2024 Christmas Book-shopping Guide: Helpful Gift Ideas for the Bookworms in Your Life

Still stuck on exactly what to get for your family and friends this Christmas? Books are always the perfect gift!

Here are a few ideas to get you started on Christmas shopping for the bookworms in your life, organised into specific categories of reader to help you find exactly what you need.

For the Animal Lover

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell: A hilarious account of the Durrell family as they migrate to Corfu, remembered through the eyes of Gerald as he connects with the island’s natural inhabitants.

Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty: A moving record of a year from the perspective of a young boy with a deep love for nature.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot: The classic accounts of numerous animals encountered by a rural English vet.

Animal Heroes by Anthony Hill: True stories of several amazing and heroic creatures who served alongside Australian forces.

For the Astronomy Enthusiast

Is the Moon Upside Down? by Greg Quick: A practical and captivating guide to astronomy, helping you tour the wonders of the sky from your own backyard.

We have no idea — a Guide to the Unknown Universe by Daniel Whiteson and Jorge Cham: An intriguing journey through all of the things we don’t know about our universe (spoiler alert: there’s a lot).

Rocket Men by Robert Kurson: An account of the Apollo 8 Mission, the first manned spacecraft to reach the moon.

Hidden figures by Margot Lee Shetterly: The story of the phenomenal women behind the moon landing.

For the One Who Ardently Loves Period Romances

A Lady’s guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin: A lighthearted and hilarious tale about an unashamed fortune hunter and the man determined to foil her plans.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: (I had to include at least one book from my favourite author on this list, and what better place to include it!) The sweet tale of regret and second chances, possible the most mature of Austen’s works.

Evelina by Frances Burney: An Austen-esque classic, written by one of the authors who inspired her.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater: A regency romance with a magical twist.

For the Ocean-Lover

The Blue Machine by Helen Czerski: A wonderful look into the Ocean, how it functions, and what it does for our planet. One of my very favourite non-fiction books.

Deep Water by James Bradley: A fascinating look at how the ocean is related to multiple facets of our world, history and society.

Deep Blue by Steve Backshall: An adventurer shares his exciting underwater journeys from around the world.

How to Read Water by Tristan Gooley: A truly wonderful book teaching you to look deeper into every body of water and what it is trying to tell you.

For the Mystery Junkie

The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji: A Christie-inspired locked-room mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: Possibly Christie’s greatest work; dark, chilling and full of twists.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle: No mystery recommendation is complete without a little Sherlock Holmes thrown in! This is one of his most popular and famous works, and the first to feature the detective and his long-suffering partner Dr. Watson.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson: A wonderful YA novel following a young detective attempting to solve a cold case at a school for the gifted.

For the Young Readers (Or the Young at Heart)

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume: A lovely story of a lonely girl who takes refuge in words and what happens when an elderly adventuress moves in next door.

Far Rockaway by Charlie Fletcher: An exciting and imaginative adventure that pays homage to the power of stories.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: A heart-wrenching but beautiful book about a childhood friendship.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio: The touching story of a boy who is different to everyone else, and how this affects him and the people around him.

For the Fantasy-Lovers

Fable by Adrienne Young: The tale of a girl fighting to survive in a cut-throat world of smugglers, treasure, and betrayal — and underneath it all the unpredictable power of the sea.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: An engaging epic of kingdoms, dragons and magic.

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young: An absorbing fantasy set in a viking-esque world of warriors and ancient rivalries.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien: A classic that needs no introduction, and which deserves all the hype it gets.

For the Classic-Devourer

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky: A young man commits a horrendous crime, failing to take into account how it will haunt him afterwards.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy: A tale of romance and intrigue set in the middle of the French Revolution, as the character of the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel helps imperilled nobles to safety.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: A beautiful story of love and friendship during the turmoil of the French Revolution.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier: A dark gothic tale that tells the story of a young woman who marries an older man, only to discover his life is still haunted by the spectre of his first wife, Rebecca.

For the YA Fan

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: A group of mismatched friends hunt for the tomb of a long-dead Welsh king in Virginia.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: A girl unexpectedly comes into a large fortune from a man she’s never met — but there are some strange conditions attached.

Mosquitoland by David Arnold: A teenager takes a road trip to find her estranged mother, and finds a lot of other things along the way.

Social Queue by Kay Kerr: A young autistic woman attempts to navigate the world of romance and unspoken social expectations.

For the Sci-Fi Enthusiast

The Martian by Andy Weir: A man gets accidentally left behind after a rushed evacuation from Mars, and must attempt to survive on his own on a strange and inhospitable planet until he can be rescued.

1984 by George Orwell: Set in a dystopian society where every move is monitored and the truth is no longer relevant.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars books by Ian Doescher: A hilarious re-writing of the movies into shakespearean-style language.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: A scientist succeeds in creating life from nothing, and must live to deal with the consequences of his actions.

For the One Who Loves Big Books

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: An exciting and engrossing story of revenge, love and adventure.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: A tale spanning many years and following the lives of several families in Russia during the Napoleonic wars.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo: A story following the life of Jean Valjean after he emerges from prison in 19th century France.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes: A hilarious satire centring on an old hidalgo who believes himself to be a knight errant, causing no end of problems to everyone around him.

For the Feminist

The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf: A fascinating book that dives into the way society uses women’s looks against them.

Bite Back by Hannah Ferguson: A feminist perspective on pertinent modern issues and what we can do about them.

The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing: A collection of powerful and important writings from throughout the history of the feminist movement.

Difficult Women by Helen Lewis: A look into the history of feminism and the difficult women who were involved in the movement.

For the One who Likes to Laugh

My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows: A hilarious twist on a historical tale (with a much happier ending).

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman: The funny and heartwarming story of a bank-robbery gone wrong and an accidental hostage crisis.

The World of Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: Quintessential British humour, following the escapades of Bertie Wooster and his ingenious and indispensable butler Jeeves.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer: A struggling writer journeys to an island to find fuel for a new story, and gets more than she had ever hoped for when she is absorbed into the lives of its eccentric inhabitants.

For the One who likes to Cry

A Man called Ove by Fredrik Backman: An irascible and exacting old man is unwillingly drawn into the life of a young family that moves in across the street.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: A young pilot and her best friend crash-land in enemy territory during the Second World War.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh: A young woman struggles to survive and to keep what is left of her family safe during the turmoil of the Syrian Revolution.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness: A boy wrestles with his mother’s cancer diagnosis, and finds help in the most unlikely of places.

Happy Christmas to everyone, and I hope this list has helped you bring joy to a bookish family member! Wishing you a blessed holidays and a happy New Year 🌟