Giving Kids the Gift of Travel The next item selected for our Indie Merchant Holiday Gift Guide is a children's book made by Hartlyn Kids.

Children's multicultural books, published by Hartlyn Kids of Hartford, Conn., priced at $12.99.

Editor's Note: We're rolling out 12 Days of Indie Merchant Gifts. Readers can vote for their favorite gifts, starting Dec. 12.

Today's gift is for that special kid in your life. It was hard to narrow down the submissions that we received in this category, because lots of merchants sent in photos of super-cute children using or wearing their one-of-a-kind products. But we liked this series of children's multicultural books created by Hartlyn Kids the best.

Aisha Greene says her books expose children and their parents to the diversity of cultures around the world, without leaving their doorstep. She says her company, an independent book publisher in Hartford, Conn., was inspired by this Maya Angelou quote:

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."

To date, Greene's company has published two books, about trips to India and the Philippines, written by local authors who have knowledge of the area. "Our books are designed to give a true and authentic snapshot of the day in the life of a child from various regions around the globe," she says, adding that the company also sells toy passports. "It is a great and easy way to give the gift of travel to loved ones for cheaper than the cost of a plane ticket."

We liked Greene's entrepreneurial ambition, too: "Our goal is to visit every country and travel the globe... one book at a time," she says.

Check back tomorrow to see which indie merchant's gift we've selected for Day No. 3. And don't forget to vote for your favorite, starting Dec. 12.