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30+ Gifts For Anyone Who Proudly Identifies As A Bookworm

Totes, shirts, subscriptions, and more — and all of it supports your favorite indie bookstores.

These hats with a surprise message from Books Are Magic, available in green, black, gold, and purple — $20

This cozy "if you love me read me a book" crewneck from McNally Jackson — $35.99

Also available as a T-shirt.

Delicious loose leaf teas named after romance tropes from The Ripped Bodice — $11

A signed letterpress print of the poem "Advice to Myself" by Louise Erdrich, from Erdrich's bookshop Birchbark Books and Native Arts — $24

A "one more page" tote from a bookstore that really gets it: One More Page Books — $18

A "Read Rise Resist" mug from Powell's, featuring a quote from Heraclitus: "Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do is who you become" — $12

Also available on totes, shirts, and various accessories. Find the collection here.

Bumper stickers wondering what some of our greatest writers and thinkers — like Joan Didion, Toni Morrison, Angela Davis, and Susan Sontag — would do, from the Raven Book Store — $3 each

"Sista From Another Planet" sweatshirt from Sistah Sci-fi — $60

"Up Late" T-shirt featuring the sweetest little late-night-reading dog, from Harvard Book Store — $25.99

Also available in long-sleeve, hoodie, and sweatshirt.

"Well Read Jawn" crewneck sweatshirt for the Philly-based book lover, from Harriett's Bookshop — $45.95

"Shop Local, Read Local" tote bag from Parnassus Bookstore, illustrated by Jane Mount with books from local authors like Alice Randall, Kevin Wilson, and (Parnassus's owner) Ann Patchett — $24.50

"Read Wild" tote bag from Cellar Door Books, featuring the shop logo on the back — $24

"Read Romance, Fight the Patriarchy" cross-stitch kit from Junebug and Darlin and Old Town Books — $18

A "life of a bookstore cat" tee from Pages Bookshop in Detroit, available for in-store pickup only — $20

"Relájate & Read" kit from Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, featuring an herbal bath soak, calming tea, and candle — $34

Hudson Valley Book Trail sweatshirt from Oblong Books & Music, featuring 26 independent bookstores — $35.99

Also available as a T-shirt.

A "so many books, so little time" mug from Politics & Prose — $14.95

A chic beanie, now available in a bunch of new colors, from the Strand — $16.95

"Shelf Care Is Self Care" crewneck sweatshirt from WORD Bookstores — $35.95

Also available as a tank top, T-shirt, and long-sleeve tee.

A "Read to Me" onesie from BookPeople — $12.95

Literary-inspired candles ($10.90) or soy melts ($5.45) from Hardin Soy Candles / Book Rack, with dozens of reading and non-reading related scents. (Personally, I'm a fan of Enchanted Bookstore.)

Graffiti T-shirt from Semicolon, designed by local artist Reco the Great — $25

A coffee set from Epilogue Books & Brews, featuring three bottles of housemade syrup, an Epilogue mug, and a bag of Carrboro Coffee Roasters whole beans, for pickup in Chapel Hill only — $60

A feminist author tote bag from Uncle Bobbie's — $20

Hypothetical People: Writing and Art From the Booksellers of Greenlight, featuring fiction, poetry, criticism, photography, and original art and edited by Angel Nafis — $9.95

A City Lights swag bag, featuring a Howl bumper sticker, a Pocket Poets Series blank journal, and City Lights button in your choice of tote bag — $30

An adorable kids tee featuring Porter Square Books' book-loving bear — $23.99

Give the gift of posterity and buy an engraved brick so that your Boulder, Colorado–based loved one is literally part of Trident Booksellers & Cafe's foundation — $100

A "Literacy and Justice for All" T-shirt from Left Bank Books — $20

"Second-hand Books Are Wild Books" tote bag (with an interior pocket!!) from Harvard Book Store — $17.99

Illustrated by Susan Coyne.

A personalized and signed edition of Cheryl Strayed's "Wild, Brave, and True" wall calendar, from Broadway Books — $14.99

Libro.fm is technically not a subscription box, but it is an audiobook streaming service that shares profits with the independent bookstore of your choosing, and membership includes one title per month, 30% off additional titles, and an extremely user-friendly app. ($14.99 per month.)

Cafe con Libros' Feminist & Bookish subscription service offers flexibility to mix and match for age range and amount of books in each box — though all selections are made with intersectional feminism in mind — including adult, YA, middle grade, board books, as well as a coffee add-on option. (Starting at $20 per month, $15 per add-on.)

Faulkner House Books' personalized book subscription service is curated by beloved in-house expert Joanne, and includes three to five books per month based on the reader's interests. ($100 per month.)

Literati Bookstore's Cultura is a monthly subscription which includes a signed first edition, letterpress, and letter of introduction (starting at $100 for three months); the Insisto monthly subscription sends one recently published indie press paperback, a Literati Bookstore bookmark, and letter of introduction each month (starting at $70 for three months).

Book Soup's Great & Infamous subscription service ships two books every other month, with an upgrade option to include rare goodies. (Starting at $40 per box.)

Subterranean Books' book-a-month subscription box is tailored to the reader's interests. (Starting at $20 per month.)

Epilogue's monthly subscription includes new and/or used books and locally made goods like candles, candy, pottery, stuffed animals, and more. (Starting at $25 per box.)

Malaprop's Homeward Bound sends new paperback originals, featuring "fiction or creative non-fiction title we consider notable for its literary quality, appeal, and originality." (Starting at $60 for three months.)

Old Town Books' "With Love, From Old Town" subscription service sends a new first edition hardcover each month, and subscribers have access to an exclusive book club. ($195 for six months.)

Elliott Bay Book Company offers four themed monthly subscription services for first editions, poetry, graphic novels, and true crime. (Starting at $125 for one year.)

BookPeople offers a variety of subscription boxes, with themes like debut authors, signed first editions, BIPOC authors, and more. (Starting at $60 for three months.)

The Ripped Bodice's Read, Romance, Repeat subscription delivers two brand new adult romance novels plus one bookish goodie each month. ($40 per month, 15% off 6- or 12-month prepaid subscriptions.)

The Seminary Co-op's Front Table subscription sends one book every other month, in genres like history, arts and criticism, literature, philosophy, and more. ($199 for one year.)

A Room of One's Own offers three- and six-month subscriptions in poetry, picture books, movement makers, fiction, and science fiction/fantasy/horror. (Starting at $150 for six months.)

Parnassus's First Editions club sends one signed first edition hardcover, primarily literary fiction, each month. (Starting at $100 for three months.)

Powell's Indiespensible subscription club prioritizes indie presses; boxes ship every six to eight weeks, and each includes one signed edition of a new release, a pamphlet featuring original author interviews and Q&As, and special gifts like advance reader copies or yummy treats. ($44.95 per box.)

Trident Booksellers & Cafe (Boston) offers three- and six-month subscriptions in board books, picture books, YA, fiction, and nonfiction. (Starting at $70 for three months.)

The Strand's Book HookUp sends quarterly boxes, each containing a signed first edition of a highly anticipated title along with an additional paperback title and related bookish goodies. Genres include fiction, art/photography, classics, feminists, mystery/thriller, political nonfiction, science fiction/fantasy, young adult, and little readers. (Starting at $37.50 per box.)

Books Are Magic's subscription sends a book a month in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, YA, middle grade, picture books, and cookbooks, though cookbooks are sent quarterly. (Starting at $70 for three months.)

Skylight Books offers two subscription services: a monthly first edition club (for price of book) and the Imaginary Friends reading club, which sends a recently released paperback novel or short story collection. (Starting at $62 for three months.)

Phoenix Books (Burlington, Vermont) — 20% off book purchases, 10% off stationery and gifts, can be shared with everyone in the household. ($30 per year.)

Vroman's (San Diego) — advance notice of ticketed author events and signed copies, front-of-line placement for signings, access to after-hours and exclusive events, a surprise 40% off coupon, access to an annual galley grab, and more. ($125 per year.)

Brookline Booksmith (Brookline, Massachusetts) — perks vary based on membership tier, starting with swag and access to biannual 20% off member sales and moving up to include reserved VIP seating at select author readings, access to advance reader copies, birthday discount, discounts at the local movie theater, and more. ($40–$1,000 per year.)

Loyalty Bookstores (Washington, DC) — 5% or 10% off storewide, first access to ticketed events, exclusive sales, and events. (Starting at $30 per year.)

Old Town Books (Alexandria, Virginia) — access to quarterly member sale nights where the shop is open for members only and everything is 20% off, 10% off and early access to author events and classes, $5 shipping on books ordered online. ($25 per year.)

Tattered Cover Bookstore (Denver) — $15 gift card for every $200 spent, access to exclusive promotions and giveaways. ($20 per year.)

Book Soup (Hollywood) — advance notice of ticketed author events and signed copies, front-of-line placement for signings, access to after-hours and exclusive events, a surprise 40% off coupon, access to an annual galley grab, and more. ($125 per year.)

Mil Mundos Books (Brooklyn, New York) — perks vary based on membership tier, but include discounts on all book purchases and ticketed events, free cafe items, tote bag, and, at the highest tier, access to the space for coworking. (Starting at $5 per month.)

Politics & Prose (Washington, DC) — 10% in-store credit for every 20 items purchased, exclusive 20% off storewide sales, early notice of ticketed events, discounts on classes and events. (Starting at $25 for one year.)

McNally Jackson (New York) — 10% off at McNally Jackson and sister store Goods for the Study, plus free tote bag, notebook, and/or broadside based on membership tier. (Starting at $20 per year.)

Women & Children First (Chicago) — 10% off storewide, 20% off during our annual member sale. ($25 per year.)

Word Bookstore (New York) — $25 gift card which can be auto-replenished, 10% storewide discount, advance notice of ticketed events, free entry to $5 events, access to sales, and exclusives. ($75 per year.)

Skylight Books (Los Angeles) — 10% off everything but magazines, 20% off event books and monthly bestsellers, free media mail shipping, priority line for ticketed signing events. (Starting at $25 per year.)

Astoria Bookshop (Queens, New York) book bundles are curated based on age range, interests, and price point. ($40–$100)

Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, North Carolina) mystery boxes include personally curated books and gifts like socks, mugs, stickers, pins, little kits, candles, and more, for adults, children, or families. ($50–$150)

The Book Loft of German Village (Columbus, Ohio) will pack up an assortment of titles from its 32 rooms of bargain books, based on reading preferences and interests. ($69.99)

Cellar Door Books (Riverside, California) sells bundles of three books curated based on reader preferences, in adult select (one hardcover and two paperbacks), adult paperbacks, YA, middle grade, and picture book. ($45–$75)

City Lights (San Francisco) offers two bundles of titles from its in-house press: the San Francisco bundle of six SF-themed books ($50), and the "Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport" bundle featuring five titles "intended to educate and empower readers of all ages to find their own role in ... democracy in the U.S." ($40)

Porter Square Books (Cambridge, Massachusetts) staffers curate book bundles based on genre, including cookbooks, mystery, horror, science fiction/fantasy, literary magazines, novellas, and more. ($22–$70)

Loyalty Bookstore (Washington, DC) sells book bundles featuring multiple books, and things like prints, candles, pins, and pens. (Starting at $40)

Trident Booksellers & Cafe (Boulder, Colorado) sells grab bags featuring four to five books based on the reader's interests and a bag of tea or coffee. ($50)

Did I miss your favorite bookstore? Let me know in the comments — and be sure to check in with local shops to see what they offer, too!

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