woodless graphite pencils, blending stumps, plastic and kneaded erasers, and some acid-free drawing paper. Macon also recommends picking up a copy of Betty Edwards’ workbook, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, or enrolling them in a drawing class.
“Confidence is the main ingredient in the secret sauce of creativity,” said Macon, who also offers art classes – check her out at www.artwithbrenda.com. “I teach a drawing course like that called ‘A Hand is Not A Turkey.’”
Macon said low-quality art products will not offer successful results and can lead to frustration. The bargain bin can be great, but watery tempera paint, cheap brushes that shed or old ink will not deliver results. Buy high quality even if it means smaller amounts.
If the kid in your life is a budding musician, Jim Gillaspy, managing owner at Katzin Music, has gift suggestions for you, beginning with a relatively simple instrument that has seen its popularity grow over the past few years.
“The ukulele has been the hot ticket, and it makes a lot of sense for the young ones” because of its size and simplicity of play, he said.
Gillaspy also recommends keyboards as a good entry into music-playing.
“The foundational understanding of music, from learning even just some piano, is a huge leg up no matter the final instrument,” he said.
And don’t forget drums.
“The workout and creativity that comes from working a drum set, or expressing the subtle tones from a conga or cajon, come from a mind that has unlocked the basic level and entered into a higher level,” he said.
Gillaspy said that no matter the instrument, music is a great way to give kids a way to give their minds a workout.
“As for giving the gift of music, the mind is opened to another level of functionality, or at least the mind is exercised to operate more functionally through the act of processing notation, physically playing it and expressing it in a meaningful way,” he said. “Many activities could open up this level of functionality, but they’re likely more boring. Plus, musicians are super cool.”
katie@durangoherald.com
