Advice for a gift please

[sidious618]

One of my jobs is as a private tutor and one of the people I tutor is a 10 year old girl who I'll call Jess. Jess is the daughter of a divorced couple and leaves with her dad, uncle and grandmother. The dad is often away because of a work and Jess is usually taken care of by the grandmother and/or the uncle. All are very nice people from what I've seen. However, Jess is a very depressed girl and quite moody. Over the past ten months I've been tutoring her it's taken a long time before she's opened up. I think the dad and grandma thought I'd quit before that ended up happening.

But we have a little bit of a bond now and I want to get her a small Christmas gift since she's been going through such a rough patch since the divorce. I have no idea what to get, though, as I don't usually work with such young kids and she doesn't have much in the way of interests. I'm thinking about a book but I've no idea which one. I was curious if you folks had any ideas either in general or specific.

 

[thestrangequark]

I know a perfect book, The Fledgling. When I was 12 I was hospitalized for several weeks. My favorite teacher brought me that book. I was a depressed and difficult girl at that age and that book meant a lot to me. It is about a young girl who learns to fly by riding the backs of the geese at Waldon Pond. It's inspirational without being preachy, and entertaining without being shallow. It also introduced me to Thoreau. I'm assuming she's in either 4th or 5th grade. If she's on reading level then it should be appropriate for her.

ETA: If that doesn't sound like her style I'd also recommend The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, another award winning book I read at her age that features a strong female lead who overcomes a difficult family, not to mention a mutiny!

 

[Spot's Meow]

Thinking of things I or my sisters liked as gifts when we were that age, I would recommend a guide book on making friendship bracelets, the kind that comes with several colors of thread to get started. You can find these easily at craft stores like Michael's. In fact, near that section in the craft store you will probably find several other books or kits that she would like. I think this would be a good idea because it's something that she can do while alone (and it sounds like she has a lot of alone time) to keep her occupied, and when she creates something new it gives her something to be proud of, an accomplishment to boost her self worth.

A pretty journal might be useful to her. If she has any creativity then a set of drawing or sketching tools might be nice. I remember getting a calligraphy set at that age and I found it absolutely fascinating, but I'm strange so don't assume she'd like that as well!

If she likes sports, then something from her favorite team, like a cute keychain or something she can put on her backpack. Or maybe a fiction book revolving around a certain sport, I've seen some series of children's books out there that focus on baseball or basketball.

Things to avoid would be clothes, shoes, jewelry, candy/junk food, and board games (great idea if she has siblings, if not it will just make her feel lonelier to have no one to play with). And anything too girly, such as lip gloss or hair products, unless you are absolutely sure that she really wants and will use these things. One of my sisters has been pegged by the extended family as "the girly one" and so would get all of these scented products and makeup that she would just roll her eyes at and add to the huge pile already accumulating in the bathroom. Everyone assumes young girls want these things so they end up with too much, and would really prefer something more personal and heartfelt.

In the end I would still go with my original suggestion of the friendship bracelet book.

 

[sidious618]

Yeah, it'll be a book. Getting jewelry would be beyond weird.

 

[auntiehill]

Hmmm. I was, at one time, a moody, depressed 10 year old girl. I remember reading The Anne of Green Gables books, the Secret Garden, The Tripod series, The Narnia Chronicles...my nieces and nephews read The Giver, and liked it a lot. Also, the Golden Compass books.

A really pretty journal is good, too. One with a lock--that makes it "special."

 

[TerokNor]

She has no interests? What is she doing all day? When you teach her isn´t their a topic you feel that gets her interest more than others?
Anyway...if you get her a book, how about "A little princess"? Classic and about a resilient little girl, who lives through a difficult situation and comes out the winner in the end.
Imagination is a good thing to get through rough times.

TerokNor

 

[RJDiogenes]

My Niece is that age and I book that I recently got her that she loved was an omnibus of the first three Pern novels by Anne McAffrey. Another book that she recently loved was Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (I didn't get her that one). I also got her the DVD of Monsters vs Aliens and she really liked that.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

I'd have to go with The Never-Ending Story. The movie hardly came within a mile of doing the incredible story justice. It's an excellent read for all ages about a boy named Atreyu trying to save the Childlike Empress from the Nothing tearing up the land. It's fun and imaginative and very easy to lose yourself in, definitely on the level of The Hobbit and Alice in Wonderland.

Come to think of it, The Hobbit is a very good choice too... or you can always go the obvious route with Harry Potter

 

[Shatnertage]

I've heard a lot of buzz about Percy Jackson. My godson, who's about that age, is really into the Diary of Wimpy Kid books. I don't know if that crosses the gender divide, though.

The adventure/fantasy suggestions sound good.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Anyway...if you get her a book, how about "A little princess"? Classic and about a resilient little girl, who lives through a difficult situation and comes out the winner in the end.
Imagination is a good thing to get through rough times.

Great suggestion. A Little Princess was one of my favorite books.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Another one I thought of that I read when I was that age was A Wrinkle In Time. That's a great book at any age, but it's really good for kids.

 

[thestrangequark]

^It is a great book, (religious undertones and blatant cold-war anti communist propaganda aside) but I might be wary of giving it to a girl who is going through a rough time. The main character's personal growth is subtle, and I don't know that all kids pick up on it. She may only see a weak-willed and self-deprecating female lead. It wasn't until I reread that book several years later that I picked on the subtle empowerment she does experience.

 

[RandyS]

My knowledge of what 10 year old girls like is zero, but I agree with everybody else. Get her a book. That;s always a good gift.