Birthdays are super fun but trying to figure out the perfect gift for your son or daughter or their friends can be an expensive and time-consuming guessing game. National Geographic Kids Books has several new titles that make gift giving a snap. These gift-worthy books will open their minds and hold their interest much more effectively than the latest gadget:

100 Things to Be When You Grow Up (ages 8-12, $9.99) - No better time to think about all the possibilities the future holds than a birthday! From beekeeper to ice-cream taster, forensic psychologist to Hollywood animal trainer, conservation biologist to Chief Happiness Officer, this book features 100 of the coolest, wackiest and most amazing jobs out there (greeting card maker?? Yes, you can!). Hands-on projects, advice from National Geographic explorers, interviews with experts, weird-but-true facts and tips for aligning your interests and personality to your job and more, this new book in the popular "100 Things" series is a great way to get kids thinking creatively about what their exciting future has in store for them. Buy here.

Cat Tales: True Stories of Kindness and Companionship with Kitties (ages 9+, $12.99) features cats from around the world, each one with an amazing story to tell about their compassion, ingenuity and bravery. “Ask an Expert” sections throughout the book offer insight into understanding the curious world of cat behavior, ways to keep your favorite feline happy both mentally and physically and even the trick to taking great cat photos (because the internet does not have nearly enough!:)). And are you curious as to why we love those cute cat videos? Page 57 explains the science behind the obsession. Buy here.

Ultimate Space Atlas (ages 8-12, $12.99) — Attention Space Lovers! Blast into space to explore our solar system and beyond. This out-of-this-world atlas takes readers through maps of the solar system, the Milky Way, and deep space, giving them a close look at and locations of planets, supernovas, and other universes. Sky maps will help kids spot these objects in the night sky and maps of planets and our solar system give the kind of incredible detail that National Geographic is known for. It's the perfect book for space fans and budding astronauts. Buy here.

Chomp! (ages 7-10, $12.99) - National Geographic Explorer and snake wrangler Dr. Brady Barr has been bitten by a lot of creatures over the years. So this book is born from first hand -- er, tooth -- experience of getting close to some of the biggest biters in the animal kingdom. It turns out that there's a lot more to biting than meets the eye. Physical features and the how (and when and why) an animal bites reveals much about the animal itself. Chomp! highlights an array of awesome creatures with a diversity of chomp styles -- from shredders and slicers to grippers and gulpers. Then it shows how tooth type, bite force, jaw shape, and food source all come to together to make each an incredible member of the animal bite force! Buy here.

Awesome 8 Extreme (ages 8-12, $12.99) — Got a kiddo in mind that always wants to know the who/what/where of the coolest things on the planet? Check out the Top 8 lists in the latest Awesome 8! This lively book features 50 different topics with dazzling photo, such as the 8 most awesome Monster Fish, Dressed Up Dogs, Supersize Sculptures, Rad Replicas, Coolest Pools, Serious Stadium Snacks, Thrilling Theaters, Dazzling but Deadly, Hair Through History, Volcanoes We Lava, and so much more. It's so graphically engrossing, you truly have to see it to believe it! Buy here.

And, not only does Nat Geo have books for giving — they have a new book that is PERFECT for the birthday boy or girl to use to show their gratitude for al the presents they received:

National Geographic Kids Thank You Cards (ages 6-9, $9.99) — Pay it forward with this big book of gratitude, filled with 30 cool pull-out thank you postcards and fun themed content. Adorable animal photos paired with heartfelt and funny captions show how much we have to be grateful for in our wondrous world. Each card leaves plenty of room for kids to craft their own messages to show friends and family how much they care. Content includes tips and tricks for writing sincere, well-crafted, and properly formatted thank you notes, as well as more cute creature pictures to spread that warm, fuzzy feeling far and wide. Buy here.

As for our family, it was absolutely impossible to pick a favorite from among the books shown above. All of them are filled with eye-catching and amazing photographs and fun facts. My kids loved reading through them and will enjoy them throughout the year. And we'll definitely be using those thank you cards when my twins' birthday arrives. What a fun and easy way to ensure that my boys show good manners and thank their friends and family for their gifts. I hope you'll pick up some or all of these books for all the kids in your life.

Follow National Geographic Kids on the following sites:
National Geographic Kids website: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nationalgeographickids/
Twitter - @NGKidsBks



On behalf of National Geographic Children’s Books, I am pleased to offer this Birthday Gift Essentials Giveaway, which is comprised of everything you need for the next b-day party: all 6 books listed above, assorted gift bags and tissue paper, as well as a sheet of postcard stamps to mail the postcards from the Thank You Cards book (ARV $84). Enter through the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US residents only and ends at 11:59 PM ET on Friday, August 25, 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Disclosure: I received complimentary product samples to facilitate my honest review. This post contains my Amazon affiliate link, and I will receive a small commission on sales made through my link.