'Tis the season to be jolly! With huge parties out of the question due to this unique situation we are in, gifting has an even more meaningful role this year—telling the special ones in your life how much they mean to you, whether you see them every day or are miles apart. A thoughtful gift will cement your appreciation for them and make them feel like the most important person in the world. Here is a special curation of books suitable for loved ones of all ages, and are sure to be loved by the readers that they are gifted to!
Jonny Lambert's Ten Little Reindeer
What's Christmas without Santa's favourite animal—the reindeer? In this beautifully illustrated book by Jonny Lambert, young children can turn the pages and lift the flaps to discover all the surprising things the busy reindeers are up to—they're checking the gifts, taking off with Santa's sleigh, swooping and diving, helping Santa through the chimney, stopping for carrots, falling asleep, getting tangled up, hitting a tree, and even going for a wee-wee! This entertaining festive book is the perfect gift for children aged 0 to 3.
... lessWe get you—it can be difficult to get children aged 3 to 5 to go to bed. Shinsuke Yoshitake's delightful and interactive I Can Be Anything will help to soften bedtime routines for both you and your little one! Natsumi refuses to go to bed and wants Mom to play a pre-bedtime game of charades with her. She'll pretend to be something and Mom will guess what she is! Ready? Is she a caterpillar? An arrow sign? An upside-down bug? Take your best guess, then laugh along with Natsumi and her mom this Christmas!
... lessWe all need a little kindness and empathy in our lives, and the best way to receive it is to give it. There is no better time than this festive season to teach children to celebrate life’s joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments. Learn to wish for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, and for laughter and peace. I Wish You More is a sweet and uplifting gift for children aged 5 to 8!
... lessFrostheart #02: Escape from Aurora
What is Christmas without a little cold, a little snow, and a dangerous adventure? Ash and the rest of the Frostheart's brave crew are back for another thrilling adventure, and he can't wait to solve the next clue that will lead him to his parents. But when a vicious Wraith attack leaves Ash, Lunah, Rook, and Tobu stranded on the ice, they will have to use all their strength and cunning to reach safety. This sequel to the bestselling Frostheart is the perfect book to keep your middle-grader hooked!
... lessIf you have a young Marvel fan who cannot stop talking about all things Marvel, they will absolutely love this book! This specially curated and expertly appraised selection is a stunningly illustrated and insightful assessment of Marvel Comics and its legacy through the comics that made the company great—from the groundbreaking original Human Torch and his aquatic adversary Namor the Sub-Mariner in 1939 to the game-changing 1960s Super Hero icons such as Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four, to smart modern makeovers in the 21st century like Guardians of the Galaxy and Squirrel Girl.
... lessModern relationships are tough to navigate—especially when you have been ghosted before. 32-year-old Nina Dean is a successful food writer with a loyal online following, but a life that is falling apart. When she uses dating apps for the first time, she becomes a victim of ghosting, and by the most beguiling of men. To top it off, issues arise in the family and all her friends seem to be slipping away from her as everyone starts settling down. Dolly Alderton's new book Ghosts is at once funny, tender, and absolutely relatable—the perfect gift for the millennial in your life!
... lessFor the Sherlock Holmes fans out there who enjoy a good whodunnit, Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club would be the perfect gift this Christmas. This witty and brilliant novel about four elderly friends solving a live murder case in a retirement village has had its film rights sold to Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin Partners. This refreshing and entertaining mystery book is bound to capture the heart of the receiver!
... lessIs there a bookworm in your life that absolutely loves fables? This modern-day Dickensian tale and a celebration of friendship and humanity, by the acclaimed author of The Crimson Petal and the White, would be right up their alley! It all starts on the morning the letter D disappears from the language. First, it vanishes from her parents' conversation at breakfast, then from the road signs outside. Soon the local dentist and the neighbour's Dalmatian are missing, and even the Donkey Derby has been called off. Set between England and the wintry land of Liminus, a world enslaved by the monstrous Gamp and populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures, D (Tale of Two Worlds) is told with simple beauty and warmth, and is a powerful reminder of our human capacity for strength, hope, and justice.
Poetry lovers will love this new book by international bestselling author Lang Leav—this new collection of poetry and prose will change the way you think about love, relationships, heartbreak, and self-empowerment. Beautifully composed and written, September Love captures the magic of each passing season with every page turned.
... lessLet Dr. Stuart Farrimond take you through a typical day and how to live it at best, through stats, infographics, and action points. Many of the activities we take for granted are in fact contrary to a healthy lifestyle. In this groundbreaking book, long-held beliefs are exploded by new science: drinking eight glasses a day is too much; breakfast isn't the most important meal of the day; smartphones are not making us all depressed. This is a groundbreaking book that unearths the facts behind the fads, and provides take-away advice on every area of our lives—perfect for the friend that is always looking to improve themselves!
... lessSorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come
Are you or a close friend an introvert? Do they hate partying and would rather be home alone? Jessica Pan goes out on behalf of all the introverts to answer the question: is it really true that extroverts have all the fun? She made a vow to push herself to live the life of an extrovert for a year, and wrote a list: improv, a solo holiday, and... talking to strangers on the tube. She regretted it instantly. Jessica's hilarious and painful year of misadventures in extroverting will surely be relatable for all the introverts out there!
... lessIs there a sweet couple who is perfectly suited for each other but also vastly different? They will absolutely adore this love story between a vampire and a werewolf by the creator of the enormously popular Sarah's Scribbles comics! Meet Elsie the vampire—she is three hundred years old, and everything changes one night in a bar when she meets Jimmy, a charming werewolf with a wry sense of humor and a fondness for running wild during the full moon. Together they enjoy horror films and scary novels, shady strolls, fine dining (though never with garlic), and a genuine fondness for each other’s unusual habits, macabre lifestyles, and monstrous appetites.
... lessNo matter what we eat, how much we exercise, how skinny or young or wise we are, none of it matters if we are not breathing properly. Breath is the perfect gift for those who lead busy lives—there is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing. But is the way we breathe correct? Journalist James Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo, and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test longheld beliefs about how we breathe. Read this, and you will never breathe the same again!
... lessOh, how nice it would be to have a house that smells of mouth-watering pastries during the festive season! For that baking enthusiast that you love, Complete Baking is the ultimate guide to classic bakes and modern favourites, and is fully illustrated—with beautiful photographs of every stage of the baking process. There are more than 250 variations on 80 classic sweet and savoury recipes for them to try their hands on—whether they are a seasoned baker, or not!
... lessThis book is for anyone who works, who manages workers, who thinks about getting back to work or maybe working for themselves—including yourself! We will spend up to 120,000 hours at work in our lifetimes, but how best to use those hours is one of our most challenging questions. Part business book, part inspirational and innovative self-help, Designing Your Work Life teaches us how to create the job we want—without necessarily leaving the job we already have. It is up to each of us to define and find our own happiness in this ever-moving landscape, which is rich with opportunity and possibility!
... lessBuying a gift for the budding entrepreneur? Show your support with Conscious Leadership and help them step up as leaders who see beyond the bottom line. Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and his coauthors explore the vision, virtues, and mindset that have informed Mackey’s own leadership journey, providing a roadmap for innovative, value-based leadership—in business and society. Each chapter will challenge them to rethink conventional business wisdom through anecdotes, case studies, profiles of conscious leaders, and innovative techniques for self-development—culminating in an empowering call to action.
... lessFor a loved one who is interested in understanding free market capitalism, Reimagined Capitalism is the perfect gift this Christmas! Drawing on the lessons of companies from around the world who are acting on social responsibility—who are not only surviving but are thriving, becoming leaders in their industries and beginning to drive the wheels of change—Professor Rebecca Henderson argues for a new framework that can deliver sustained financial performance, and simultaneously bring prosperity and wellbeing to society as a whole.
... lessFinancial literacy does not need to be a tough topic to tackle! If there is a fresh graduate in your life who is struggling with their finances now that they are a working adult, this is the perfect gift for them. How do you create a lucrative side hustle with only $500 before earning a profit? The Money Tree uses a compelling story with captivating characters to share its core insight: you are never at the mercy of fortune as long as you have an appetite for hard work and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.
... lessIf you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media or the news while your anxiety rises, or feel frazzled after a long day of long video calls, it is time to pair back digital distractions and live a more meaningful life with less technology. Let professor Cal Newport show you how to take back control from your devices and find calm amongst the chaos by following a 'digital declutter' process. There is no better time to start switching off and spending uninterrupted quality time with family and friends than this Christmas!
... less