Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gift and gifts

Happy Feet slippers around Austin?

sentient — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:21:42 -0800

Where can I buy Happy Feet slippers in or near Austin, TX? Alternatively, where can I buy other fun/novelty slippers for kids in or near Austin? Hoping to luck out on this one. Is anyone aware of where Happy Feet slippers are for sale in Texas, ideally within an hour by car of Austin, TX?

The slippers look like cartoonish oversized sneakers, and I've seen them in other states in mall kiosks.

The website doesn't list locations, although an article [pdf] about the company says that there are 190 locations in forty states.

I tried the 800 number and got voicemail (large volume of holiday calls, etc.), and I emailed them to ask. No response so far. The website's "Live Chat" feature is offline as of this post.

Has anyone seen them? Any tips? I'd like to get them today!

As a backup, what places in Austin definitely sell fun/novelty slippers in big kid sizes? (Animals, paws/claws, giant-and-fluffy, look like other stuff, that kind of thing.) Thanks!

Giving the gift of deliciousness

sararah — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:32:56 -0800

In previous years I've made a lot of cookies to give away to friends and family around the holidays. This year I'd like to do something a little different, but still make it a gift of food. So I've done my holiday-cookie-palooza for the last three years or so, and I'd like to change it up a bit this year. For one, making all of the cookies tends to be a lot of minutiae since it is like 10 different recipes. Also, a lot of people (including yours truly) are trying to eat better, and there are more than enough holiday cookies that will make their way on to our plates throughout the season. I recognize not all of the ideas below are "healthy," per se, but some of them will last a lot longer, are used in small quantities, or are freezable for enjoyment after the holidays.

I'm not ruling out cookies entirely, and I may still make a few favorite batches. I'm not really interested in making the jars of brownie mix/cookie mix or whatever, I feel as if those often go unused.

Some ideas I have rolling around in my head:
-Breads: either a sandwich-type loaf or a sweet fruit bread
-Jams: I have recently learned how to preserve and have successfully made strawberry jam and apple butter. Considering making pumpkin butter, cranberry jams/chutneys or some sort of citrus jam/marmalade as oranges, etc hit their peak.
-Frozen baked goods: fully prepared pies, scones, chocolate chip cookie dough or cinnamon rolls that you would just have to bake.
-Granola
-Would be awesome but also a lot of work: homemade bacon

So I'm wondering what you would personally like to receive in a holiday-themed gift basket of food? Have you ever done anything like this or received one from a friend? Ideas on clever packaging are also welcome.

Gifts of an "Adult" Nature

Diagonalize — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:40:26 -0800

What kind of stuff does a 20-something "grown-up" not know he needs/wants? No surprise, my boyfriend's birthday is coming up. He's turning 27, and his parents have been needling him to add things to his wishlist. Gifts are a big deal in his family, and the Amazon wishlist has been a crucial part of that for years. In the past, his list was populated almost exclusively by video games and the occasional movie, but lately, he's been trying to move towards a more grown-up selection. Well, that's super, but when he sits down to try to add "grown-up" stuff to his wishlist, he gets this panicked, "deer in the headlights" expression. I know there are plenty of things he likes/wants, but he has no idea where to start.

Him: scruffy, quiet, socially-capable, 27-ish, physicist

Likes: adventure/RPG video games, reading political and science blogs, puzzles (a la MIT Mystery Hunt), food (eating, not cooking), and Philip Seymour Hoffman films

Dislikes: mushrooms, Will Ferrell movies

Mostly clueless about: fashion, cars, power tools, professional sports, fine wine/booze, and any music other than classical or showtunes

Clearly, he's not a guy's guy, and I've had little luck finding a "manly, but not too manly" guide that wasn't just all gadgets. We'd love to point his family in the right direction, but with the lone exception of an iPhone, his wishlist looks about the same as when he was 14 (video games and Star Trek). He doesn't want to be viewed as the eternal teenager, so what do you want/need when you're "all growed up"?

Ideas for a graduation gift for a psychology student

jinatrix — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:19:18 -0800

Graduation gift for a psychology student My girlfriend is graduating from undergrad soon and will be pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology after graduation. I am looking for ideas for a graduation gift, whether related to her field or not. :)

Mass Online Gifting Suggestions

LongDrive — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:55:47 -0800

Gifting en masse. Looking for non physical holiday gift ideas that can be ordered online for 40+ people scattered throughout the world. Over the last year, my small business has employed about 40+ freelance artists across the world for jobs ranging from pro-bono pitch work to five-figure campaigns, and I'd like to spread a bit of holiday cheer to both them and other vendors we have worked with.

Logistically, I can't buy or make physical items and ship them all out, so I am looking for suggestions of a small gift that can be purchased and fulfilled online.

The biggest problem is budget, as I can really only afford to spend 20 (Australian) dollars maximum per person without breaking the bank.

I feel that doing a straight up Amazon or iTunes gift certificate with a dollar amount on it might seem a bit lame, so I guess am looking for something along those lines that might be a bit more thoughtful.

(previous gifts along this line that I have given are magazine subscriptions, relevant charity donations, planting a tree in someone's name, website gift accounts, a laser etched disc that was going to be blasted into the moon... etc)

Suggestions?

Book-Hungry Mother

Weebot — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:23:23 -0800

[Xmas Filter] I'm doing my Christmas shopping, and I'm a bit stuck on what I need to get my mother. She likes culinary-cultural history books, preferably with recipes. Suggestions? She's been really into these books for a while now, and I was hoping to get some suggestions. She's gone through Salt, Cod, and all the other Mark Kurlansky books, as well as Lizzy Collingham's Curry and David Kamp's The United States of Argula.

She has also been a fan of food memoirs like Tender at the Bone as well as travel books with a strong culinary bent. You get the idea. So, any suggestions?

Gifts for strangers?

owtytrof — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:18:35 -0800

Gift ideas for a 14-year-old girl and 69-year-old woman we've never met? My wife and I decided to donate gifts through the Salvation Army's Angel Tree this year. Each angel card lists a need and a wish, but we would like to do a little more than the minimum. We want to make this a great as we can, so we thought we'd draw on the hive mind. This is all we know:

69-year-old female, Kathy
Need: House shoes(small)
Wish: Bath robe(small)

We're a little reluctant to do anything like a bath set, given that scent is really subjective and there's always the possibility of allergies.

14-year-old female, Chelsie
Need: Coat
Wish: handheld game

We went all-out for starters here, and picked up a pink DS, Nintendogs, and New Super Mario Bros. What could be more awesome if you're 14 and aren't expecting much out of the holiday? We were thinking maybe some jewelry from Claire's/Icing/etc, or perhaps a popular teen book(Twilight? suggestions?). Also, my wife would like to encourage artistic endeavours without bashing her over the head with the idea. She's a little old for crayons and coloring books(we also sponsored a 4 year old boy and 7 year old girl this year, crayons/coloring books were perfect there), so what would you suggest?

What do you wish you had when you graduated?

AceRock — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:13:27 -0800

What (item) do you wish you had when you graduated from college? My brother is graduating from college after this semester and I want to get him a present he will end up really appreciating. So, what (item or items) do you wish someone had given you when you graduated from college, or otherwise entered the real world for the first time?

I don't want want to limit ideas in any way, but if it helps to inspire: he's graduating with a degree in engineering, but he loves writing fiction.

awesome present for an awesome kid?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:54:34 -0800

What present should my mother get for her 13/14 year old nephew? Complications within. Mom is visiting Russia tomorrow for a month. She hasn't been there or seen the family since 4 years ago and she doesn't really know his interests (other than that he likes chocolate). Also, his parents give him everything he wants/needs generally.

She needs to buy this present today and I'm guessing wants to spend less than $60 (she rejected my iPod suggestion). Any ideas, metafilter?

Wedding Gifts

tastybrains — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:17:53 -0800

Please help me find something decent to get my sister & brother-in-law as a belated wedding gift. Just as a disclaimer - I have looked over lots of other wedding gift idea threads here. There are some good ideas, but none that really seemed right.

It's really hard to explain why I am having such a hard time finding them the right gift. It would be harder to do if I didn't explain that they have very East Coast expectations of weddings and wedding gifts. So, my budget of ~$150-200 is kind of pathetic compared to what they expect. In fact, normally I would love to give more, except that I catered to all of their previous expectations in terms of a lavish shower and bachelorette party, and spent a lot of money I don't have ALREADY. So, my budget might be a little small based on East Coast fancy wedding standards, but it's a lot to me right now.

I think if this was just any couple, or even just friends, I could find something and just buy it and not worry too much. But because this is my sister, I feel like it needs to be at least sorta good. But these days, I feel very alienated from my sister.

Here are ideas I've ruled out:

So, I can't give money, because (1) I don't like to give money unless I can cover the cost of my plate at the wedding [it's a NY / east coast thing, I think], and $150-200 doesn't cover that, and (2) I don't want to be too obvious about not spending a lot.

I can't give something off their registry, because everything has been purchased off of their registries. Literally, EVERYTHING. Except gift cards, but that presents the same problem as giving cash.

The other wedding gift idea I liked was one that was given to us -- a gift basket of wines to celebrate different milestones in our wedding. However, I already told my sister about this idea, and she's actually used it for wedding gifts for other people, so it wouldn't really seem very fun or creative at this point. Next time I'll keep my big mouth shut.

-----

In terms of what they do like -- I don't know what to tell you. My sister loves different kinds of food and wine, but my brother in law refuses to eat anything but hamburgers and chicken parm, and I don't even think he drinks anything but crappy beer. Their tastes clash so dramatically that I am afraid to give them anything artistic or decorative. They have a dog. That's all I've got.

What I do want is:

- Something I can purchase online.
- Something that can be delivered to NY/NJ
- Nothing to "weird" as that doesn't go over well with the groom

Thanks!

Gifts for someone finishing law school

chndrcks — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:47:25 -0800

My brother is graduating from law school soon and my sister and I are looking for a gift or gifts. We usually spend around $50/person for things like this, although we'd be wiling to go a little higher. I've thought about something like a Barrister's bookcase, but he lives in a tiny apartment right now and there's probably no room for it (and I'm not sure how furnished his office will be).

When he was my best man I got him a nice decanter and tumblers, which I thought would be good for a lawyer's office.

Any suggestions are welcome.

How to report tax info I don't have?

daisyace — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:48:20 -0800

What date acquired and cost basis should I put for two items reported on a 1099-B, when there are several unknowns? I have this on a 1099-B:
10/26/07.......Avaya cash merger at $17.50 per.......quant:16.......box 2: $280.00
4/5/07..........LSI corp cash in lieu............................................box 2: $7.94

These companies came from Lucent, which my grandmother gave me years ago, before she died, and I don't know what to put for date acquired and for cost basis.

For date acquired:
- 1947 is when my grandmother's husband bought att, which both of the above eventually came from.
- 1958 is when my grandmother's husband died. I don't know whether he gave Grandma att before he died, or whether she inherited it.
- Roughly late 90's is when Grandma gave me Lucent, which had come from att.
- 12/1/06 is the date that Avaya spun off Lucent.
- 10/26/07 and 4/5/07 are the dates of the reported events on the 1099-B.

For cost basis, I know that the basis of a gift is the giver's basis. But I
don't know:
- what Grandma or her husband's basis was, and which of those is relevant.
- what percent of the investment that had that basis they gave to me.
- what percent of what they gave me became the two companies in question.

If it matters, my mom thinks that when I was given Lucent, it was worth
about $25 per share, and $9500 all together. Now, all the parts taken together are worth much, much less.

I know that, to be safest, I could treat the entire $287.94 as capital gains even though they may actually be losses. This would cost me $75 in Federal tax, I'm not sure how much in state tax, plus the value of whatever loss I could have written off against other gains. I could try to find a tax advisor to help, but I suspect that would cost more than I'd save (plus, at this time of year, it would be a challenge to find one). I've tried the IRS help line and the investment firm where these are now held, but I reached dead ends because of the information I'm missing.

What to bring for symbolic gifts for academics?

k8t — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:23:07 -0800

Symbolic academic gifts for visiting scholar? I'm leaving in 3 weeks for Armenia. I have been a number of times, but this is my first time going as an "official" scholar. Hence, I'll be meeting with tons of academics. I have no idea what to bring them for gifts. I used to bring shot glasses of my hometown/university for friends, postcards, picture books... Symbolic gifts are extremely important culturally.

But what to bring academics? I've thought of California and my university calendars for 2009 as well as university logo coffee mugs.

Anything other ideas? Pens? Landscape photos?

Also, I'll be coming back to the U.S. for a conference in May, but not to California, so "general" gifts/needs like notebooks or dictionaries can be bought then.

Recommendations for buying a potter's wheel?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:09:26 -0800

I would like to buy my girlfriend a potter's wheel for her birthday, but don't really know anything about where to look, what to look for, or the price I can expect to pay. Any suggestions or recommendations? (I'm asking anonymously because my girlfriend sometimes reads AskMe.)

Cursory internet searches have turned up $50 "kids'" models and $1200 professional models - is there anything in between, say for a couple hundred bucks? (ebay and my local craigslists haven't been of much help so far.)

What features in a potter's wheel should I look for? (Horsepower, size, shape, features, etc.) She is an amateur potter, but greatly enthusiastic, and I think she would use it a fair bit.

I would also love to know about any reputable pottery-supply purveyors.

If all efforts to buy one of these things fail, what would I need to know in order to assemble a potter's wheel myself? I can't imagine they're too mechanically complicated, but, then, my skillz with toolz and electrical devices are not exactly Norm Abrams-caliber. Maybe this is over my head, but if, by chance, there's a make-your-own-potter's-wheel kit, I'd love to know about that, too.

Many thanks!

Creative ways to give coins as a gift

acoutu — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:25:06 -0800

What are some creative ways to give rolled coins as a gift? I'm planning to give my grandma rolled coins as a gift. She now lives in an apartment with coin-op laundry. She finds it troublesome and expensive to scrape together coins. I'd like to give her rolled coins as a gift. What are some inventive ways to present the money? It's okay if the solution involves some unrolled coins, too, but I don't want this to be messy for her. Bonus points for a solution that helps her store or sort the coins. It's also okay to involve other items, although I don't want to spend too much on anything else.

Her interests include TV, reading and crocheting. She's in her 80s and has a good sense of humour. She is overwhelmed with gifts of soap and bath stuff and she'd probably crack up if the rolled coin gift somehow looked like it was going to be more (dreaded) bath items. She's got six kids and 13 grandkids (and about a dozen great-grandkids), most of whom are of modest means, so you can imagine how many gifts of bubble bath and what-not she gets. Thanks.

Memorable Christmas gift for fashion maven girlfriend?

blueplasticfish — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:28:27 -0800

Memorable Christmas gift for fashion maven girlfriend. Is a tennis bracelet tacky? Would a necklace be better? So, I want to buy something lasting and memorable for my girlfriend this Christmas. I have a whole list of things that I know she would love, but nothing strikes me as being all that lasting and memorable.... at least nothing like jewelry.

My girlfriend is something of a fashion maven. She owns/runs a boutique for womens clothing. I am wondering, of you other mavens out there, if a tennis bracelet is a good idea? Is it too 80s? Can it be worn casually? Would a necklace be better?

To give you an idea her style is a Lucky Magazine, InStyle, Anthropologie (the store) sorta of thing. Is a diamond bracelet too Liz Taylor/Zsa Zsa Gabor for this style?

Best gifts for a 12 year-old girl

Optimus Chyme — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:31:17 -0800

Some co-workers and I are sponsoring a family for Christmas, and I picked the youngest (12 years-old) daughter of the family. Help me come up with some nice things that are are fun, functional, and long-lasting. All of us are male, and most of my co-workers are significantly older. I was a bit concerned that the daughter would get the short end of the stick, so I really want to do a good job, and get some solid opinions from the parents and relatives of young almost-women.

I'm starting off with the obligatory Daring Book for Girls, and a light winter coat. Recommendations for other books or games that aren't based on horrible things (Bratz, etc) would be super-appreciated. Thank you!

Gift for Brewers fan?

airguitar2 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:43:57 -0800

I need a cool gift for a Milwaukee Brewers fan. Help! Any suggestions for a gift for someone who loves the Brewers, history, and also the Packers? I know very little about baseball/football, but am wondering if there are interesting historical artifacts from the team(s) that might be cool. Any thoughts mightily appreciated!
Thanks.

Gift for a young violin player?

nitsuj — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:33:18 -0800

Help me get a good gift for a young violin player. My 10-year-old nephew recently began playing the violin, and I'd like to get him a Christmas gift (under $50) that he would both enjoy immensely, and act as a reassurance that his crazy uncle, me, thinks he is very cool for playing the violin -- because he is!

Lovers

simplesharps — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:40:49 -0800

My best friend and I are sake (rice wine) lovers. Not lovers, because he's a guy. And ugly. But he's a great guy and I'd like to buy him some top quality traditional sake and a set of cups and bottle. We've both probably never had good sake, so I'd like a local store where I could go and find a selection of the better ones. Most stores on the Gold Coast, Australia carry Gekkeikan sake, toted as the word's largest selling sake in the world (!), and that's pretty much it. I'm looking near a $100 price tag. Maybe I could get a couple of the better ones and find out what's best?

And for the sake set? Maybe I could buy that online, I've already found some good ones so far but I'm still searching.

Thanks!

A cheap mp3 player for a 16-year-old girl...

Ian A.T. — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:48:32 -0800

Please help my girlfriend buy a cheap mp3 player for a 16-year-old girl in foster care she's "adopted" for the holidays. Every year, my girlfriend participates in a program where she gets the name and Christmas wish list of an underprivileged kid. This year, she's shopping for a 16-year-old girl whose parents have had their parental rights revoked and who is currently a ward of the state living in some kind of foster home. Quote:

"One of the things on her list is an MP3 player, which is totally one of those things that would make some people scream "what!?", the implication being that if you can have an MP3 player you can't be in particularly dire straits, but I feel like I understand: I mean, why can't she have what everyone else has, you know?

"On the other hand, it seems like a dicey gift for someone in her situation: how is she going to get music for it? Is she going to have regular access to a computer? Is she living in some foster care setting where there are multiple opportunities for someone to steal it?

"So basically, I want to get her an MP3 player but I sure as hell don't want to get her an iPod, something both expensive and utterly desirable by others; I'm looking for something a little more toylike, as I think that's probably all that she needs.

"Does this exhausting explanation bring any product to your mind? I tried to go online and read reviews last night, but that always confuses me 10 times more.

"As for my budget, I don't think I have a very realistic notion of how much a cheap MP3 player should cost. She has other stuff on her list that I'd rather spend money on (like clothes and school supplies) so this is more of a second-tier present, you know? Definitely less than $100... like way less."

Ian here again. I know one of the stock AskMe answers is "we need more information," but the information we have about her situation is all we're going to get.

Thanks, guys!

Mark CF, I love you, but go away :P

divabat — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:58:43 -0800

What are some good (preferably experience-based) birthday gifts for a 21-year-old Australian programming geek who thinks he's Danish? My boyfriend's (whom you all so nicely wished Happy Birthday to in code) 21st birthday is coming up in February. It's going to be a big birthday for him so I want to make it special.

One thing he loves about me is that I'm always doing interesting things and that I often involve him in them - I've dragged him to the Gold Coast to help me stage manage a show, and I've brought him to damn near every multicultural festival that exists in Brisbane. We spent a weekend away in Redcliffe a few months ago and it was awesome. I would like to gift him with another awesome experience-style gift, but I'm at a loss for what to get him.

Some facts about him:

* White Australian male; I'm the most exotic thing about him
* favourite motto is "You can't be young forever but you can be immature indefinitely!" (to him it means he doesn't have to be boring and serious all the time)
* Obsessed with Magic: The Gathering
* Studying IT (Web Services) in uni; currently in 1-year work experience with a performing arts company managing their Web stuff. Often programs stuff in Javascript as a hobby.
* Went to Denmark for a year on exchange and now thinks he's half-Danish. Can speak Danish reasonably fluently. He yearns for opportunities to speak with Danish people and re-experience Denmark. I think he's saving up for a trip to Denmark in a year or so.
* Likes pandas a lot and has assorted panda paraphernalia. (I tried adopting a panda from WWF for him but their web form broke.)
* Enjoys cycling a lot. Also somewhat sporty, but he often needs an excuse (like a school sports team) to play
* Introverted and shy, but quite open and friendly to people he's familiar with
* Says he misses going out drinking; hasn't been to a bar in about a year or so. Doesn't drink much however.
* Likes Indian food; sometimes is more Asian than I am
* Likes to read, especially crime thrillers; Harry Potter fan

I've looked at sites like RedBalloon but nothing there seems to fit. While he is techy, I don't want to get him an iPod or other presents of that nature because I think other relatives will cover that for him. He knows I'm coming so I can't surprise him like I did this year!

I also don't have a lot of money (otherwise I would have bought him a plane ticket) but I could try talking to his mum (whom I'm close to) to see if we can work together on something.

Thanks folks!

I need a gift for my 80-year-old auntie

AgentRocket — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 07:06:39 -0800

Help me find a good gift for my beloved, octogenarian, Luddite Aunt. My auntie turns 80 this year and we are throwing her a nice party. My wife and I love her to death and would like to get her a good, meaningful gift but - like every other time we've shopped for her - we have no good ideas.

She lives alone and has a house full of chotchkes, so a little statue or other trinket is out. She likewise is up to (and over) her ears in hats, scarves, gloves, etc. She likes TV and is reliant on her old-school VCR Plus to record shows. We thought of a TiVo but she is too intimidated by it to use it. That same reasoning rules out all but the simplest technology. She likes the St. Louis Cardinals and Notre Dame football, but has tons of gear from those teams and can't travel well so a roadtrip to a game is out. She's got 79,000 photographs in an equal number of frames so that's not really an option. We want the present to be meaningful or lasting.

Our current best idea is a flowers-of-the-month club, where a nice bouquet will be delivered to her each month. That's pretty, and will provide fresh flowers to her year-round. And she is a widow so she doesn't really have anyone to send her flowers otherwise.

Is there a brilliant idea we have not considered? All suggestions (including good f-o-t-m clubs) are welcome. Our budget is variable, up to several hundred dollars.

Gift for a coworker?

Coffeemate — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:35:43 -0800

I want to buy a gift for a coworker who took a promotion and will be leaving my department. What's something cool but not overly sentimental that she might like? When I started my job a year ago she was phenomenally helpful, always willing to answer questions, and a terrific mentor. I will be moving into the position she’s vacating.

She is:
About 50, but acts and feels younger
A wine lover and cat owner
Vegetarian

Her gift should be:
About $50
NOT a desk tchotchke
Fun and cool - and it need not match perfectly her interests listed above

Any ideas? I’ve looked through RedEnvelope.com, gifts.com, uncommongoods.com, and not been grabbed by anything. I’ll also be writing her a sincere thank-you note.

Does anyone know the kind of book I'm aiming for?

Ash3000 — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:03:52 -0800

Are there any books you think a smart, grieving preteen would find comforting or of use? More details inside. I'll try to get what the situation is with as few details as possible, unless further information is really needed.

I have a relative, who is 13 years old to my 22. We'll call him Bobby. Bobby is a smart, shy and sweet kid, who loves all sorts of standard 12-year-old-things (e.g. the red sox and the star wars prequel trilogy) and is very quietly perceptive of people around him. He's a great kid, and the oldest of three.

I was planning, for this holiday season (the end of chanukah, specifically, when I get back home from college) to give everyone a book as a gift this year - nothing too bank-breaking as I'm a starving student, but something I thought each person would genuinely enjoy and perhaps find thought-provoking, suited to their interests. Thinking of the books I might have wished someone handed me in the 10-13-year-old area, I was originally going to go with either
Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman!, Culture Jam, or Good Omens.

In the past three weeks, his grandmother, whom he is close to (and who is way too young for this) has gotten very sick, very quickly, and is likely to pass this week. All of a sudden, my suggested books seem a little lacking somehow - each is either flippant or political, a little empty under the circumstances.

I don't want to give him a book which is blatantly like, "So you're a grieving preteen, eh?" or anything transparently about a grandparent's death, etc etc. Nothing pat and tacky and thoughtless. But maybe something which, though it's not on the surface "about death," can provide some measure of comfort to a person in this situation. I guess it's more a feeling than a theme I'm thinking about. I have come up with three that seem somewhat what I'm aiming for:

Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary,
Danny The Champion of the World, by Roald Dahl, and
The Little Prince, by Antoine St.-Exupery

I guess the best way to put it is a book which has both wonderfulness and melancholy, though the former ultimately triumphs; a book that as a smart pre-teen makes you both grin and cry but ultimately finish feeling like the world is an okay place. Does anyone have any thoughts on this matter, or even know what I'm trying to get at? This might just be a stupid idea, I'm in the middle of grieving myself.