Here is a unique gift idea. Made by Lunt Silversmiths, his Brown Bear, Brown Bear Silver Frame and Book Gift Set includes a copy of the childhood favorite Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?by Eric Carle. The frame is etched silverplate on brass and measures 3″ x 5″. It comes attractively packaged and would make a wonderful gift. You can purchase the set for $44.95 at bunnyburybaby.com.

Little Bunny Books create personalized books for your children, containing characters created by you (or you and your children). All books measure 8″ x 8″ and are available in softcover or hardcover , printed on 100% recycled paper. A variety of titles are available for you to personalize, including “My Incredible Imagination - Your Child’s Birthday Adventure,” “Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer - Your Child’s Seasonal Scrapbook,” and “Around the World - Your Child’s Continental Safari.” Softcover books are $24.95, and hardcover sell for $34.95, at LittleBunnyPress.com.

This fun first book is made out of wood for durability. Made for children 12 months and up, it helps little ones learn about animals and their homes. The four pages feature eight silkscreened illustrations to delight early learners. You can purchase this unique book for $14 at ittikid.com. It would make a wonderful first birthday gift.

My mother is a children’s librarian, and Good Boy Fergusis one of her favorite picture books. Subsequently, my children have enjoyed it as well. I didn’t realize it was so popular until I came across this nightgown. Available in toddler sizes, it is currently on sale for $19 (down from $33). This would be a great gift for a child who knows the story. If your child hasn’t yet met the lovable Fergus, why not pair this with a copy of the book? You can buy it at mylittlepumpkin.com.

Was my son ever happily surprised at the end of The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle. I was too, as I was not aware that it was equipped with its own sound mechanism. I bought it for 75 cents at a second hand store because we have the beloved The Very Hungry Caterpillar by the same author. Eric Carle’s books make perfect gifts for children and with Christmas coming, we can all use great ideas. If you get the paperback edition, you could roll it up to fit into a stocking. The board book is $15.63 at amazon.com, where you can find tons of other Carle titles as well.

Sally J. King is a mother who was inspired by her youngest son’s anaphylactic reaction to peanuts to create her own healthy kids’ recipes. While reading labels to try to avoid peanuts in foods, King realized how many other dangerous chemicals are in the foods kids eat. Her recipes combine healthy food choices with food and lunches kids want to eat. Some of the recipes in her book, Lunchbox Love, include Chocolate Chip Carrot Bread, Whole-Wheat Cheddar Biscuits, Applesauce, and Chicken Fingers. In addition, all of the recipes in the book can be used with spelt, barley, or oat flours if you or your child is allergic to wheat. I can’t wait to try out some of these delicious-sounding recipes on my family. You can purchase King’s book at Amazon.com for $10.95.

For my niece, whose name our youngest child drew for Christmas and who will soon be one, we found the loveliest gift. While perusing the bookstore, we came upon the Peter Rabbit Snuggle Book. Though it cost us a bit more at Chapters than it’s listed for on PotteryBarnKids.com, it’s worth it. It’s made of organic materials, is soft and snugly, and will be a joy for her parents to read to her. Have a gander at the well-known rabbit for $14.99.

Being a mom today isn’t easy. From play dates, to music lessons, to getting your child in the “right” preschool, then school, to sports, mothers have to juggle it all and still stay sane! Author Christine Carr, herself a mother of three, tackles these problems and more in her book “Mother Daze: Tales from the Imperfect Playground.” She writes it from the point of view of a mom, which makes her stories even more compelling. This is a must-read for today’s moms. You can purchase this engrossing book for $10.17 at Amazon.com. Bet you won’t be able to put it down!

We’ve already purchased a few books for our children for Christmas, but now that I’ve discovered Overstock.com, I think I’ll be buying more. Books are as low as just a couple of dollars and shipping is so low, you’ll wonder if it’s true. I’ve got my eye on The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle for $4.76. Recommendations for when to order by in order to receive purchases by Christmas are available on the site, it’s fairly simple to navigate, and some pretty outstanding prices can be found.

I like the idea of a go anywhere book for babies but I think that unless it has a Velcro attachment or something to keep it in place, most babies will grab it and pull it out of place (but possibly be unable to put it back upright and become frustrated.) Full of texture and patterns and reflections (baby safe mirror), it’s a great idea, something a baby can play with or look at from birth until they are well over a year old, and nice to have for the crib, buggy, change table, or playpen. $19.14 at Amazon.com.

We all love the drawings and unique pieces of artwork our kids bring home from camps, daycare, preschool, and elementary school, but many parents struggle with what to do with all of it. You can only hang so much of your child’s artwork on the refrigerator for so long. Artimus Art is one solution. It’s an online storage area. When you order one of their high-resolution books full of your child’s art, you automatically get a free webfolio of that artwork where you can save, organize, and print your child’s artwork whenever you want. This is nother great idea that, of course, was invented by a mom. Packages are available based on the number of images you want and the size of the book, starting at $120. Visit ArtimusArt.com for more information. It’s also a great gift idea for other members of your family who don’t always get to see your child’s beautiful artwork!

“Colonel Trash Truck” by Kathleen Crawley is a cute book that teaches kids about protecting the earth while entertaining them with an engaging story. Colonel Trash Truck is a colonel in the “Garbage War” and is on a mission to keep the earth clean and trash-free. He teaches kids about recycling and properly disposing of trash, and enlists young readers to help him on his mission. This book is perfect for preschoolers and young early readers. Read this one to your child if you’re concerned about teaching him about ecology and preserving our earth. You can purchase this educational, fun book for $14.95 at Amazon.com. It would also make a great gift any time of the year.

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-ordinary gift for a baby boy, you might want to consider this Baby Monster Gift Set. It includes a monster long-sleeve bodysuit that fits ages 6-12 months, and a Monster book about ABC’s. You can even get the set in a gift basket, perfect for shower gift giving. Check it out at TheTotsGiftBaskets.com, where it sells for $47.

My (nearly 4 years old) son really likes reading the book “Trashy Town” by Andrea Zimmerman. He loves that he can interact (I read the line “Is the trash truck full yet?” and he reads, as I taught him, “N-O. No!”) with the book rather than just listening the whole time. He seems to have taken to the main character, Mr. Gilly, and likes the easily interpreted pictures. He even likes the ending, in which Mr. Gilly is the last thing to be cleaned up, in the tub. We borrowed it from the library but it’s available at Amazon.com for $12.23.

Many parents struggle with knowing what to do with all of their child’s artwork that they bring home from preschool or school, or even create at home. Tick Tock Books has the answer. They will make a book out of your child’s original artwork, thus preserving it for posterity. I love the idea of collecting all of my son’s drawings and artwork in one place. I think it would also make a great gift, especially for grandparents or family members who might not see your child as often as they’d like. Prices range from 40 GBP (about $65 USD) for a full-color softback book to 90 GBP (about $147 USD) for a larger, full color hardback book, at TickTockBooks.com. You might want to start thinking about gathering together some of your child’s artwork for a Christmas gift for a loved one.