The Ultimate Holiday Book-Giving Guide

Not sure what to get your friends and family this holiday season? When in doubt, books make the perfect gifts! They are inexpensive, easy to wrap, and enjoyable time and time again. So whether you’re shopping for your mom, dad, best friend, or Secret Santa, you won’t go wrong with one of these!

For Your Mom:

Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee

Your mother most likely read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school, so let her experience Scout’s world all over again with Harper Lee’s much anticipated sequel. At age 26, Scout returns home from New York City to visit her father in Maycomb. Set against the backdrop of civil rights tensions, Scout’s homecoming is full of surprises and truths about her family and hometown.

The Nightingale, by Kristen Hannah

Named the best Historical Fiction book of the year by Goodreads.com, The Nightingale illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they struggle to find purpose and love in World War II-era France.

For Your Dad:

Dead Wake, by Erik Larson

Dads who love history will love this narrative nonfiction telling of the sinking of the Lusitania. Dead Wake brings to life the WWI encounter of the British ocean liner and German U-boats with thrill, drama, and suspense.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, by Stephen J. Sansweet, Pablo Hidalgo, Bob Vitas, and Daniel Wallace

Before your dad sees The Force Awakens, he might need to brush up on his Star Wars history. This comprehensive and fully illustrated encyclopedia will remind him of the characters, planets, and events of the previous six episodes.

For Your Best Friend:

All the Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven

Fans of The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park, will find All the Bright Places just as exhilarating and heart-wrenching. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the school bell tower, it is unclear who saves whom. As the two start on a project to discover all of the wonders of Indiana, they find that only with each other, can they be themselves.

The Hogwarts Library Box Set, by J.K Rowling

If your best friend is as anxious to see Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander as you are, then gather your Galleons and buy them The Hogwarts Library! This box set not only includes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but also Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard as well.

For Your Secret Santa:

Not That Kind of Girl, by Lena Dunham

You’ll stay under your $10 limit with this paperback by the creator, producer, and star of HBO’s Girls. This collection of hilarious, wise, and personal essays chronicles the lessons one woman has learned through the struggle that is growing up.

Let It Snow, by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

This book of three interconnected short stories is the perfect read for your best friend during winter break. Falling snow, twinkling lights, and wrapped presents transform one town into a romantic winter wonderland in which laughter and love is found.