If the Sharpie is on plastic and some other "hard" surfaces, just erase using the Sharpie over the original lines followed closely by a tissue or paper towel.

On plastic I use Mr Clean Magic Eraser. It worked for me.

Older son taught me to use rubbing alcohol to take off Sharpie identification written on plastic refrigerator/freezer containers. I am sure this depends upon the type of plastic. Please refer to previous reply from raptureready. Thank you

Sounds like Grandma just needs/wants to make sure that GD grows up knowing that she did give her gifts and loved her. Something sad about that. I think we grandparents that are in our golden years worry that those dear ones won't remember how much they were loved by us, so we try to give them special things that we think they will keep and treasure, and remember.Haven"t we all done that? I know that I have, and I know that my Mom did. But then, it wasn"T on everything! On the other hand, my MIL never gave my kids anything that lasted more than a week, and that was only twice a year. I do know that her daughters kids had keepsakes, things that were hush hush at the time. LOL

The newest issue of Martha Stewart Living has a huge article on stain removal and sharpies were included. I don't remember the directions but she gave instructions on removal of sharpies from different types of materials.
Cheryl

Not sure if this works on multi-surfaces, but when my granddaughter wrote, in black, on my wall (Flat paint) I was told to write over it with erasable marker, wait 30 seconds and clean with windex. IT WORKED!!!! Could not believe it. I'd recommend trying it--all children need to learn to share :) :)
Good luck

I know I'm going to be really unpopular here in the next 20 seconds. I'll apologize in advance.

All MIL's are not out to get you, they don't do things to spite you, they might find your actions really silly (sometimes we look back and realize they were). Very rarely do you see a wicked MIL in a pointy hat cackling in delight that she pulled another one over on you. If she didn't love YOUR child she would never give a gift in the first place.

Instead of trying to remove the ink. Why not learn to share the books anyway? My children have many with their names in them and were shared. We always knew who to return them to when we were done with them.

I always write inscriptions in books that I gift. I always ask the giver of a book to inscribe them to me. Maybe that is the author in me coming out. I have many many books that are treasured because they were gifts from people I can no longer see.

Why do people always look at a gift and think "now how will I get rid of it"? My children received very few gifts from one set of grandparents and never were they "special" (that means with an inscription or anything more than "here this is for you" and then forgotten). MIL once told me they had too many grandchildren for any one to be special. I wrote things down so they would always remember their grandparent loved them enough to give them such and such. I hope someday they will share those treasures with their families.

Maybe WE are the ones having issues with MIL's and not the child having a problem with an inscription in a book. I haven't found too many very young children who cannot understand the concept of allowing someone to borrow something. If the book is a precious object, then of course, it should be kept in a special place and not loaned out. I have a few of those myself. I never loan out my first Chemistry and Phyics Handbook that my Dean of Natural Sciences gave me. I bought a second one to loan. The other is in its special place, inscriptions and all.

This has inspired me. Now I'm off to call my SIL and irritate him by telling him I found the book he was searching for. I think I'll inscribe it.

lab fairy,
You make some very good points. I had an awesome MIL and I miss her so much. I just connected with her and she spoiled me. I think she loved me more than most of the family. However, I understand that not all people are this lucky.

I think it is great to inscribe special books and gifts. I do not however see the point in marking all of the toys, clothes, etc... that children will outgrow. Are the kids supposed to keep everything and find a place to store it? I think this is expecting too much from MIL.

I understand that this is irritating to you. I usually prefer to have my items unmarked.

But -

Is this a bit of a control issue between the two of you?

Are these items really all that important? Are these $500 books or relatively inexpensive books?

Is your second child even born yet?

Even at a young age, I think children need to learn the concepts of mine, yours, and ours. And when it's appropriate or NOT appropriate to share, lend, or borrow

I wish you good luck! I hope your situation gets better in the future.