Welcome to Metropolitan Mama’s 2020 Christmas Gift Guide for Readers. Below you will find gift recommendations for: books (of course!), clothing, decor, and accessories for people who appreciate the written word.
This is always my favorite guide to put together since I read between 50-100 books per year and genuinely appreciate giving & receiving bookish gifts.
BOOKISH GEAR
“Tomorrow Is Always Fresh” Pillow
If you know an Anne of Green Gables fan, they WANT this pillow cover. The simple, elegant design will match with anyone’s decor – and the message is an encouraging one.
Bookshelf Tote Bag & Pencil Pouch
Out of Print has literary gifts galore! If you know a bookworm, but aren’t entirely sure about their favorite books or preferred genre, consider this simply sweet bookshelf-themed tote bag and matching pencil pouch.
- BUY the tote bag and pencil pouch.
- FOLLOW Out of Print on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Anne of Green Gables Accessories
This is for fans of Matthew, Marilla, Anne, and Gilbert! Sullivan Entertainment, the producers of the original Anne of Green Gables movies (starring Megan Follows), has an entire online shop of AOGG goodies! Examples are pictured above – a gorgeous glass paperweight and a set of beautifully painted greeting cards.
* You’ll also want to sneak a peek at the Marble Halls Quote Print (which is elegantly embossed with shimmering gold lettering).
Stationary Sets & Cards by Hallmark
We’re on a mission to bring letter writing back! Texts are tiresome and our inboxes are overflowing, but oh-what-a-wonderful-thing it is to receive an actual handwritten letter in your mailbox!
As you know, Hallmark has been in the card business a long time (since 1910, in fact). Over 100 years later, Hallmark still produces some of the best greeting cards around. Choose a set and gift it to a friend. He or she might just become your newest pen pal!
- BUY the Butterfly and Flowers Blank Pop-Up Cards (pictured left), Pink Flowers Assorted Blank Thank-You Notes (pictured middle), and Whimsical Designs Assorted Note Cards With Caddy (pictured right).
- FOLLOW Hallmark on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Pilot Pens
Readers and writers want ALL.OF.THE.PENS! You can take it from this picky pen user when I say that Pilot Pens make some of the best economically priced pens. They write smoothly, gliding across your paper and providing strong strokes of art.
- BUY Pilot Pens! Left to Right: Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller, Pilot G2 Pastels, Pilot Precise V5 Premium Rolling Ball, Pilot Dr. Grip Frosted, or Pilot Dr. Grip PureWhite.
- FOLLOW Pilot Pens on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Book Pins & Accessories from Ideal Bookshelf
We are totally enamored by the collectible and absolutely adorable book pins by artist Jane Mount. Beautifully illustrated, these quarter-sized pins can easily be attached to bags, backpacks, and jean jackets.
Here is a fun idea: add one pin to your child’s stocking each year until they own all of their favorite books!
- BUY book pins. Some of our top picks: And Then There None, Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte’s Web, Little House on the Prairie, The Elements of Style, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
- FOLLOW Ideal Bookshelf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Classic Library by Theo Chocolates
And now…for a different kind of library! Seattle-based Theo (a chocolate company) produces organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO chocolates & candies of all kinds.
Give the gift of REAL chocolate with the 10-bar Classic Library sampler pack, which includes one bar of each of the following: Coconut 70% Dark Chocolate, Coffee Toffee 70% Dark Chocolate, Mint 70% Dark Chocolate, Orange 70% Dark Chocolate, Pure 45% Milk Chocolate, Pure 85% Dark Chocolate, Raspberry 70% Dark Chocolate, Salted Almond 70% Dark Chocolate, Salted Toffee 55% Dark Chocolate, and Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate.
PICTURE BOOKS & BOOKS FOR VERY YOUNG READERS
The Tales of Beatrix Potter, published by The Folio Society
Shopping for expectant parents or baby’s first Christmas? This heirloom gift set includes 12 of Beatrix Potter’s most famous tales in a collectible box. The twelve books are pocket-sized (5¾˝ x 4½˝) and elegantly wrapped in cloth. Sure to be passed down and enjoyed between generations!
The Best Loved Doll by Rebecca Caudill
This picture book by Rebecca Caudill is sure to be BEST LOVED in your house if you have little girls. The illustrations are enchanting and the story itself is delightful. Get it in hardcover if you can because it’s bound to become a favorite!
The Miss Nelson Collection by Harry Allard & James Marshall
One of my very favorite read-alouds is now available as a hardcover treasury with all THREE stories: Miss Nelson Is Missing, Miss Nelson Is Back, and Miss Nelson Has A Field Day! If your kids have not yet been introduced to sugary sweet Miss Nelson and super scary Miss Viola Swamp, don’t delay! This is the book that your children will want you to read again and again…with all of the voices!
- BUY “The Miss Nelson Collection.
- FOLLOW Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
GROW: Secrets of Our DNA by Nicola Davies
This enchanting picture book simply explains DNA with mesmerizing, full-color illustrations by Emily Sutton. If your kids have ever asked why they have blue eyes or curly hair or dark skin, this lovely coffee table style children’s book will help answer those questions in an approach-ably scientific way.
A Madeline Treasury by Ludgwig Bemelmans
The vibrant yellow cover of this collection of stories matches well with the personality of the irresistible heroine.
As you probably know, Madeline is a spunky young orphan girl who is “not afraid of mice” and who says “pooh-pooh” to tigers at the zoo.
A delight to read aloud, this treasury includes six well-known rhyming tales: Madeline, Madeline’s Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline and the Gypsies, Madeline in London, and Madeline’s Christmas. The final pages of the book include the story behind Madeline’s creation, along with charming black-and-white photos of the author’s family and original sketches from his notebook.
My Favorite Color by Aaron Becker
Brand new in 2020, this square picture book is small on words and HIGH in design appeal. Each page has a gorgeous palate of colors to ooh and aah at. Don’t worry – you don’t have to choose just one favorite color!
- BUY “My Favorite Color” by Aaron Becker.
- FOLLOW Candlewick Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Great Children’s Stories by Frederick Richardson
Great Children’s Stories is a marvelous compilation of famous fairy tales with original vintage-style illustrations by Frederick Richardson. There are eighteen stories, including The Three Bears, The Lambikin, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Little Tuppens, and The Bremen Town Musicians.
BOOKS FOR KIDS (AGES 8-12)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Other Illustrated Classics by Roald Dahl
Barnes & Noble recently released a collectible hardcover edition of the magically *sweet* story from our childhoods! This oversized collection includes sleek pastel pages, full-color original illustrations by Quentin Blake, and abundant margins. A pleasure to read, to hold, and to put on your bookshelf!
- BUY “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Other Illustrated Classics.”
- FOLLOW Barnes & Noble on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
You probably have watched Disney’s 1968 musical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but have you read the book? The Folio Society just released a brand new edition of this classic book, featuring full-color original illustrations by John Burningham. Large text, wide margins, and an engaging cover make this a completely gift-worthy edition for any child.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Two words: NEW ILLUSTRATIONS! I’ve been waiting and waiting (and WAITING) for a new version of “Matilda” to come out…and it’s here! Just released in 2020, this gift-worthy hardcover has DELIGHTFUL illustrations and any young reader is sure to be sucked into this fantastical, triumphant tale.
- BUY Matilda.
- FOLLOW Illustrator Sarah Walsh on Instagram.
- FOLLOW Viking Books on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin
“Snow & Rose” is an enchanting new fairy tale, which is wonderfully reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm. The story will delight and surprise young readers. The illustrations are charming and add much to the tale. Best for ages 8-12+ due to dark, sinister, and frightening themes.
- BUY ” Snow & Rose.”
- FOLLOW Emily Winfield Martin on Instagram and Twitter.
- FOLLOW Penguin Random House Kids on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Anatomicum by Wiedemann and Paxton
Budding scientist or doctor in the family? Your whole family will HEART this incredibly gorgeous coffee table style book. There’s just no bones about. Every single page features elegant, vintage-style illustrations with corresponding insightful text about the functions of our miraculous bodies. As beautiful as it is educational, don’t hesitate to purchase a copy of ANATOMICUM to put under the tree.
- BUY Anatomicum. There is also a corresponding activity book.
- FOLLOW Big Picture Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Some Writer by Melissa Sweet
Melissa Sweet, a master of both words and pictures, has truly outdone herself with this beautifully done biography of E.B. (“Andy”) White. The quality of the writing and the styling of the pages will appeal to both children and adults.
- BUY “Some Writer: The Story of E.B. White.”
- FOLLOW Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
BOOKS FOR TEENS
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A deluxe hardcover edition of “The Princess Bride”? Inconceivable – and extraordinary! This beautiful keepsake edition includes fifty full-page color illustrations by Michael Manomivibul, full-color chapter openers, and a color map printed on the endpapers.
- BUY “The Princess Bride: Deluxe Edition.”
- FOLLOW Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
First published in 1960, To Kill A Mockingbird went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and there are now over 18 million copies in print. I love that cover of this particular hardcover edition leaves the characters to the reader’s imagination and the dark colors invoke some of the hard subjects that this best-selling novel covers. Although there are no interior pictures, the pages are a pleasure to flip, the font is thoughtfully chosen and appropriately sized (on the larger side), and there are generous margins for a truly pleasurable reading experience.
Jane Austen Boxed Set
Encased in vivid covers, these poppy editions of the Jane Austen classics are an especially excellent pick for teen and/or college age girls. These are exactly the kind of books she will want to place prominently on her bookshelf.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Thirteen-year-old Esperanza Ortega lives a privileged life in Mexico in the 1930s until a tragic event happens on the day before her birthday that changes her life forever.
Themes in this interesting historical fiction chapter book include: death, loss, grief, immigration, striking, and perseverance. Best for ages 10-14, but older teenagers and adults will enjoy this one also.
A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published in 2015, this high-suspense historical fiction chapter book will keep you on the edge of your seat and will prompt you to immediately research the Berlin Wall. Recommended for ages 10+.
- BUY A Night Divided.
- FOLLOW Jennifer A. Nielsen on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- FOLLOW Scholastic on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
BOOKS FOR ADULTS
The U.S. Constitution and Other Key American Writings
Published by Canterbury Classics in 2015, this handsome edition features the complete Constitution of the United States of America along with The Mayflower Compact, The Declaration of Independence, The Federalist Papers, The Bill of Rights, The Monroe Doctrine, and a number of presidential speeches (through Barack Obama’s presidency).
- BUY “The U.S. Constitution and Other Key American Writings.”
- FOLLOW Canterbury Classics on Facebook and Instagram.
Growing Together by Melissa B. Kruger
“Growing Together” is an excellent book for Christian women who are seeking to mentor other women (or to be mentored). In fact, I think it’s likely the best mentoring book that I have ever read and I have recommended it to many friends! Melissa Kruger outlines a practical and Biblical approach to mentoring, moving beyond purely philosophical concepts to easy-to-accomplish action steps. Each chapter covers a new topic to discuss with a mentor or mentee.
Kruger’s talking points work well across many seasons of life: college students, married women, single women, women with children, women without children, etc.
- BUY “Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests.”
- FOLLOW Crossway on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Psalms Journal
Canterbury Classics puts out lovely and interesting journals – and this one is no exception. The cover is a regal royal blue with shimmering gold lettering and the inside text is the actual words from Psalms (King James Version).
ESV Illuminated Scripture Journals
Perfect as stocking stuffers, ESV Illuminated Scripture Journals are $6-$7 each! Each paperback journal is an individual book of the Bible in its entirety with plenty of room for doodling, drawing, note-taking, and highlighting.
- BUY ESV Illuminated Journals. Pictured (left to right): John, Proverbs, 1 Corinthians.
- FOLLOW Crossway Books on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
This exquisite copy of Pride & Prejudice might actually make an Austenian shed some tears. It’s absolute perfection in design – from the shimmering gold cover and elegant spine to the full cover illustrations and carefully selected fonts.
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Some of the products in the list below were sent to us to try. Other products are ones that we purchased ourselves or were given by family members and friends. Know that I will always provide both the pros and cons of each featured product. You are welcome to send any follow-up questions to me via twitter (I’m @stephsheaffer).
