The Bookworm Sez’ 2026 Holiday Gift Guide
Check. Check. Checkity-check.
Okay, your holiday gift list is complete. Except for – and then there’s – okay, you’re not so done. But what do you give the person who seems to have everything? A book, of course, a book they can enjoy for weeks to come, that they can open again and again. A book like one of these…
LGBTQ AUTHORS
For the person who wants a sad story of love and grief, look for “Beloved Disciples” by Mario Elias (Amble Press). It’s the story of Simon, whose lover is dead, but Albi seems to be everywhere Simon looks. He can barely handle his grief, but giving up thoughts of his love to return to his Catholic mother and her beliefs seems like betrayal. This is a story of queer love that you won’t forget. Balance that sad gift with “We Are Gathered Here Today” by Bobby Finger (Putnam), the story of a wedding in Texas, friends old and new, and cold feet.
If there’s someone on your list who feels like they constantly have to explain the idea of “binary,” “The Binary Delusion: How Biology Defies the Myth of Two Sexes” by Ari Berkowitz, PhD (Beacon Press) will be a welcome gift. The idea that there are only two biological sexes is “simply wrong,” says the author. This book offers scientific evidence for that.
FICTION
Does your giftee like novels that are a mix of fantasy and thriller? Then “The Fountain” by Casey Scieszka (Harper) will be a big hit beneath the tree. It’s the story of Vera Van Valkenburgh, who’s been twenty-six years old for some 200 years, and she’s tired of it. Going home may help her to figure out how immortality works, but something happens to change everything. For sure, wrap it up with “The Book of Chuck” by LaToya Watkins (Tiny Rep Books), a multi-generational novel about family secrets and the ability (or curse) of seeing into the future.
For the person who wants a novel that’s more thoughtful, wrap up “The Newer World” by Sebastian Barry (Viking), the story of a man born into bondage in Tennessee. Tennyson Bouguereau just wants to keep his head down, to stay out of trouble, but when something happens that threatens his quiet life, he must take action, which sends him on a journey he never wanted. It’s a great story, one your giftee will love. Wrap it up with “Fetal Position” by Carolyn Huynh (Atria), a dystopian-ish novel that’ll chill your giftee to the bone.
Is there someone on your gift list who loves a good ghost story? Then wrap up “The Great Wherever” by Shannon Sanders (Henry Holt and Company), the story of a woman for whom life has gone completely wrong lately. When she arrives on a Tennessee farm she’s inherited, and she tries to fix her life’s problems and a bunch of debt, she’s watched by four ghosts, her ancestors who suddenly have a stake in what happens. Pair it with “Sublimation” by Isabel J. Kim (Tor), a book about a chance to have another, parallel life. But beware: you can physically go home again, but you won’t want to…
For the person who loves speculative novels, “The Weight of Angels” by John Boyne (Henry Holt and Company) could be the just-right gift. What would have happened if Oscar Wilde had just ignored the words that set his life off course, that sent him to jail and to a life of persecution? If your giftee enjoys novels set around the turn of the last century, novels about real people, this is the book to wrap. Pair it with “The Forgotten Midwife” by Laura Anthony (Gallery Books), a book about adoption and long-ago secrets, based on a true story.
Here’s a can’t-miss gift: “Golden Boy” by A. J. Symon (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers). When Emma Branch’s dog falls ill, she can’t bear to say goodbye to him, so she injects him with an experimental liquid and – much to her surprise – turns him into a human! This is a good book about a very good boy. Pair it with “Universe of Grace” by Rachel Calnek-Sugin (Henry Holt), a novel about a young preteen who’s told that she’s not human. Or is she? Maybe it’s her experiences that totally are…
If your giftee enjoys a good family drama, put “All Us Saints” by Katherine Packert Burke (Bloomsbury) under the tree. It’s the story of a famous but failing family and the murder spree that marks every May 31. Then, lighten up the gift (it’s the holidays, after all!) with “Meeting New People” by Daniel M. Lavery (HarperVia), a story of Barbara who is trying to come to terms with how to she makes the best of friends. She’s made mistakes in that department. Can she – should she – do it again?
For the horror novel on your holiday list, consider wrapping up “Jenny Will Eat You Now” by Gillian Daniels (Gallery Books). For centuries, Jenny Greenteeth has lived in the Boston sewers, surviving on random people as needed, but when she nabs a man she doesn’t want for dinner, it’s a mystery. So now what? Your giftee will be delighted to find out. Wrap it up with “The Exes” by Leodora Darlington (Dutton), the story of a woman whose dream was always to find the perfect partner – and when he turns out to be not-so-perfect, well, he’s X’ed. Then she meets a man who is better than all the others. Will he survive? Will she?
Does your giftee love to have / attend / know about a good party? Then wrap up “So Old, So Young” by Grant Ginder (Scout Press), a novel about friendship, gathering together through the years, and the changes we go through as life happens. Also consider giving “20 Over 60: Short Stories,” edited by Beth Weinhouse & David Galef (Regal House Publishing). It’s a collection of short stories by writers who are over age 60, including Paul Theroux, Joyce Carol Oates, and others.
For the person on your list who loves animals and the Earth, “Otter Music” by Karen Joy Fowler (Putnam) will be a welcome gift. It’s the story of a life lived that really might – could? – be more.
If you need a gift idea for someone who enjoys unique novels, look for “Agnes Lives!” by Hallie Elizabeth Newton (Bloomsbury). Agnes is dying to find someone to kill her. Today, preferably. But in her search, she finds something unexpected. Beware: this book is a little on the spicy side, too.
Or how about this one: “Little Wild” by Laura Evans (Henry Holt), a tale of love and friendship between two women, one that is destined not to go well. Revenge for that? Oh, yes, and your giftee will relish. Pair it up with “All My Sisters and Me” by Sheryl Lister (Harper Muse), the story of four sisters-in-law that struggle with their relationships over time. Will they ever be as close as they could be?
Is there a person on your list who loves a twisty novel? Then wrap up “The Natural Order” by Matthew Aldrich (Atria), the story of a tech billionaire who discovers a way to stop aging. But, of course, others want this discovery for their own; complications arise with the man’s son, who is younger, but now older. Twisty, see? Pair it up with “Enormous Wings” by Laurie Frankel (Henry Holt), the story of 77-year-old Pepper Mills and her unusual predicament. She didn’t want to move into a retirement community, but something very, very unexpected happens that’s actually worse!
MYSTERIES
For the person who loves reality TV and mysteries, why not put them together in “The Escape Game” by Marisa Meyer and Tamara Moss (Putnam). It’s a story of a million-dollar prize for the teen who can break out of a series of escape rooms. The problem is, it also includes solving a murder, and that can be deadly. Wrap it up with “It’s Not Her” by Mary Kubica (Park Row Books), the story of a murder at a lakeside cabin and all kinds of secrets that matter.
If your giftee loves a good mystery but also a good paranormal novel, then look for “There Used to Be People Here” by Kennedy Cole (Berkley), the story of a murder in Mississippi, and the town’s only Black detective is asked to solve the case. That’s hard to do when one of the clues really isn’t what it seems to be…
ROMANCE and ROMANTASY
The giftee who loves a good romance, complete with kings, princes, mortals, and romance, will want “These Vile Hearts” by Melody Robinette (Putnam). Maddox is a mortal being who makes a very bad deal with a dryad queen, and it means certain danger. She could go it alone – or she could team up with Prince Castor, who is likewise cursed. What’ll it be? It’ll be a great gift, that’s what.
GENERAL NONFICTION
Immigration has been on everyone’s mind this year, and if your giftee is especially interested in the topic, then “El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory” by Jazmine Ulloa (Dutton) is the book to wrap and give. It’s the story of a city and its history, the people who call it home and those who want to, and politics, as you might expect. Pair it with “Captive Consumers” by Chin Jou (The University of North Carolina Press), a book about how food affects life and equality inside America’s prisons.
For the gardener who’s eagerly anticipating the garden catalogs that will arrive soon, wrap up “The Tomato Grower’s Handbook” by Holly Farrell (Bloomsbury). What does your giftee need to know to put a bounty of red, yellow, or purple goodness on the table and on their plate next summer? This book will help them find out. Tip: be sure to remind them next July who gave them that helpful book.
If there’s someone on your list who enjoys psychology, wrap up “Why Am I Like This? Break Your Relationship Patterns and Create the Life You Want” by Sabrina Zohar (Penguin Life). Love’s a funny thing. Friendships can be rich or flaky. This book takes a no-nonsense approach to being with other people. Wrap it up with “99 Problems Finding the 1: A Love Story (sort of) by G’Ra Asim (Beacon Press), a book about finding love. Or not.
If your giftee has made a New Year’s resolution for self-improvement, show your support by wrapping up “Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment” by Marisa G. Franco, PhD (Putnam). This book may give them some direction, or something to think about, maybe. Wrap it up with “Through Mom’s Eyes: Simple Wisdom from Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans” by Sheinelle Jones (Putnam) for even more inspiration and advice.
If your giftee has the gift of gab, then “The Story of Stories: The Million-Year History of a Uniquely Human Art” by Kevin Ashton (Harper) will be welcome beneath the tree. We humans are hardwired to tell stories, and that has resonated over eight “revolutions of storytelling.” Your giftee will love it – especially when you wrap it up with “Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents” by Valerie Fridland (Viking). Bonus: makes a good book for the traveler, too.
The person on your gift list who loves art will truly enjoy “The Mess That Made Them: How History’s Greatest Artists Failed, Floundered, and Made Something Brilliant Anyway” by Ryan T. Pozzi (Bloomsbury). Creativity is no easy thing, and this book shows how triumphs can come from it anyhow. Wrap it up with “Depraved: The Story of Dangerous Art” by Daisy Dixon (Viking), a great look at art that society has condemned or spurned for various reasons…
For the feminist on your gift list, consider wrapping up “This is What Happens When Women Read” by Julianna Glasse (Spiegel and Grau). It’s a meditation on books and the power of them, from the vantage point of a former Christian performer. Wrap it up with “Mark Twain for Book Lovers: On Reading, Writing, and Publishing,” edited by R. Kent Rasmussen, foreword by Alan Gribben (Lyons Press), a book that will thrill the Samuel Clemens fan on your list.
If there’s someone on your gift list who has a soft heart, “Blame: Death, Disability, and the Search for Justice for Guy Mitchell” by Dustin Galer (ECW Press) could be the gift they’ll love best. It’s the story of a thirty-eight-year-old developmentally disabled man who lived in a group home that turned out to be a house of horrors. There’s reason to be outraged in this tale, and heartbreak, but for the right reader, this is a can’t-miss book.
Somewhere on your gift list is a name of a person who wants to write a book, and “Take It from Me: An Agent’s Guide to Building a Nonfiction Writing Career from Scratch” by Alia Hanna Habib (Pantheon Books) could be a winner for a gift. It’s a no-nonsense book about the ins and outs of publishing, how to find an agent, what various professionals do, and why each step matters.
For the person on your list who’s into social justice and beauty, you’ll want to give “Tangled: Seven Iconic Moments in White Women’s Hair and What They Tell Us about Power, Pleasure, and Complicity” by Sarah Mesle (Beacon Press). What do Britney Spears, Bo Derek, and Gwyneth Paltrow have to do with one another? This intriguing book will make your feminist giftee smile.
If there’s a giftee on your list that needs a little encouragement about now, “Stronger Than You Think: Building Lifelong Resilience” by Sharry Hamby, PhD (Penguin Life) could be the exact right gift. It offers help through hardship and advice for being a little tougher when things go bad. Wrap it up with “Black Public Joy: No Permit or Permission Required” by Jay Pitter (McClelland & Stewart) and / or “Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species” by Elizabeth Dunn and Jiaying Zhao (Avery) for a whole lot of happiness in the year ahead.
The true crime lover on your list will want “A Double Life: The Anatomy of a Premeditated Murder” by Mikita Brottman (Citadel Press), the story of the murder of a Florida doctor whose husband had a solid alibi. But there’s more behind-the-scenes than just a happy marriage…
Is there a creative person on your gift list this year? Consider wrapping up with “Making Art and Making a Living: Adventures in Funding a Creative Life” by Mason Currey (Celadon Press), a book about the arts that includes rent, food, transportation, and the other necessities that a good life can buy. Wrap it up with “Working With My Heroes: A Life in Music” by John L. Demain and Greg Hettmansberger (University of Wisconsin Press) for another side of the creative life.
Yours will be the best gift for the Star Trek fan in your life when you wrap up “Star Trek: The Original Voyages: A Visual History” by Kyle Newman & Jeff Bond, foreword by William Shatner (10 Speed Press). This book is about as comprehensive as they get – it’s huge and filled with just about everything a fan can think of. Your favorite Trekkie will live long and prosper with a gift like this.
FOOD and COOKING
Surely, there’s a foodie on your gift list this year, and giving “The Secret History of French Cooking: The Outlaw Chefs Who Made Food Modern” by Luke Barr (Dutton) will be a very welcome gift. It’s a story that begins in the latter part of the last century with men who changed the way French food is made – and it weaves in the women chefs who fought for recognition. Pair it with “Eating on a Mountain at the End of the World: How I found Love, Humor, and Beauty in my Quest for Ethical Food” by Zackary Vernon (The University of North Carolina Press), a book that takes you from North Carolina around the country and with people who believe that food is more than nutrition.
HISTORY
What do you give to the person who’s a fan of ancient history? How about “The Sea-King and the Sorceress: Life and Death in the Viking Age” by Neil Price (Basic Books)? The Vikings have quite the reputation, but Price says it’s undeserved. This book is easy to get into, and it may open some eyes. Pair it with “The Nile Revealed: A Deep History of Earth’s Longest River” by Martin Williams (Princeton University Press), a book that’s not just about a long ribbon of water, you know.
Your giftee doesn’t have to remember the ‘80s to read “When American Roared: How the 1980s Saved, then Broke, the Country – and Led Us to Today” by Jonathan Kaufman (Viking). All they need is to love history and want a wild ride through it. Step back a couple of centuries, and wrap up “Being Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History” by Andrew Burstein (Bloomsbury), for a gift that makes history.
For the giftee who likes to mix travel with history and some culture, “Berlin Before and After: A Cautionary Mirror for Our Times” by Wendy Lesser (Harper) might be a good choice to wrap. It’s a little bit of everything, all rolled up in a wide look at a city and its people, and it might make your giftee want to book a ticket.
The person on your list who loves European history will want to read “The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century” by H. Keith Melton and Nigel West (Hanover Square Press). It’s a thrilling account of a murder and how it happened, and though it reads like a novel, it’s all true. Wrap it up with “The Lansky Legacy: The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky” by Meyer Lansky II and S.J. Peddie (Citadel Press). Lansky II is Meyer Lansky’s grandson, and he tells a fine story, too.
The British history fan on your gift list will be glad to unwrap “The Secrets of Eaton Square: Sex, Scandal, and Infamy on the Road to Buckingham Palace” by Alexander Larman (St. Martin’s Press). We’ve seen it on PBS, but what is the truth and the history of what may be Great Britain’s toniest address?
For that World War II buff on your list, this is going to be easy: “Patton Reconsidered: General George S. Patton Jr. As a Wartime Commander” by James Ellman (Stackpole Books) is a nicely-presented book that dives deep into the life and work of this influential man. If your giftee is a rabid fan of mid-century history, you can’t go wrong. Pair it with “All the Presidents’ Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America’s War on Terror” by Peter Bergen (Norton), a book that your history lover will want.
Got a Civil War buff on your list? Then wrap up “A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Main” by Jared Peatman (Stackpole Books), a dive into a narrow but important part of War history. Wrap it up with the highly illustrated “Don Troiani’s Civil War Uniforms of Union and Confederate Soldiers” by Don Troiani and Ron Field (Stackpole Books). Hint: if you’ve got a Civil War recreator in the family, this is an essential argument-settler.
The World War II buff on your list would like to unwrap “Inheritance: Love, Loss, and the Legacy of the Holocaust” by Charlie Scheidt with Kat Rohrer (Rutgers University Press). It’s a story of one family’s past and what happened during the Holocaust, and facts that explain so many questions for the author.
For the person on your list who loves ancient history, you can’t go wrong when you wrap up “Alexander: God, King, Man” by Edmund Richardson (St. Martin’s Press). There are so many jaw-droppers inside this sweeping story that your giftee will be talking about it well into March or April. Pair it with a bookmark and “The Sea Captain’s Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World” by Tilar J. Mazzeo (St. Martin’s Press), a book that’s equally exciting.
You might also consider “Faith and Fortune: Henry and Amelia Champlin and America’s Maritime Ascendancy” by Geoffrey Paul and Steven Ujifusa (Lyons Press), a nice, hefty book full of seafaring adventure and history.
That Civil War buff on your list will smile when “Witness to War: The Story of the Civil War Told By Those Who Lived It” by J. Mark Powell (Stackpole Books) is unwrapped. It’s a nice, thick book full of stories, letters, and documents that tell lots of personal stories your giftee will dive right into.
HEALTH
For the person on your list who’s deeply interested in health, “This Book May Cause Side Effects” by Dr. Helen Pilcher (Abrams Press). Your giftee has no doubt heard about the placebo effect. This book explains the (possibly) dangerous flip side.
If you’ve got a healer on your gift list this year, wrap up “Medicine By the People” by Jim Downs (Norton), a book about everyday folks who changed the way we’re taken care of by the medical establishment. Knowledge, experience, and experiments by ordinary people have yielded some good outcomes; this book introduces your giftee to the people to be thankful for.
DEATH AND DYING
While this might not be the time of year when you think about books on grieving, what you find in these books may be exactly what your giftee needs or wants now.
For the caregiver on your list, “In Sickness and in Health” by Laura Mauldin (Ecco) might be the right gift. It’s Mauldin’s tale of moving to New York and falling in love, just before her new partner’s leukemia returns. This sets off a fight to keep the woman she loves alive, as Mauldin becomes her beloved’s caretaker. Wrap it with tissues. Wrap it up with “Light Falls on Everything” by Rebecca McClanahan (University of North Carolina Press), a memoir about McClanahan’s parents as they aged, dementia, and caregiving for elders.
The person on your list who’s studying to be (or considering becoming) a death doula will appreciate “Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and the Art of a Peaceful End” by Darnell Lamont Walker (HarperOne) beneath the tree. It’s a look at Walker’s job, but also a keen examination of death and dying in the Black community. Pair it with “Crying Out Loud: A Path Through Grief into a Life Reimagined” by Laura Berman, PhD (The Open Field / Penguin Life). The title says it all.
The person who lost a beloved pet this year might appreciate receiving “All My Dead Cats” and Other Losses” by S. E. Smith (HarperOne). The author promises that this isn’t just about animals, but about grief, overall. Pets, our dearly missed furry friends, are just a good place to start…
If there’s someone on your list who works with suicidal people or those with mental health issues, “Undead: A Memoir of My Suicide” by Madeline Vosch (Beacon Press) could – maybe – be a good gift. It’s the story of Vosch’s attempted suicide and the aftermath that closes the door on all the mythology and misunderstandings about this subject. It’s a squirmy book, but one your social-minded giftee may want to read.
And finally: for the tongue-tied person who’s at a loss for words, “What Not to Say at a Funeral” by Amy Havis (Left Field Publishing) could be a good gift. It’s part memoir, part advice.
ANIMALS
Your lover of the ocean will want to read “Claws: The Crab, The Lobster, and the Shrimp” by Marco Colombo and Francesco Tomasinellli, illustrated by Giulia De Amicis (Princeton Architectural Press). It’s a beautifully written, colorful book about crustaceans, from the tiniest creatures to the biggest, and it’s perfect for anyone who loves marine biology.
BUSINESS
The business-minded person on your gift list this year will be very happy to see “Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy” by Misty L. Heggeness (University of California Press) beneath the tree. Aside from mega-ticket sales, how do Taylor Swift and her fans make such a big impact on the economy? This is a book for businesspeople looking for something different, for women in business who want a “Heck, Yes!”, and for Swifties who crave more TS. Wrap it up with “Your Roots Don’t Define You: Transform Your Life, Create Your Comeback” by Chris Appleton (Hanover Square Press), hair stylist to the stars. It’s part biography and lots of advice.
If there’s a person on your gift list who’s got money on the mind, you can’t go wrong with “Good Money: Six Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose” by John Coleman (Harvard Business Review Press). How can money make someone happiest? Hint: it’ll take a new mindset to find out, and this book helps. Wrap it up with “House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing” by Justin Baer (Grand Central). It’s a good, heavy-duty history of investing in America, and the company that featured so strongly in it.
The person on your gift list who is interested in advertising and corporate history will really enjoy “Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy” by Amy Westervelt (Bloomsbury). You’ve seen the advertisements, and you’ve heard the news about truths that those ads hid. Why do misleading and possibly dangerous ads keep showing up, and what does it have to do with science denial? The answer is shocking, and your giftee will love knowing. Wrap it up with “Gouged: The End of a Fair Price – and What That Means for Your Wallet” by Lindsay Owens (Viking), a book for anyone who’s a consumer, too.
So you’ve got a giftee who’s ready to light the world on fire? Then look for “The Art of Fighting” by Priya Parker (Riverhead Books), a book about getting along and dealing with conflict, individually and in groups. Pair it with “Effective: How to Do Great Work in a Fast-Changing World” by Melissa Swift (Wiley), for a most helpful under-the-tree package.
Is there a future leader on your gift list? Then wrap up “Human Leadership: The Courage to Face Ourselves and Each Other” by Kristen Hadeed (Wiley), a book that teaches your giftee to prepare for leadership, both inner and with others. Wrap it up with “The Law of the Sublime” by Robert Greene (Viking), a book about overcoming limitations to become the best leader your giftee can be.
And for the businessperson you know who needs a good boost, “Intentional: How to Finish What You Start” by Chris Bailey Penguin Life) might be the right push forward. It’s a book about being productive through structure and squashing procrastination.
POLITICS
For the political animal on your list who’s interested in current events, too, wrap up “The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy” by Steven J. Ross (Bloomsbury). Taking readers back to the years before World War II, this book explains how hate groups were monitored and fought against then, and how efforts to fight white supremacy nearly a century ago are all but hidden today.
The politics watcher on your list might get a kick out of “All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump” by Anthony Scaramucci (Henry Holt). Yes, this book is by that Scaramucci, and he has a lot to say about politics today. Wrap it up and see if your giftee agrees or not…
Does your giftee have opinions on Ukraine? Then wrap up “The Land of Tears and Hope: The Ukrainian Story” by Illa Ponomarenko (Bloomsbury), a history of Ukraine, the facts, and where things may be headed.
RACIAL ISSUES
The equality warrior or activist on your list will want “The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic” by Maya Rupert (Dutton). It’s a book about what being real and true to oneself – especially if you’re Black or Brown – can cost in America today, and the other-side-of-the-coin cost of being inauthentic. Wrap it up with “The Chosen and the Damned: Native Americans and the Making of Race in the United States” by David J. Silverman (Bloomsbury), for a gift that offers better understanding about the world we live in.
SPORTS
If there’s someone on your list who likes a little betting now and then, wrap up “Over / Under: An Unexpected History of Sports Betting” by David Bockino (Pegasus Books). Betting on the big game isn’t something new, it’s a practice that’s as ancient as games themselves. Your giftee’s gonna love this book.
The football fan on your list will want to read “Prime Time Legacy: Deion Sanders’s Rise to Coaching Major College Football” by Brian Howell (Lyons Press). This book follows the rise of Sanders’s career, and it includes interviews, too.
If there’s a parent on your gift list whose child wants to participate in sports, then wrap up “Inside Youth Sports: An Expert’s and Athlete’s Guide to Health, Fitness, Competition and Better Play” by Buel D. Rodgers, PhD, and Meilani Y. Rodgers (Prometheus Books), a guidebook for making the best of their time and talents. Bonus: this is a gift for both parent and child.
Here’s something your Green & Gold fan will want: “Lambeau Ladies: The Boundary-Breaking Women Behind Lombardi’s Packers” by Laura Kosteinik Biskupic & Katherine Biskupic (Wisconsin Historical Society Press). It’s the story of the wives of Packer players in the 1960s, and their essential role in the new team and Vince Lombardi’s dream.
SCIENCE
For the person who’s curious about artificial intelligence and wants a good overview of it, look for “The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book” by A.G.G. Liu and Aishwary Pawar, PhD. (Visible Ink Press). In dozens and dozens of easy-to-grasp entries in fully-loaded chapters, this book can help with the basics of AI for your giftee who’s just learning. Wrap it up with a book about human intelligence: “Circuit Breakers: How Neuroscientists Get Inside Your Head” by Anna Chambers, PhD (Abrams Press).
If your giftee moves fast and wants faster, wrap it up with “Speed: How It Explains the World” by Vaclav Smil (Penguin). Loaded with science and mathematics, this book is one that’ll blow your giftee’s mind. Wrap it up with “How to Design a Universe: The Science of Real and Virtual Worlds” by Catherine Heymans (Bloomsbury Sigma) for a nice blend of physics and math.
For the giftee who loves monsters and the paranormal, wrap up “(Super) Natural Science: The Real Science of Superheroes, Mythic Creatures, and the (Sci-Fi) Universe” by Charles Liu, PhD. (Visible Ink Press). Is teleportation a trick? Can a person really leap tall buildings in a single bound? Learn the scientific truth about your favorite comics and cryptos here. Wrap it up with “What Science Says About Astrology” by Carlos Orsi (Columbia University Press), for a gift they’ll keep going back to again and again.
If there’s someone on your gift list with an ecologist’s mind, then look for “Future Build: How Construction Can Heal Our Planet” by Will Arnold (Bloomsbury Sigma). Your next workplace, home, or school doesn’t have to hurt the Earth; it can be constructed from renewable materials, even waste. Your giftee will love finding out more.
MEMOIRS and BIOGRAPHIES
If your giftee loves reading memoirs with a splash of humor, then wrap up “The Double Dutch Fuss” by Phill Branch (Amistad), a charming coast-to-coast story of a Black boy as he becomes a man. It’s gently humorous and insightful for anyone who thinks about masculinity in America today.
The person on your list who’s not about to “get old” will love unwrapping “Adulting for Amateurs: Misadventures of a Geriatric Millennial” by Jess H. Gutierrez (Tiny Rep Books). Yep, there’s no denying it: Millennials are approaching middle age, but is 43 really all that old, when you’re not finished growing up yet? Your giftee will laugh right along with this book.
You may have a person on your gift list who loves to go a’wandering – and if that’s so, then look for “Scavenging Beauty: A Memoir in Walks” by Angelica Glass (Riverhead Books). It’s the tale of finding health and calm in putting one foot in front of the other, while also noticing the natural world and the things around you. Pair it with “Why Is the World So Beautiful: Our Minds in Search of Nature’s Rhymes” by Nicholas Humphrey (The MIT Press), for a gift that whispers, “spring is coming soon.”
For the person who’s concerned about issues of immigration, “Ungrateful Immigrant Daughter: A Memoir from the Child of a Mail-Order Bride” by Katya Suvorova (Alcove Press) might be the perfect gift. It’s the story of Suvorova’s childhood, avoiding the police and a lot of stepfathers, and why it all happened. There’s no anger here; it’s a funny book, but also one of love and respect for sacrifices made. Wrap it up with “Place Less: Homelessness in the New Gilded Age” by Patrick Markee (Melville House) and add a bookmark for a gift they’ll want to read twice.
Got a giftee who loves ghost stories, too? Wrap up “Said the Dead” by Doireann Ni Ghriofa (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), the story of an old Victorian mental institution and specters. Or not. Or, well, maybe it’s about ghosts, let your giftee decide. Pair it with “Frost Will Come: Essays from the Bardo” by Mary Capello (University of Wisconsin Press), a book of meaningful essays about love and caregiving.
For the giftee who loves celebrity biographies, “Daylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He Made” by Joshua Jelly-Schapiro (Penguin Press) could be a winner. It’s a comprehensive look at Belafonte, his career, his life, and his activism. Wrap it up with “Ms. Americana Dream: a Memoir of Making It, No Matter What” by Patricia Williams-Lee with Jeannine Amber (Atria), a story of staying the course, success, and laughing at it all along the way.
Okay, so maybe there’s somebody on your list who loves biographies and says they’ve “read them all.” Try wrapping up “Driven” by Susie Wolff (Henry Holt), the story of a woman with a need for speed, and a look at Formula One racing from her POV. Hint: This can double for a business-minded giftee, too. Also try “Judy Blume: A Life” by Mark Oppenheimer (Putnam), a book about the author whose writing changed the lives of a generation or two of girls.
For the person who’s passionate about entertainment, “Bust a Move: Matt Dike, Delicious Vinyl, and the Hip-Hop Hits That First Conquered Pop” by Peter Relic, foreword by B-Real of Cypress Hill (Citadel Press), could be the gift they’ve been waiting for. It’s a music history they’ll love – especially if you pair it with “Phases: A Memoir” by pop star Brandy.
CRAFTS
What to get the crafty person on your list? If they love Doctor Who, then “Crochet AmiguWHOmi: Adventures in Time and Space” by Liz Ward (10 Speed Press) is a must-wrap! Here are fifty directions for amigurumi that your giftee can make – or you can make for them. Pair it with “Dungeons & Dragons Crochet: A Book of Many Patterns” by Stacy King (10 Speed Press), and make twenty more fantastic items with your crochet hooks.
The PARANORMAL
For the giftee who wrestles with science versus whatever might be “out there,” “Everyday Extraordinary: A Scientist Ponders a Lifetime of Magical, Bizarre, and Paranormal Experiences” by Barry Markovsky (Prometheus Books) could be a welcome gift. Filled with science, but also unexplainable personal experiences, tales from elsewhere, and topics such as ESP, dreams, and UFO’s, this book’s a winner for the right giftee.
Is there someone on your list who’d love a good scare this holiday season? Maybe someone who didn’t get enough at Halloween? Then look for “Monsters: Myths, Legends, and Real Encounters” by Richard Estep (Visible Ink Press). The title says it all; the scares will say even more.
PICTURE BOOKS (kids ages 2-6)
The littlest person on your gift list might enjoy a classic “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Jon J. Muth (Scholastic). You loved the story when you were a kid. Now hand it to the next generation.
For the kiddo who loves home and hearth, “The Home We Dreamed” by Anca Sandu Budisan (HarperCollins Children’s) is a wonderful book about a young couple who build a home for their family, and what it means for generations.
If there’s a very small activist on your gift list this year, “We Are Free: Our First Amendment Rights” by Allison Matulli, art by Edel Rodriguez (Penguin Workshop) may be the exact right book to read. It boils down the First Amendment for kids ages 4 to 7, in easy-to-understand bites.
The youngest readers on your gift list – the ones who are curious about others – will get a lot out of “Some Body, Every Body” by Roz MacLean (Bloomsbury). Some people are bigger than others. Some need wheelchairs, others need crutches. All kids will like this book.
For the “I can read it myself!” kind of kid, “The Octopus” by Guojing (Two Lions) is what they want. It’s the tale of a little girl and her discovery at the beach. Bonus: just pictures, no words in this book.
MIDDLE-GRADE BOOKS (kids ages 7-12)
For the young giftee who seems to be struggling in a newly-blended family, “Reach” by Celesta Rimington (Nancy Paulsen Books) may show you care. When he gains a new little stepbrother named Harlan, Denver spends a lot of time wishing things were the way they used to be. To escape the little tag-along, Denver goes out to the woods, where an ancient tree makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Of course, things go very badly. Can he undo what’s been done – again?
YOUNG ADULT BOOKS (kids ages 13 and up)
Young readers will rip the Christmas wrapping off of “Free Girls” by Kristen McCallum (Flatiron Books), and they’ll settle in to read. They might ignore all other gifts when they start this novel about a young woman who’s back home after being away. How can she keep her new friends and neighbors from knowing that she spent a year in juvie? Your giftee will absolutely want to know. Wrap it up with “Gone Before You Knew Me” by Renate Wildermuth (Regal House Publishing), a girl who’s independent and strong-minded, and who is just focused on getting through high school – until she meets a classmate who might or might not be a spy or something equally sinister…
For the young woman on your list, “Be Yourself And Other Bad Advice: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Unlearning the Rules” by Meredith Walker, foreword by Amy Poehler (Workman) could be the book that makes a difference in the new year. Walker is the cofounder of Smart Girls, an organization that helps young women to be stronger and more confident. This book will get them on that road.
Note that, like your gift list, things change. Books are canceled, titles change, things happen. To be sure you can find these books – or to get other great ideas for your giftee or for yourself! – ask your favorite booksellers for help. They’re just like Santa’s Elves, only closer.
And Season’s Readings!
