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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.

By Colleen DeBaise

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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.

Day 1: "The Shopping List Bag" - L.E. Green Bags
Day 2: Children's multicultural books - Hartlyn Kids
Day 3: Chalkboard beer mug - The Man Registry
Day 4: Recycled china pendant - The Broken Plate Pendant Co.
Day 5: Vegan lip balm - Sprout Skincare
Day 6: Fair-trade-certified soccer ball - Senda Athletics
Day 6: Fair-trade-certified soccer ball - Senda Athletics
Day 7: Digital luggage scale - EatSmart Products
Day 8: Dog treat pouch - Sara Bella Upcycled
Day 9: "Not sent from my iPhone" Stationery set - Red Letter Paper Co.
Day 10: Key lime BBQ Sauce - Reva Foods
Day 11: Periodic Table of Elements necklace - My London Sun
Colleen DeBaise is special projects director at Entrepreneur.com.

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