Flo’s Gift Guide for Readers
Books are well-loved in our home, so to stay on brand, I knew I needed to make a gift guide for readers.
You all know Jared’s love of books. Early followers probably remember our thrift shop hauls when I would come out empty-handed, and Jared would bring home bags full of books. This fall, I put up these bookshelves in our living room. We filled them up immediately but still have so many unshelved stacks. Oh well, we could have worse problems.
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Why Books?
A love of reading generally begins in childhood. We’re huge fans of giving kids access to amazing books and literature so that they learn to love what reading can be to them!
Yes, books entertain, but they also give children a glimpse of unfamiliar parts of the universe. The world of books shows kids that they aren’t alone, and equally importantly, provides a safe mental escape from uncomfortable realities. Listening to and reading books helps kids learn values, boost vocabulary, and get familiar with what good writing sounds like.
So you don’t waste your time or money on crappy books, I picked the brains of moms, teachers, and nannies to make a list of really good books that are fantastic for book lovers of all ages. They even told me about each of them so I could share a bit with you!
Gift Guide for {Young} Readers
Dog and Bear This book is so simple but sweet, and there are at least 3 or 4 more books about Dog and Bear if your little one enjoys this one! I suggest buying this book used – it’ll be so much cheaper.
Dear Zoo An old classic flap book, this board book is perfect for young kiddos who love a book they can quickly memorize and “read” with you!
I Am Peace This book speaks to our anxiety over the future and ways that we can center and calm ourselves. This whole series is so deep in the most simple ways as it explores our humanity, and the illustrations continue the whole experience of the books. I highly recommend anything else by Susan Verde or Peter Reynolds
Winnie The Pooh This book has four of the classic Winnie the Pooh stories, with different-sized fonts and great illustrations making it really visual. The text is separated well between pages for fun read-aloud time.
The Boy with Big, Big Feelings If you haven’t noticed already, I love picture books about feelings, because they’re so complicated and can feel really scary (to children AND adults!). This book is great for empath kiddos who find themselves struggling with strong emotions. This author also wrote a really great book called The Girl with Big, Big Questions – great to encourage kiddos to keep asking and learning!
The Smart Cookie Basically, this entire series is incredibly good. Each book uses different food characters to teach amazing life lessons through really creative stories and illustrations. This particular one is great for kids who feel the need to be perfect all the time!
Ada Twist, Scientist I highly recommend this entire series. Every single book pushes kids to be creative, gritty, questioners – everything that we want to build strong minds! One of the books is even printed in dyslexia-friendly font as it tells the story of Aaron, a boy who wants to be a storyteller but has trouble reading.
The Day You Begin Anything Jacqueline Woodson writes is gold. She isn’t afraid to tackle hard things and big emotions. She writes with beautiful language and has great illustrations. This story tells about the first day of school, with all of the hope and nerves that that day can bring.
In My Heart Our hearts are full of all kinds of feelings. This book explores all of them beautifully with great metaphors. Warning: This book might make you tear up. Such a good one.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone The Harry Potter books are being illustrated! I believe they’ve released the first 5 so far. This is an unabridged book, so you’re getting the real deal – with some really nice artwork. It’s also the perfect size for a coffee table book! This is a great gift for the little Harry Potter lover in your life – or for you, the OG.
Wonder This book took elementary schools by storm for good reason after it was published in 2012. It follows the story of Auggie, a boy with physical differences who enrolls in a school for the first time. Tackling a big topic, it’s guaranteed to help children better understand children who are different than them.
Wish Lives and families often aren’t simple, and this book gently follows the story of a 4th grader struggling to find a sense of family and belonging in a new place.
The Giver Series You’ve probably heard of The Giver, but did you know that is only the first book of the series? Perfect for any young reader who likes to read about utopian and dystopian societies!
Holes An oldie but goodie! There’s a reason this book won a Newberry Award and is still popular over 20 years later!
Wings of Fire Set – For kids who are ready to not only tackle real chapter books but also love to continue the storyline, this is just the first box set of this series!
Gift Guide for {Grown} Readers
Jared and I have so many books that we love, and so many more that we want to read! Here’s a selection of books that are great for all sorts of reading goals: historical, pure pleasure, understanding yourself, and so much more!
Thriving through the Toddler Years:
The Montessori Toddler
Baking and Cooking:
Preppy Kitchen
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Fun and/or Spicy Fiction:
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Handmaid’s Tale
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Understanding Yourself and Others:
Quiet
Set Boundaries, Find Peace
Talking to Strangers
Think Again
Untamed
Grit
True(ish) Stories:
The Way I Heard It
Historical:
The Wright Brothers
Endurance
More Gifts for Readers
I know we grew up thinking that gift cards were impersonal, but let’s be honest. It’s the best gift ever if it’s to the right place. If you know that your gift recipient reads on their kindle, try a kindle gift card so they can get their own books. You could even spring for a kindle if they don’t have one yet!
If they like old books or choosing books in person, find a local bookstore and get a gift card there – supporting local small bookstores is always such a good move. If you’re buying for a child (or older person who doesn’t drive) that you’ll see in person, take them to a bookstore and let them pick out their own book! And if you live local to them, set up a weekly date to take them to the library!
If they like to drink coffee or tea while reading, consider an ember mug that will keep their drink hot for many chapters! Anyone who is an avid reader is likely into being cozy, so look into these throw blankets.
Someone who collects books or has more than a bookshelf or two needs a personalized book stamp. And these bookends will help to corral the books that they’re waiting to read.
I’ll finish up with one of the cutest (and cheapest) things I’ve found – customizable photo bookmarks. They’re literally perfect for anyone who loves you. I mean… look at this proof I made really quickly with some photos of Teddy! *Made sure you create both sides!
The End
I hope this gift guide for readers helps you to create magical memories with your loved ones! More gift guides to come, but for now, I need to get back to shoveling gravel in our backyard pergola project!
Happy Holidays!
Don’t Forget to Check Out…
Flo’s Gift Guide for Outdoorsy People
Gift Guide for Teens
Flo’s Gift Guide for Grownups
Gift Guide for Dogs
Flo’s Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Gifts for Home
Stocking Stuffers Gift Guide
Gift Guide for Kids
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