You want to give a whole box of books to someone who's just starting to read on their own, around five to seven. Every one of these is a boxed set, so it's a real present with heft to it, and every set is made of the gentlest, funniest first books there are. Pick one; it's a complete gift on its own. Choose by the child you're buying for: whether they want to read a story cover to cover tonight, sound the words out, or follow a comic. That's what this shelf is for — matching the set to the new reader you have in mind.
Think of this as a shelf you shop by child; every box here is a complete gift on its own. Elephant & Piggie is the one I'd reach for first, because those two friends and their speech bubbles are the surest way for a child to finish a whole book on their first solo try. From there, go by who you're buying for. Frog and Toad is for the child who loves a warm, gentle friendship and can handle a touch more text. The Dr. Seuss box is for the one who catches a rhyme and wants to sound the words out. Mercy Watson is the first funny almost-chapter-book, for a child ready to feel like they're reading a real one. The Fly Guy phonics box is for the child who needs gross and silly to stay at it while they're still learning the sounds. And Narwhal and Jelly is the softest way into comics. One of those is the child on your list.