This post may contain affiliate links. The Review Wire may collect a share of sales if you decide to shop from them. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

Finding the perfect stocking stuffers can be a challenge. Consider these beautifully illustrated books from Prestel Junior as they span a range of ages and topics, so there’s something for every young reader! For a truly unique gift, add a personal inscription or a few sentences on why you selected that particular book.

Stocking Stuffer Book Ideas from Prestel Junior

I Am Coco: The Life of Coco Chanel by Isabel Pin

This portrait of a fiercely independent creative thinker is filled with whimsical pictures and informative texts to depict the entire arc of Coco’s life and career, from schoolgirl rebel to haute couture icon.

Young Gabrielle came from a poor family, was orphaned at age 12, and learned to sew in a convent school. She worked as a seamstress and sang in cabarets, where she was given the nickname Coco.

This story—and the remarkable career that followed—is exuberantly told in Isabel Pin’s simple yet detailed illustrations. Young readers will learn about Coco’s beginnings as a hat designer and how her earliest creations presaged the concept of sportswear.

They’ll learn about her iconic designs—the little black dress, the impeccable suit, the squared-off perfume bottle, and the acclaimed logo. And they will learn how a freethinking young artist who freed women from the corsets and extravagant ornamentations of the early 20th century grew into a ferociously ambitious designer who staged her comeback at 70.

Whether interested in fashion history or seeking encouragement to pursue their dreams, young readers will find this entertaining biography fascinating and inspiring. Ages 6-9, 88 pages. MSRP $18

Hair: From Moptops to Mohicans, Afros to Cornrows by Katja Spitzer

This delightfully informative and reaffirming celebration of hair through the ages explores the most outrageous hairstyles from history. It shows how hair is an essential and powerful means of cultural expression, no matter your sex, age, or race.

During the Rococo period, wealthy women tucked shells, necklaces, fruit, and flowers into their hair, styled into towers that reached as high as three feet over their heads.

In 1970s London, young, disfranchised “punks” made themselves feel powerful by drawing on the 2,000-year-old Native American practice of shaving their heads except for a narrow strip from forehead to neck. These are just a couple of many fascinating moments of hair history whimsically illustrated in this book.

Katja Spitzer’s colorful illustrations are presented in double-page spreads that offer an engaging description of a hair trend or style and its cultural and historical significance. Readers will learn why hair braiders in West Africa can spend an entire day working on one client; and how Black Americans signaled their opposition to racist laws and practices by not styling their naturally frizzy hair.

Filled with significant history and giggle-inducing facts, this wide-ranging book crosses cultures and oceans to offer an essential lesson about self-expression that will encourage readers of all ages to let down their hair and let others do the same. Ages 5-7, 40 pages. MSRP $17

The Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings from Around the World by Annette Roeder, illus. by Pamela Baron

From private residences to affordable housing, stadiums to factories, museums to libraries—this book takes young readers across continents to learn how architecture is improving the world one building at a time.

Although popular culture and classrooms are filled with references to classic and iconic buildings such as the Parthenon, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the Great Pyramids, there are equally valuable lessons to be learned from modern architecture, primarily from buildings situated in the Global South and among underrepresented populations.

This beautifully illustrated book investigates how contemporary architects from various cultures are addressing issues of climate change, income inequality, and limited resources by designing buildings as innovative as they are beautiful.

Each building is presented in a double-page spread featuring Pamela Baron’s exquisitely detailed illustrations highlighting the design, natural surroundings, and people living, working, or playing there. Annette Roeder’s pitch-perfect text outlines the structure’s unique contribution to the field of architecture and invites readers to wonder aloud why the building works and to find out more about it.

A perfect stepping stone for designers in the making, this book also teaches kids how architecture can help the people it shelters and the planet on which it is built. Ages 8-12, 64 pages. MSRP $25

My Dog, Hen by David Mackintosh

Brimming with the lively artwork and waggish humor that make his books a joy for kids and parents alike, David Mackintosh’s newest book explores finding value in the unwanted and obsolete through the pleasures and perils of adopting a rescue puppy.

“Why should we get a brand-new dog when Hen is as good as new to us?” asks the young boy at the center of this story.

The adorable mixed-breed pup is brought home in a cardboard box, given toys and some food, and enthusiastically eats up his loving home. When nothing can be done (and all the pocket money has been spent on new toys), the boy’s wise and thrifty grandmother finds a helpful solution. Readers of all ages will laugh at Hen’s boundless energy, and parents especially will identify with the challenges of training a headstrong dog.

Any family that has ever adopted a rescue pet will appreciate this story’s gentle lesson about finding value in our less-than-perfect belongings and loved ones. Ages 4-8, 40 pages. MSRP $17

Stay Connected with Prestel Junior:

Prestel Junior GIVEAWAY:CLOSED

TWO winners will each receive I Am Coco: The Life of Coco Chanel, Hair: From Moptops to Mohicans, Afros to Cornrows, The Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings from Around the World, and My Dog, Hen (RV $77). Open to U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous United States. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on 12.18.22. See below for terms and conditions.

Entry -Form

All entries will be verified—only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. Any person who has won a prize (or whose household has won a prize) in any promotion sponsored by the Sponsor in the past thirty (30) days before this contest start date is not eligible to win a prize in this contest. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Entrants who have created social accounts purely to enter Competitions or Sweepstakes will not be eligible to win. All social accounts used must be public.

The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen—void where prohibited by law. The Review Wire and other participating bloggers are not responsible for the prize shipment. One person entering per household, please.