The Best Reader Holiday Gift Guide Ever
The holiday season is here, and what better way to spread joy than with the perfect book? Whether you’re shopping for a student eager to dive into a new adventure, a teen seeking fresh perspectives, or a teacher looking to refresh their classroom library, books are a gift that keeps on giving. Quality fiction and nonfiction supports learning, sparks curiosity, and nurtures a lifetime love of reading.
From thought-provoking reads to laugh-out-loud stories, this guide highlights the best book gifts to satisfy read-aloud audiences, spark classroom discussions, and bolster library collections. Whether you’re stocking up for your own library or looking for the perfect gift for a young reader, we’ve got you covered with top picks for the holidays!
Fun Books to Read Together
The Remarkables: The Most Incredible Children I’ve Met — So Far!
Interest Level: Grade 1 – Grade 5
The Remarkables is a big book of fantasy and humor that entertains and provides a way to talk about emotions and identity. Through Perrin’s unique imagination, this inclusive encyclopedia celebrates individuality, strengths, and differences, allowing every reader to explore what miraculous superpower they would wish for—or might have.
★”Children are sure to pick favorites from this colorful cast, including a child made of sugar, a child who is full of surprises, and a child who can fit into anything. Older reading helpers will appreciate the satirical touches throughout.”—starred, Foreword Reviews
Bear’s Big Idea
Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
Fish always has a great idea for what to do! When it’s Bear’s turn to think of something, she doesn’t know where to start. A sweet story of friendship, ingenuity, and a surprisingly epic adventure!
“A winning tale of friendship and creativity unleashed.”—Kirkus Reviews
One Wise Sheep: An Untraditional Christmas Story
Interest Level: Grade 1 – Grade 4
Tonight, the sheep can’t sleep. The pasture is floodlit by a strange new star and their shepherds have disappeared.
★“A Christmas tale to hold the whole family spellbound.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Touch the Sky
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
Vern longs to be one of the kids who swoop until their toes touch the sky. He heads to the swings and desperately tries to pump his legs, but he just can’t get it. A chance encounter with precocious (and hilarious) Gretchen gives him just what he needs to know, and he finally learns to soar.
A story for every child on the cusp of learning something new who just needs an extra push to get there.
Books for Budding Scientists
The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions
Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 7
A highly illustrated, playful field guide for budding natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses.
★ “An amusing approach to a traditional field guide, displaying intricate illustrations. Clarkson’s environmental book is well suited for developing naturalists as well as curious observers. It deserves a place of honor on every library shelf and will be a valuable asset in classrooms.”—starred, School Library Journal
★“[T]his book will have readers sharpening their senses in no time. A charming work sure to spark a lifelong habit of looking closely at the natural world.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8
★ “Young explorers are encouraged to think critically, look at the varying perspectives of a new discovery, and seek out their own observations. A must-purchase for collections serving curious minds, suitable for upper elementary or middle grades.” —starred, School Library Journal
Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8
Kerstin Forsberg made waves in Perú when she started a community-focused project to save manta rays. Find out more about manta rays and how local people are working to save these gentle giants.
“A fascinating and important tale of one scientist’s dedication to ocean conservation and community that will inspire many to follow in her footsteps.”—School Library Journal
Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire
Interest Level: Grade 8 – Grade 12
Environmental scientist Ferin Davis Anderson and author Stephanie Sammartino McPherson examine how Indigenous people, farmers, and forestry departments have used fire to manage resources and how climate change is impacting the future of fire.
★ “It’s nice to have this balanced, reassuring offering that puts wildfires into ecological perspective. . . This authoritative STEAM selection has multiple crosscurricular applications, engaging live action-style reporting on narrow escapes and heroic deeds, and serves as a buffer for climate anxiety.”—starred, Booklist
For the Poets
Haiku, Ew!: Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature
Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
These gross and engrossing haiku highlight thirteen animals (and a few fungi) and the exceptionally icky things they do! Accompanied by bonus facts that will delight—and disgust—readers of all ages.
Eating My Words: And 128 Other Poems
Interest Levels: Grade 4 – Grade 8
A playful and punny illustrated poetry collection from Brian Cleary that’s perfect for middle grade readers. Includes quick tips about poetic forms and poetic devices that teachers can use in poetry lessons.
The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets
Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
Whoops! Ack! Darn it! Twenty brave poets share real-life blunders they made as young people. With a wide range of mistakes and a diverse group of poets, this anthology speaks to a wide audience.
★ “The strength of this collection comes from the authors admitting their mistakes and going on to explain the value of the resulting learning opportunities. A gentle reminder of the stepping stones making up the path to growth, discovery, and creativity.”—starred, Booklist
Eyes Open
Interest Level: Grade 9 – Grade 12
Living under the Salazar dictatorship in 1960s Portugal, Sónia must find her voice as a poet and an activist after the government arrests her boyfriend and shuts down her family’s business in this moving novel in verse.
★ “Beautifully and fluidly written, Miller-Lachmann’s memorable verse novel captures the setting splendidly, dramatizing the abysmal condition of women under the dictatorship.”—starred, Booklist
Bridging Chapter Books to Inspire Joyful Reading
Imani Picks Up the Pieces
From the Series Hair Magic (Read Woke ™ Chapter Books)
Interest Level: Grade 1 – Grade 3
Shimmer, sparkle, twirl . . . I am a resilient girl!
★ “Written in flowing sentences ideal for practicing readers, this title celebrates Black history, hearth, and hair, and makes any reader feel like they are special and worthy. . .Vivid illustrations paired with a relatable story equals a must-have for any library.” –starred, School Library Journal
Shelter Pet Block Party
From the Series Becoming Ari
Interest Level: Grade 1 – Grade 3
Ari’s local animal shelter has more animals than they have space for. So Ari and the Secret Kindness Society decide to throw a block party to help the pets find homes.
Show-and-Tell Queen
From the Series Queen Bee
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2
Queen Bee can’t wait to show her bindis to her class. She thinks they are perfect for a queen, but not everyone seems to agree. Will Beena be able to see eye to eye with her class?
In the Queen Bee series, Beena loves all things royal. Whether she’s hosting a party or helping a friend, she adds a touch of fancy wherever she goes.
The Outstanding Octokey
From the series Zooniverse
Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 5
What do you get when you combine a monkey and an octopus? The octokey! Follow Noah and Blue as they search for their latest creation after it gets loose in their school.
“Good reading for the chapter book crowd, who will enjoy the fast-paced fun in this new series.”—School Library Journal
For Manga, Comics, and Graphic Novel Fans
The Case of the Forest Fingers
From the Series Mystery Science Detectives
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 6
Strange fingers are growing from the ground in the forest outside of school! Some kids think it’s zombies rising from the grave, others say they’re poisonous mushrooms, but everybody’s staying far, far away… except for the Mystery Science Detectives! The after-school club is on the case, ready to solve any mystery using the power of science.
The Wolf in Underpants and the Hazelnut-Cracker
From the Series The Wolf in Underpants
Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
The holidays have arrived, and the Wolf in Underpants receives a strange present: a red nutcracker owl.
The Wolf falls asleep delighted—but then the toy comes to life and leads him to a forbidden forest, a most frightening place! The Wolf will have to overcome a thousand dangers, including the willies! (Yes, wolves get the willies, too.) The sixth tale in the Eisner-nominated Wolf in Underpants series is a laugh-out-loud fable about identity, conformity, and being your true self.
Hotelitor: Luxury-Class Defense and Hospitality Unit
Interest Level: Grade 9 – Grade 12
Luxury ship Hotelitor is equipped with a hyperspace engine and single, double, and adjoining rooms. When an alien attack strands the craft in deep space, 18-year-old intern Anna Greene must save its guests from chaos.
“A clever, high-octane graphic novel satire of the bourgeois and proletariat.”—Publishers Weekly
Page-Turners for Teens
Cruzita and the Mariacheros
Interest Level: Grade 6 – Grade 8
Cruzita is going to be a pop star. All she has to do is win a singing contest at her favorite theme park and get famous. But she can’t go to the theme park this summer. Instead, she has to help out at her family’s bakery, which has been struggling ever since Tío Chuy died. Cruzita’s great-uncle poured his heart into the bakery—the family legacy—and now that he’s gone, nothing is the same.
The Color of Sound
Interest Level: Grade 6 – Grade 8
Musical prodigy Rosie stops playing the violin, upsetting her ambitious mother but making room in her life for new experiences, including a glitch in space-time that lets her meet her mom as a twelve-year-old.
★ “[A] salient celebration of family, music, and neurodiversity.” —starred, Publishers Weekly
★ “A top pick for any middle school collection; a perfect book club pick and a reminder to all that patience and understanding can change lives.” —starred, School Library Journal
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds
Interest Level: Grade 7 – Grade 12
A must for fans of science and history—and also armchair detectives—this entertaining and informative illustrated compendium delves into nature’s deadliest plants and their fascinating histories as implements of medicine, warfare, and foul play.
★ “The striking page design evokes a strong sense of the macabre and is reminiscent of dark academia . . . An engaging, visually appealing guide for science buffs, true-crime enthusiasts, and herbalists alike.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Here Goes Nothing
Interest Level: Grade 8 – Grade 12
Eighteen-year-old Beatrice isn’t a fan of her neighbor Bennie, but when Beatrice’s sister starts dating Bennie’s friend and throws them into frequent contact, Beatrice must wrestle with complicated feelings and questions about her identity in this reimagining of Much Ado About Nothing.
“A feisty queer retelling of a classic.”—School Library Journal
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