Give a teenager the gift of a book for Christmas

[Cyrano]

From what I've observed, today's teens, (and many well above their teens), spend much of their time in the virtual universe. I don't have any statistics, but I'd venture to guess that reading books is not a priority.

So why not try to give someone you know the gift of reading? Reading what? I'd say just about anything on the list of books the right wing wants to ban from schools and libraries: "The Catcher in the Rye," "1984," "The Diary of Anne Frank," "To Kill a Mockingbird," the Harry Potter books, virtually anything written by Toni Morrison, or Kurt Vonnegut, and so much more.

For a fuller list, google right wing banned books. The very fact that they want them banned is more than enough reason to read them. Such books don't teach readers what to think. They teach them how to think

Maybe I'm just throwing feathers into the wind here, but it's something to think about.

On edit: If you don't celebrate Christmas, give someone a book anyway.

[seabeyond]

1. i have already bought two for oldest. couldnt find the two i wanted. gonna look for those today.

every year i give books to my boys. it was my sons santa present when he was about 8. a series of five books.

i always give books as presents, to the kids that like to read. they love it.

[pipi_k]

2. One thing I will always

thank my parents for is the indulgence for my love of reading. My father was an avid reader himself, so it was probably his doing. Doesn't matter, though...what counts is that they bought me books. Gave me money to buy books through my school. Brought me to the library.

I tried to do the same with my kids...my son reads, but my daughter really doesn't.

Now I have grandkids. For Christmas this year I got my grandson (almost 10) a set of those "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books. My granddaughter who will be 13 next July I think will be old enough for "Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank)". And last year when I got a new Kindle Fire I gave my younger granddaughter (10) my old Kindle.

Regular gifts wear out...break...get lost.

The gift of reading...the places one can "visit"...the people one can "meet"...those never go away.

[Cyrano]

3. I love Kindles

And I also love the feel, texture and smell of a book. They are like old friends.

The wingnut's hate certain books for a variety of reasons. We can never let them win. Banning books is a step toward the burning of books. And I consider that to fall into the category of a crime against humanity.

[KoKo]

4. Recommend.

[laundry_queen]

5. Done.

Already have books for my teens. But my teens...all my kids... are avid readers. Of course, it's because I set a good example. There are actually some books on your suggestion list they have already read and 1984 is one my oldest wants that I keep meaning to rebuy (I used to have it, then when I divorced I had to purge my stuff when I was trying to move quickly). Soon. Instead I bought my oldest a book about feminism as she's beginning to take a real interest in it. And my MIL always gets them gift cards for Chapters (big box bookstore here in Canada). I'm glad my kids love to read. Even if you have a kid who isn't a big reader, you can still buy them comic books or joke books (or books about his passion - hockey) - that's what my mom used to do for my brother. She didn't care that it wasn't literature, because it was still getting him to READ. Now that he's grown up, he's also an avid reader.

[madmom]

6. Books are always on our gift list, not just

for xmas, but for every gift giving occasion.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. are there any bookstores left? i wanted to buy a last minute gift , a book

In LA, most bookstorrs have shut down