Book-Themed Gifts Perfect for Baby

Many friends of mine are having babies as of late. Invites to baby showers have been trickling in. And every day it seems, my Newsfeed on Facebook fills up with more and more baby photos from friends who have recently become parents. 
 

The "Read Me Books" onesie available from WORD bookstore.
Image via Wordbookstores.com

When buying a present for the new addition to their family, I tend to put together a baby-themed gift bag, in which I include a hardcover children's book. I suppose I could also purchase a book-themed item that would be perfect for baby, such as the "Read Me Books" onesie that's sold by WORD, an independent bookstore with locations in New York and New Jersey.

Although WORD's "Read Me Books" onesie wasn't included, BuzzFeed has compiled a still impressive list of "33 Perfect Gifts for Book-Loving Babies." Many of these gifts are onesies that feature words and/or imagery from such classic works of literature as The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams; Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens; and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Quite a few bibs are on BuzzFeed's list, as well as quilts, mobiles, teething rings, and hats that were either knitted or crocheted, including a Cat in the Hat hat, The Very Hungry Caterpillar hat, and this adorable Winnie-the-Pooh hat:
 

This hat inspired by A.A. Milne's classic work will keep baby's head nice and warm.
Image via BuzzFeed.com

In addition to onesies, bibs, bedding, mobiles, teething rings, hats, and toys - a Winnie-the-Pooh wooden rocking horse and Charlotte's Web wooden building blocks - BuzzFeed's list of gift ideas features shoes for small feet. There are booties, made by hand and available for purchase through Etsy.com, that have imagery from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; and Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. There's also this great pair of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland shoes:
 

Baby shoes that would also sell well in adult sizes (hint, hint).
Image via BuzzFeed.com

Browsing the list of "33 Perfect Gifts for Book-Loving Babies" put together by BuzzFeed, I'm sure you'll find a gift that the new parents in your social circle will love. To see the complete list, check out the BuzzFeed article at THIS LINK.

Literary Mixtapes for Characters in Classic Books

What songs would make up the soundtrack to your life? This is a fun question to ponder, either alone as we daydream or with friends at a party. Well, let's try to imagine what music would accompany our favorite characters in classic works of literature as they wend their way from "Once upon a time..." to "The End."

A page from the 1955 Random House book Alice in Wonderland, illustrated by Marjorie Torrey.

Pop culture website Flavorwire has assembled mixtapes for more than 25 characters in best-selling literature, from Harry Potter and Humbert Humbert to Gandalf and Jay Gatsby. So "if you've ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels," said the folks at Flavorwire, "wonder no more!"

Let's think about Alice, of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. What music fills our ears as she eats a mushroom and encounters hookah-smoking caterpillars, tailcoat-outfitted rabbits, and weeping mock turtles? I hear "White Rabbit," by Jefferson Airplane - an easy one. Flavorwire lists "Who Could Win a Rabbit?," by Animal Collective, "Wonder," by Natalie Merchant, "Mushaboom," by Feist, and, of course, "Alice," by Tom Waits, among other songs that reflect the mood of Alice's surreal adventures.

What songs do you think would play in the background as the plot thickened around Sherlock Holmes, Holly Golightly, Don Juan, Jane Eyre, and other memorable characters? Go to this link on Flavorwire's Literary Mixtapes HERE.