Stone Arch Gift Guide, part 1

It's cold and blustery outside. What could be better than to curl up with a book?

Just in time for the holidays, here's our Stone Arch gift guide. I asked some of my colleagues to suggest perfect gifts for the holidays. This list is the choices from the editorial department. We'll have top choices from the design department soon!


My pick is Fawn Braun's Big City Blues. The first time I read this book, I got kind of choked up. It is such a sweet story about a how a whole town comes together to make one little girl’s dreams come true.
— Julie, senior editor

I want to give the board books to everyone I know! (Editor's note: Look for a post about these upcoming books soon!) Of course any of the Katie Woo books would be perfect for a little girl. I really like the Fall '09 Spin books. I think those are perfect titles to give to any kid.
— Krista, product planning editor


My toddler son, Sam, already has a full collection of the Sam X books and many of the Graphic Spin fairy tales. This year, I'm giving him a set of early copies of our new board books. (I'll be showcasing them here in a couple of weeks, when they're available for purchase.) I think I'll also invest in complete sets of our Stone Arch Readers. My favorites are the level 3 Monster readers—gorgeously illustrated, quirky books any kid will love. He's too young for them now, but he'll love them in a few years. For other kids, I'm getting copies of our awesome Jake Maddox books—perfect for sports-lovers—and the My First Graphic Novel books, for the younger kids who want to read graphic novels just like their older siblings. All sure to be big hits.
— Beth, senior editor

I would give Katie Woo: Boss of the World (or really any Katie Woo book) to any parent with children between the ages of 2-8. It has a ton of teachable moments, it’s funny, and it’s totally relatable.
— Christianne, managing editor

My SAB gift recommendation is Zinc Alloy: Coldfinger, illustrated by the incredibly talented Douglas Holgate and written by . . . yours truly! Besides some shameless self-promotion, the fourth installment in the Zinc Alloy saga is a great holiday read. It takes place during Zack Allen’s winter vacation, where the young super hero must tackle the ski slopes, take on the school’s biggest bully, and face his toughest challenge yet — the fearsome (and frozen) super-villain Dr. Icee! This action-packed comic is sure to make your own holiday stresses seem, well, comical.
— Donnie, senior editor

I’d pick My Frozen Valentine from the DC Superheroes: Batman series for all my cousins. Great book title, fluent writing, and the illustrations are dynamic and beautifully colored. Also, the harsh, wintery, nighttime illustrations resonate perfectly with the crux of the story: Mr. Freeze’s cold-hearted revenge versus Batman’s shadowy pursuit of justice. Also, lots of explosions!
— Sean, associate editor

The Ugly Duckling. This is one of the most hilarious, fizzy, surprising, and dynamically-drawn graphic novels I’ve read in a long time. Artist Aaron Blecha (who also illustrated PAUL BUNYAN and THE THREE LITTLE PIGS) has filled this book from copyright page to back matter with a quirky, swampy palette, narcissistic ducklings, cynical toads, and a sense of humor that both kids and adults will appreciate. Grown-ups will come to the story already familiar with Hans Christian Andersen’s plot and characters, so they will be entertained by reteller Martin Powell’s insight into the Ugly Duckling’s loneliness and desire for belonging, as well as the wacky visuals. Kids will love the funny dialogue and the bright, contemporary cartoon-like panels. It’s a win-win for anyone who loves fairy tales, graphic novels, or a good laugh. I can’t wait to see what Blecha and Powell do next.
— Michael, editorial director