It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and you can rarely go wrong by gifting a book. We’ve got something for everyone this year, from colouring books to cookery guides, coffee table favourites to critically acclaimed fiction, vibrant graphic novels to videogame compendiums.
So support a bookshop today as well as our fantastic publishers by browsing what’s on offer.
And if you’re a bookshop looking to stack your shelves, or just want to see the full extent our offerings, you can peruse our complete Christmas Gift Guide on Issuu.
Merry Christmas folks, and here’s to a better New Year!
Browse the full list on Bookshop.org
For even more buying suggestions, see our 2020 Staff Picks in Fiction, Non-Fiction & Graphic Novels.
Activities
Banksy Coloring Book by Magnus Frederiksen
(9789188369451, p/b, £8.99, Dokument Press)
Filled with illustrations inspired by the great art of Banksy. It gives a first taste of how stencils are made and what it takes to master them. Easy and open to anyone.
Gift it if: They love Bansky, graffiti, they’re a street artist to be
Or support your local bookstore.
The Nature of Play by Delfina Aguilar
(9781916167902, p/b, £17.99, Fanny & Alexander)
A toolkit of simple, seasonal ideas for nature-based play all year long, from long-beloved rainy day games to intrepid outdoor adventures. Brought to life with richly textured, original illustrations.
Gift if it: They are young or young at heart, they’re into outdoor fun
Or support your local bookstore.
Lego Train Projects by Charles Pritchett
(9781718500488, p/b, £20.99, No Starch Press)
Step by step, fully-illustrated building instructions for seven LEGO train models including a coal gondola, milk tanker, open hopper, depressed flatcar, passenger coach, powered box car, and diesel locomotive.
Gift it if: They love their Lego, they’re a railway rider, a train spotter, a model transport owner
Or support your local bookstore.
The Lost Words (Magpie) Jigsaw 500pc by Robert MacFarlane & Jackie Morris
(9781912916412, Jigsaw, £14.99, Galileo)
A beautiful 500 piece jigsaw featuring the Magpie from The Lost Words. Robert Macfarlane’s ‘spell’ that accompanies the image in the book is included on the back of the box.
Gift it if: they’ve read the Lost Words more than once, they’re a puzzle solver, or a nature nurturer
Or support your local bookstore.
Ten Things About Writing by Joanne Harris
(9781912836598, h/b, £12.95, September Publishing)
From Workspaces and Habits to Plot and Dialogue these are motivating, problem-solving lists of wisdom from an experienced and widely respected writer.
Gift it if: they’re a budding writer, a practiced author, or anywhere inbetween
Or support your local bookstore.
How To Cook The Victorian Way with Mrs Crocombe by Annie Gray & Andrew Hann
(9781910907429, h/b, £25.00, September Publishing)
The definitive guide to the life, times and tastes of the world’s favourite Victorian cook, featuring authentic do-it-yourself recipes and beautiful food photography.
Gift it if: they’re a Downtown Abbey devotee, they love to cook, or they love to eat
Or support your local bookstore.
Arts & Entertainment
The Botanical City by Helena Dove, Harry Ades & Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
(9781910566794, h/b, £25.00, Hoxton Mini Press)
A beautifully produced interpretation of an 18th century classic, Floral Londinensis, which set out to record every wild plant in London.
Gift it if: they’re a Londoner looking for nature, they’re a budding botanist to be
Or support your local bookstore.
Portrait of Britain Volume 3 by Hoxton Mini Press
(9781910566770, h/b, £22.95, Hoxton Mini Press)
The Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 have brought a tidal wave of change to Britain. In turbulent times, these portraits capture the individuals that make up the country’s collective resilience.
Gift it if: they watch Portrait Artist of the Year, they need some books for that coffee table
Or support your local bookstore.
All Good Things: Treasury of Images to Uplift the Spirits and Reawaken Wonder by Stephen Ellcock
(9781912836000, h/b, £25.00, September Publishing)
Taking its title from the first ever Encyclopedia in the English language, All Good Things is a new compendium of art and photography inspired by both the natural world and human endeavour.
Gift it if: they’re a museum goers, they’re a fact sponge, they’re a globetrotter
Or support your local bookstore.
Queen: The Neal Preston Photographs by Neal Preston
(9781909526716, h/b, £49.95 Reel Art Press)
Featuring over 300 images from one of the world’s greatest rock photographers, this book is an exhilarating ride through Neal Preston’s years on the road with Queen.
Gift it if: they’re a Freddie Mercury fan, they miss live concerts, a great dad gift
Or support your local bookstore.
Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin
(9781909526501, h/b, £49.95, Reel Art Press)
The first and only official illustrated book to be produced in collaboration with the members of the band. With over 300 pages of photographs and artwork from the Led Zeppelin archive.
Gift it if: they grew up in the ’70s, they still love their rock ‘n roll
Or support your local bookstore.
Rayguns and Rocketships by Rian Hughes
(9781912740048, h/b, £24.99, Korero Press)
A collection of some of the best sci-fi cover art from the ’40s and ’50s, an unparalleled period of brash optimism and opportunism in book publishing. Beware the space fiend!
Gift it if: they’re a vintage geek, a pulp fiction addict, a Tales of the Crypt dweller
Or support your local bookstore.
Fiction & Anthologies
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
(9781913111984, p/b, £13.99, Galley Beggar Press)
Through one discursive sentence spread across 900 pages, an Ohio housewife tries to bridge the gaps between reality and the torrent of meaningless info that is the United States of America. A heresy, a wonder – and a revolution in the novel
Gift it if: they need a good long book, and a good long laugh
Or support your local bookstore.
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
(9781910312636, p/b, £9.99, Influx Press)
Eliza Clark’s incendiary debut, Boy Parts is a pitch-black comedy both shocking and hilarious, fearlessly exploring the taboo regions of sexuality and gender roles in the twenty-first century.
Gift it if: they’ve watched American Psycho, they’re a Millennial twentysomething, they spend too much time on Tumblr
Or support your local bookstore.
The Seal Club by Alan Warner, Irvine Welsh & John King
(9780995721760, p/b, £9.99, London Books)
A three-novella collection by the authors Alan Warner, Irvine Welsh and John King, stories that reflect bodies of work that started with Morvern Callar, Trainspotting and The Football Factory.
Gift it if: they’re a Trainspotting fan, they’ve read ‘the chemical generation’
Or support your local bookstore.
Foxfire, Wolfskin and Other Stories of Shapeshifting Women by Sharon Blackie
(9781912836246, p/b, £9.99, September Publishing)
Drawing on N. European folklore rather than Greek myth or male-interpreted fairy tales, a collection of original feminist stories of transformational power.
Gift it if: they love their Celtic folklore, their feminist retellings
Or support your local bookstore.
Mordew by Alex Pheby
(9781913111021, h/b, £9.99, Galley Beggar Press)
Gormeghastic, dark and Dickensian, literary luminary Alex Pheby transports us to the sea-battered city of Mordew, where slum-dweller Nathan Treeves must do battle with the mysterious Master.
Gift it if: they read fantasy, or they don’t read fantasy at all
Or support your local bookstore.
New Daughters of Africa edited by Margaret Busby
(9781912408740, p/b, £14.99, Myriad Editions)
An international anthology bringing together the words of women writers from across the globe, honouring a unifying heritage while showing the remarkable range of creativity from the African diaspora.
Gift it if: They’ve read Zadie Smith, Malorie Blackman, Bernardine Evaristo, or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (they’ve only scratched the surface.)
Or support your local bookstore.
Graphic Novels
Charlie Adlard: Drawings + Sketches by Charlie Adlard & Tim Pilcher
(9781910775264, p/b, £9.99, BHP Comics)
A former UK Comics Laureate with over 20 years in the industry, Charlie Adlard’s Drawings + Sketches offers insights into the creation of the Walking Dead, Wendigo and much more.
Gift it if: They’re a comics enthusiast, they’d like some tips on the craft, they’re a Walking Dead fan
Or support your local bookstore.
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris
(9781606999592, p/b, £35.99, Fantagraphics)
Emil Ferris’ astounding comics debut takes the form of the fictional graphic diary of 10-year old Karen Reyes, as she tries to solve the murder of her enigmatic upstairs neighbour.
Gift it if: They’re an art obsessive, they binge B-movie horror, they’re a murder mystery reader
Or support your local bookstore.
Sensible Footwear: A Girl’s Guide by Kate Charlesworth
(9780993563348, p/b, £17.99, Myriad Editions)
The curtains of lesbian history from the 1950s to the present day are opened by celebrated cartoonist Kate Charlesworth, with a little help from Gilbert and Sullivan and a side of Nancy Spain.
Gift it if: they want to know their queer history, or its the history they lived through
Or support your local bookstore.
Berserk Deluxe Volume 1 edited by Kentaro Miura
(9781506711980, p/b, £41.99, Dark Horse)
For decades Kentaro Miura’s Berserk has horrified and delighted manga and anime fanatics. Now the champion of adult fantasy manga returns in a deluxe hardcover edition.
Gift if it: they’re a mature manga fan, they’re a lover of dark fantasy
Or support your local bookstore.
The Immortal Hulk Omnibus edited by Al Ewing
(9781846533600, p/b, £19.99, Panini/Marvel)
Horror has a name. He’s quiet. Calm. If someone were to shoot him in the head… all he’d do is die. Until night falls – and someone else gets up again. The man’s name is Banner. The horror is the Immortal Hulk.
Gift if it: they love their Marvel movies, they can’t get enough the big green giant
Or support your local bookstore.
From Hell Master Edition by Alan Moore
(9780861662852, h/b, £44.99, Knockabout Comics)
Five unsolved murders. Two of the greatest creators in the history of comics. Experience the Jack the Ripper classic never before: fully restored and in colour for the first time!
Gift it if: they love their Alan Moore, they’ve watched Ripper Street, or Peaky Blinders, they’ve got a thing for Victorian horror
Or support your local bookstore.
Animation & Game Art
Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of The Animated Series by Michael DiMartino, Dante & Bryan Konietzko
(9781506721699, h/b, £33.99, Dark Horse)
An unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at hundreds of pieces of concept, design, and production art from the smash-hit television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Gift it if: they love Avatar: the Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra, they’re an animator in the making
Or support your local bookstore.
Critical Role: The Chronicles Of Exandria The Mighty Nein by Critical Role Team
(9781506713847, h/b, £37.99, Dark Horse)
Featuring stunning works by fan-favorite artists from the Critter community, this beautiful tome illustrates the adventures of our unlikely heroes from the hit Dungeons & Dragons show.
Gift it if: they’re a D&D devotee, they’re nutty for RPGs
Or support your local bookstore.
The Art of Star Wars: Rebels by Dan Wallace
(9781506710914, h/b, £34.99, Dark Horse)
Take a step behind-the-scenes and witness the journey to screen of the hit Star Wars animated series. Featuring unseen concept art and exclusive commentary from the creative team.
Gift it if: they’re a Star Wars savant, they’re a Rebel at heart
Or support your local bookstore.
The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia by Nintendo
(9781506706382, h/b, £33.50, Dark Horse)
From enemies and items, potions to poes, and overstuffing of Zelda lore, this 320-page compendium is the ultimate guide to the Legend of Zelda universe.
Gift it if: they’re a Zelda fan, young or old, they’ve dressed up as Link for Comic Con at least once
Or support your local bookstore.
Super Mario Encyclopedia by Nintendo
(9781506708973, h/b, £33.50, Dark Horse)
Jam packed with content from 30 years of Super Mario, from the original Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 3D World, this is the definitive resource for everything about Super Mario.
Gift it if: they never grew out of Super Mario, they’re just growing into it
Or support your local bookstore.
The World Of Cyberpunk 2077 by Marcin Batylda
(9781506713588, h/b, £33.50, Dark Horse)
A captivatingly hardcover that transports readers to the futuristic megalopolis of Night City – the epicentre of the vibrant new action-RPG from CD Projekt Red.
Gift it if: they’re a gamer, they’ve read Neuromancer, watched Altered Carbon, or love Blade Runner
Or support your local bookstore.
Humour
50 Things About Us: What We Really Need to Know About Britain by Mark Thomas
(9781912836550, h/b, £12.99, September Publishing)
Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, stand-up, mischief and well-researched material to examine how we have come to inhabit this divided wasteland that some of us call the United Kingdom.
Gift it if: they’ve ever wondered what in Britain is going on, they like their facts with a bit of funny
Or support your local bookstore.
Scarfolk & Environs by by Richard Littler
(9781838216702, h/b, £12.00, Herb Lester Associates)
At last anyone brave enough to visit Scarfolk has the means to find their way around. From the Ritual May Pylon to the School Of Benevolent Menticide, all the town’s fascinating sites are here.
Gift it if: they’re planning a lockdown ‘staycation’, the current dystopia just isn’t enough for them
Or support your local bookstore.
We Do Lockdown by Miriam Elia
(9780992834920, h/b, £8.99, Dung Beetle Press)
From the author of We Go to the Gallery, this sharp witted satire sees the return of Mummy, John, and Susan as they navigate indefinite lockdowns, self-isolation, and lemongrass shortages.
Gift it if: they’ve ever run out of bog roll in the middle of a pandemic, they’d like to end this annus horribilis with a giggle and a snort
Or support your local bookstore.
Lifestyle & Spirtuality
If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie
(9781912836017, p/b, £9.99, September Publishing)
With lyrical, visceral writing, this rallying cry for the re-wilding of womanhood has gathered followers and fans across the world.
Gift it if: they’re in need of some inspiration, they need help finding their feet
Or support your local bookstore.
Ethical Vegan by Jordi Casamitjana
(9781912836581, h/b, £12.99, September Publishing)
Written with urgency, humour and a strong personal narrative Jordi Casamitjana’s book is the first to consider veganism as an ethical belief. Not just a ‘lifestyle choice.’
Gift it if: they’re planning a veganuary, they’re an animal activist, they’re an extinction rebel
Or support your local bookstore.
The Cosmic Slumber Tarot by Tillie Walden
(9781912634170, Cards, £21.99, Liminal 11)
The multi-award winning artist and graphic novelist Tillie Walden brings her beautifully unmistakable style to the world of the tarot in this hand-painted deck.
Gift it if: they’ve ever saged their room, they know their star sign, they’ve told your fortune
Or support your local bookstore.
Memoir & Biography
A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston by Robyn Crawford
(9781524742850, p/b, £12.99, Dutton)
A vital memoir and a previously untold part of Whitney’s life, from a woman who knew her better than nearly anyone else.
Gift it if: they can’t get enough Whitney Houston
Or support your local bookstore.
Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
(9781925240702, p/b, £10.99, Text Publishing)
Blending personal narrative and gripping reportage, Between the World and Me is a profound attempt to reckon with America’s history in the form of a heart-wrenching letter to the author’s teenage son.
Gift it if: they want to understand race in America, they’ve read Toni Morrison, Angela Davis, or Reni Eddo-Lodge
Or support your local bookstore.
A Ghost In The Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
(9781916434264, p/b, £12.99, Tramp Press)
In this stunningly unusual prose debut, Doireann Ní Ghríofa sculpts essay and autofiction to explore inner life and the deep connection felt between two women writers centuries apart.
Gift it if: they love poetry and prose that transports you, they’ve experienced motherhood, they seek out forgotten histories and undiscovered gems
Or support your local bookstore.
Sport
One Life by Megan Rapinoe
(9781984881168, h/b, £20.00, Penguin Press)
Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion, has become a galvanizing force for social change; here, she urges all of us to continue the fight for justice and equality.
Gift it if: they’re a women’s football fanatic, they love a lesbian icon
Or support your local bookstore.
Wimbledon: The Official History by John Barrett
(9781913412005, h/b, £40.00, Vision Sports Publishing)
A lavishly illustrated and massively expanded definitive Wimbledon history. Captured in vivid detail through the lenses of the world’s leading sports photographers.
Gift it if: they’ve missed the tennis this year, they camp out for Wimbledon every time, they love strawberries and cream
Or support your local bookstore.
The Biography of Leeds United by Rob Bagchi
(9781909534841, h/b, £20.00, Vision Sports Publishing)
Telegraph journalist and lifelong fan Rob Bagchi writes the story of this famous club and chronicles a century of history that will educate and entertain supporters both old and new.
Gift it if: they think they know everything there is to know about Leeds (they don’t.)
Or support your local bookstore.
Travel
Great Trees of London Map by Paul Wood & Derek Lamberton
(9781912018765, folded map, £8.00, Blue Crow Media)
Reveals highlights from London’s uniquely diverse urban forest, featuring rare species, magnificent English oaks, an ancient 2,000-year old yew and the finest flowering cherries
Gift it if: they’re a long-walker, they’re a tree hugger, they’re a London lover
Or support your local bookstore.
Great British Railways: 50 Things To See And Do by Vicki Pipe & Geoff Marshall
(9781912836284, p/b, £8.99, September Publishing)
A wonder-provoking, fact-filled book that will also appeal to all ages, bursting with lists to spot, note, answer and full of details and anecdotes to revel in.
Gift it if: they’re a station hopper, an interrailer, they’re a fact-finder, a list ticker
Or support your local bookstore.
An Opinionated Guide to Independent London by Hoxton Mini Press
(9781910566824, p/b, £9.95, Hoxton Mini Press)
This pocket-sized paperback featuring the top 50 indie spots in London is a celebration of smaller businesses and one-off shops that bring colour, personality and style to the scene.
Gift it if: they want to discover a new side to London, they want to support independents, they’ve done everything and seen everything (or so they claim.)
Or support your local bookstore.
As bookshops across the UK re-open their doors, they need your help to stay afloat.
If anything you’ve read about on our blog catches your eye, consider ordering from your local bookshop. Find yours here. Alternatively, you can browse your favourite indies on Bookshop.org.