Shopping for a reader is easy, right up until you're standing in a bookstore realizing you have no idea what they've already read. The fix: skip the guessing game and give them something about reading instead. Everything below costs less than $25, a lot of it is under $20, and a few things download instantly, so it works even if you remember on December 23rd.
Browse the full shelf in our Gifts Under $25 collection, or find your reader below.
For the reader who's honest about it
You know the one. Three books going at once, a TBR pile that counts as furniture, and strong opinions about fictional people.
- Well-Read & Slightly Unhinged Mug: an 11oz coffee cup that says what everyone at book club is already thinking. It's one of the most affordable things in the shop, which makes it a great stocking stuffer.
- Well-Read & Slightly Unhinged T-Shirt: same energy in shirt form, for the reader who'd like strangers to know where they stand.
For the cozy tea-and-chapters reader
Blanket, candle, mug, book, phone in another room. This reader's ideal weekend is pretty much a still life.
- Steeped in Plot Ceramic Mug: made for tea, but coffee is welcome too.
- Ink-Stained Dreams Latte Mug: galaxy book art on a bigger latte-style mug, for the slow-sipping marathon reader.
- Poet's Midnight Garden Mug: lantern light, night florals, and an open book. A good pick for the dark-academia crowd.
For the book club regular
They host, or bring the snacks, or both. They have a tote for library hauls and they use it constantly.
- The Morally Complicated Book Club Tote: a cotton canvas reader tote for people who love a flawed narrator.
- Currently Haunted by a Cliffhanger Tote: for anyone still recovering from that last chapter.
For the knitter with a TBR problem
Some readers have a second hobby, and it usually involves yarn. If your person knits, crochets, or listens to audiobooks while doing either, these are for them:
- Yarn Stash & TBR Are Both Unwell Mug and the matching tote. The tote holds a project and a paperback.
- Yarn Stash & TBR Project Tracker (Printable): about 20 printable pages for stash inventory, WIP sheets, a frogging log, and a list of books finished while knitting.
For the last-minute shopper (no shipping required)
Printables are instant downloads. Buy one, print it at home or at a local print shop, and you've got a real gift in an afternoon. Every printable in the shop is under $15. See all printables.
- Cream City Bookplates: Printable Reader Pack: three illustrated Ex Libris bookplates with a "This book belongs to ___" line. Print a sheet, cut them out, and tuck them into a book you're giving. (We wrote a step-by-step guide to printing bookplates at home.)
- Ink-Stained Dreams Reading Journal: a printable reading log for TBR lists, reviews, and reading goals. Print it, three-hole punch it, and put it in a binder. That's a New Year's resolution gift sorted.
- 1848 Studio Prints: Printable Wall Art Set: three Wisconsin and Milwaukee watercolor prints you can frame for a reading nook.
For the Wisconsin reader
If your reader grew up on the lakefront, or just moved to Milwaukee and won't stop talking about it, we put together a whole collection for them: For the Wisconsin Reader. The Cream City Lake Reader Mug and Cream City Open Book Mug both fit under $25. We also wrote a full Milwaukee and Wisconsin reader gift guide.
Quick gift-giving tips
- Pair a mug with a paperback. A $19 mug plus a used paperback from a local bookstore makes a great gift for well under $30.
- Add a bookplate. If you're giving a book, paste a printed bookplate inside the front cover and write a short note. It's the part they'll keep.
- Mind the shipping dates. Mugs, tees, and totes are printed to order, so order apparel and drinkware early in December. Printables never ship, so they're always on time.
Happy gifting, and happy reading.
Want a free bookplate sample to try before you buy? Join the reader list and we'll send you a printable sheet.