Books as Gifts

I am leaving my current job in less than two weeks to start a new and different venture.  I'm leaving a very vibrant and busy elementary school for the serenity of my own office.  I have been thinking about my co-workers and how much they have taught me and been a wonderful part of my life.  I'd like to do something special for them but gift cards to the local coffee shop doesn't seem like enough or at least doesn't seem to convey the good bye and thank you message I want it to.

While waiting for my daughter's musical theater class to end tonight, a brilliant gift idea came to mind!  Books as gifts.  Not just any books though, children's books donated to our school's library honor of my co-workers.

This is not a new idea for me.  Every year since my now sophomore in high school was a kindergartner, we have donated books to our children's school library in honor of their teachers as an end of the year gift.  I always tried to pick a book that reminded us of that teacher somehow.  For example, when my oldest was in 4th grade, we donated Eldest (the second in the Eragon series) by Christopher Paolini in honor of Mr. Gillson.  Our son hated to read but Mr. Gillson stuck with him and got him to read, and love, Eragon.  When our daughter was in kindergarten, we donated Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell.  Her teacher, Ms. Anna, taught her it was OK to be quiet and sweet but she could also be independent and a leader - never be bullied.  Something this book conveys.

So......over the next few days, I will be thinking of children's books that fit my co-workers personalities, the jobs they do at the school and their outside interests.  I think this will be a lasting gift that they and the students they work with can share!  Here is how we've "marked" the books for donation in the past and this is how I will do my co-workers' gifts/books.

Purchase a book or books.  In this case, we purchased the entire series in honor of my daughter's 4th grade teacher.

Next, make a nameplate for the inside cover.  Make sure to put names and dates.

Glue the nameplate to the inside of the book - be mindful that if the book has a jacket, the nameplate will be covered by the inside flap so glue it to the inside page instead.

Use clear contact paper to cover the nameplate to keep it from coming off of the page and protect to it from little fingers!

It's done!  Wrap it and give it away!

"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read."
-Abraham Lincoln