Holiday shopping for bibliophiles is as easy as, well, cracking open a book. From bestsellers to classics and everything in between, a new title will always be appreciated, but why stop there?
We asked four book experts to share their favorite gifts for the literature lovers on your lists, including totes, mugs, stickers, reading glasses and much more sure to earn you a 5-star review. Want more ideas? Check out our favorite gift ideas for men, gift ideas for women, Amazon gifts and ultra-practical gifts.
For fans of reading in bed, this handy, bendable neck light could be life-changing. Complete with three color modes (yellow, warm white and cool white), three brightness levels and up to 80 hours of light from the included rechargeable battery, it’s also great for camping or hands-free repairs.
“Star Wars” fans will be begging to read when you gift them this Stormtrooper Lego book light complete with articulating arms, hands, legs and head. With two bright LED lights, it uses batteries or can be powered via USB cord and clips onto any book, notebook or magazine.
Book lovers will make room on their nightstands for this fun lamp that looks like a closed book when shut but transforms into an open-book light. Rechargeable, it comes with a USB cable and users can choose between warm yellow, white, green, blue and red lights.
“No book lover can leave the library or a bookstore with just one book,” Murphy says. “I love this bookish-themed tote bag that’s perfect for carrying home one’s latest book haul.”
Start ’em young with a fun T-shirt emblazoned with “Read: All the cool kids are doing it.” Available in onesies and toddler and youth styles, this fun gift also comes in adult sizes along with more than a dozen colors.
For those who prefer to listen to their books, a monthly subscription to the Audible service will be well received. The service includes thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and original programming. Want to take a listen for yourself? Test it out with a free 30-day trial and cancel at any time.
Allow your book-loving friends to display their favorite literature as art with shadowboxed prints featuring their favorite titles. High-quality prints of first-edition books come in a birch frame, measuring 16.25 inches by 12.25 inches with a slew of options available, from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” to “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
“When I was on my book tour, I was stunned by how many readers had embossed their copies of ‘Lightlark’ with a personal stamp, marking it as part of their personal collection,” Aster says. “This personalized stamp is a unique, beautiful gift for any reader.”
High-tech meets Luddite with this highly rated laptop case designed to fit a 13-inch MacBook Air. Made of durable PU leather, it’s just the thing for the literature lover on your list.
Little readers will cozy right up to this fun library card-themed pillow that can be personalized to reflect them or their whole family. Add the parents as the authors, the family’s name as the title and up to seven borrowers, displaying names and birthdates as due dates for a truly unique gift.
“A staple in my reading life is sticky tabs that transform annotated books into a work of art,” Susan says. “They also ensure that the rereads of your favorite books are even more pleasurable.” This set includes 1,200 colorful index tabs.
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English majors on your gift list? Stuff their, well, stockings with a pair of these black-and-white socks. One sock lists the titles of books that were banned at one point (think “1984,” “Native Son” and “The Catcher in the Rye”), while the other shows the titles blacked out. Available in small and large sizes.
“For those who like to read at night, here is a solution to squinting in limited light: a glowing screen perfect for reading in bed, on a plane or in the car,” Aster says. Plus, she adds, “it’s ultra thin and light, so you or the reader in your life can easily travel with it.”
“Every book lover needs a reading journal, and this #Booktok Journal gives readers the space to set reading goals, log book recommendations and review the books they find through TikTok,” Murphy says. “It also includes a list of the most popular book titles on #Booktok.”
“I think bookish stickers make the best, most affordable stocking stuffers for book lovers,” Murphy says. “They’re cute, fun and can go on anything. Plus, you can mix and match different designs.”
Whitman calls this gift “the ultimate coffee mug for the library lover like myself.” The ceramic mug holds 11 ounces, is dishwasher-safe, features a wraparound graphic and comes in both classic and tall options.
Ever wish the classic fairy tales you grew up with could have been a bit more inclusive? This creative kit comes with a reimagined telling of favorite stories that includes a book, play set and characters. Choose from Snow White’s Sweet Shop, Jack & the Giants Grocery, Red’s Animal Hospital and Pinocchio’s Puppet Theater.
“Blue-light-blocking glasses make the best gift for book lovers who read late into the night because they just can’t put their latest book down,” Murphy says. “These not only look stylish but also help prevent eye strain and reflect away blue light, which can disturb one’s sleep cycle.”
If you know someone who loves to start the morning off with some light reading and a strong cup of coffee, consider this ceramic mug. One one side: the definition of “abiliophobia” (the fear of running out of reading material). On the other: “coffee, read, sleep, repeat.” Available in 11- and 15-ounce sizes and white or white with black accents.
Combining books and coffee, this company roasts small-batch beans in Maryland and gives its roasts fun literary names. Whitman says the dark chocolate Addie, named for V.E. Schwab’s title protagonist, is “the most delicious coffee named after one of my favorite book characters.”
Universal Pictures has acquired rights to Aster’s 2022 YA release “Lightlark,” which centers on a once-in-a-century competition between the rulers of six realms, each of whom is afflicted with a fatal curse. To break their curses, they must battle each other to the death, and, in the midst of it all, is Isla Crown, trying to make it out of the game alive as she finds herself waylaid by a romantic entanglement.
“As seen on supermodel Bella Hadid, this Strand New York City sweatshirt represents one of the most iconic bookstores in the country,” Aster says. “Bonus: It’s extremely comfortable.”
