7 Must-Have Bookish Gifts for Tweens & Teens That They’ll Love

Discover seven bookish gift ideas that will be sure to make your tween or teen’s holiday season extra merry and bright.

Felicia Bono –
Book Culture Bookish Lifestyle

Gift shopping for tweens and teens is no easy feat. Throw in the overwhelming hustle n’ bustle of holiday shopping, the never-ending pressure of finding the perfect gift, constantly second guessing your choices (“Don’t they already have this book?” or “Wait…who’s team are they on, again?”), and suddenly you’re not feeling so holly-jolly. To ease your gift-giving woes, we’ve compiled a list of seven, bookish must-haves the book-loving tween or teen in your life will be sure to love. Read on to find the ultimate gift for every kind of tween or teen reader!

Blind Date with a Book

It’s true: there’s nothing a book-lover loves more than finding a new book to obsess over. If your tween or teen reader is always on the hunt for their next TBR — or obsessed with blind boxes (Labubus, we’re looking at you) — then gift them a blind date with a book, courtesy of UnWrappedBooks on Etsy. This shop allows shoppers to choose the exact genre of the book the recipient will be receiving, so that your tween or teen won’t be receiving a book from their least favorite genre. If you already know which books your tween or teen has, and want to avoid duplicates, you can always reach out to the shop’s owner to ensure that does not happen. Next to that, each book is beautifully hand-wrapped and comes with a bookmark of your choosing, which will be sure to create a memorable unboxing experience and unforgettable read for your tween or teen.

Books wrapped in wrapping paper of various different colors are laid against a hardwood floor. The top row features, from left to right: a book wrapped in red wrapping paper with blue detail, one wrapped in orange with black detail and a cat decal on it, one wrapped in black wrapping paper with red detail and a heart detail, and one wrapped in blue with a "happy birthday" sticker and light pink detail. On the bottom row, from left to right: a book wrapped in brown paper with a blue bow on it and a black cat wearing a white turtleneck illustrated on top, one wrapped in purple with a panda illustration and hot pink bow wrapped underneath it, one wrapped in dark green with a dark green bow and an illustration of two legs wearing black and white socks and red shoes sticking outward, and one wrapped in pink paper with a light blue ribbon and an illustration of a wine glass.
IMAGE VIA UNWRAPPEDBOOKS ETSY SHOP

Customizable Bookmarks

Have you noticed the tween or teen in your life continuously dog-earring their pages? Or, using anything but a bookmark to save their spots in their current read? If so, then it may be time to give them the gift that keeps on giving: a personalized bookmark. Etsy is filled with thousands of customizable bookmarks that will suit just about every tween or teen reader. For example, TheJustInspiredShop has everything from bookmarks inspired by the beloved Hunger Games series and Wicked franchise to bookmarks with mystery and dark academia-inspired designs. Each bookmark is totally customizable and can be given a matching tassel, lamentation, or both, which allows you to make it uniquely fit your tween or teen reader’s preference. 

Two bookmarks lay on the pages of an opened book. The two bookmarks depict illustrations of bookshelves filled with books and plants. They are illustrated in warm hues and have navy undertones.
IMAGE VIA THEJUSTINSPIREDSHOP ETSY SHOP

Reading Log

Is your budding literary enthusiast constantly logging their current reads and TBRs on GoodReads? Or, are they losing track of how many books they have read, need to read, and want to read? Then, an interactive reading log is the ultimate gift for them. If your tween or tween is all about physical media — or, if you would like them to lower their screentime — grab them a customizable reading journal from StarrySkiesCo. This vibrant reading journal has 118 pages for your book lover to keep track of their ever-growing TBR list, jot down their all-time favorite book quotes, write reviews for their latest reads or their very own stories, and so much more. It’s part reading companion, part creative outlet — what’s not to love? On top of that, you can personalize the journal by adding your tween or teen’s name on the cover! 

An off-white notebook with a spiral spine lays against a light grey background. There are pastel illustrations of bookshelves filled with books, plants, a small clock, a globe, and a cup full of pens and pencils on the cover. Between the bookshelves are the words, "so many books, so little time." "So many books" is in all lower case, bold red serif font, and "so little time" is in all lower case, indigo-colored handwritten font. Underneath the phrase is a spot for the recipient to place their name in indigo colored-font.
IMAGE VIA STARRYSKIESCO

Bookish Candle

When children transition into their tween and teenage years, their desire to curate their own space — especially within their rooms — naturally grows. If your tween or teen is into creating the perfect self-care ritual, considers their bedroom their “reading nook,” or loves a fresh scent, then a book-inspired candle is the way to go. CurlyCandle on Etsy’s book club-inspired candle promises to envelope their cozy space in a warm, aromatic blend of citrus, jasmine, and currant. Perfect for keeping warm during those chillier days and for staying warm while reading ultra-dramatic moments in their favorite YA novel. When not lit, the candle’s sleek design will make for lovely decor in their book nook, all year round.

An amber candle is set against a light grey background. The label on it says "book club" in black, bold serif font and is spelt in all lower case letters. The label has pastel pink detailing.
IMAGE VIA CURLYCANDLE ETSY SHOP

Boxed Set of their Favorite Book Series

Does your tween or teen have a book series they simply won’t stop talking about? If you’ve overheard your young reader arguing with their best pals over being “Team Conrad” or “Team Jeremiah,” screaming about the next book in The Hunger Games’ prequel series, or Lauren Roberts’ Powerless series, then gifting them a special edition boxed set would be the ultimate present. Most recently, special edition boxed sets of The Hunger Games and The Summer I Turned Pretty have been released. These boxed sets feature vibrant, eye-catching new book covers, as well as stenciled and sprayed edges, which breathe new life into these beloved novels. Complete with new designs and the characters they know and love — or, love to hate —  sure to make any tween or teen fall in love with their favorite series, all over again.

Hunger Games 4-Book Paperback Deluxe Edition Boxed Set by Suzanne Collins, a YA book series. The front cover is teal and has reddish maple leaves hanging off of tree branches on it. Behind the front cover, to its right are three more books, but other spines are visible. The first book is red, the following is lilac, and the final one is light orange.
IMAGE VIA BARNES & NOBLE
Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Amazon

Book-Themed Cozy Sweater 

An oversized, cute, and cozy sweater elevates every holiday reading session. If your tween or teen is utterly obsessed with fashion and curating the perfect outfits for each and every season, then a bookish sweater will be sure to delight. Lemamadesigns on Etsy carries the coziest reading sweaters, in multiple colors and sizes, with the quirkiest bookish sayings embroidered on them. Their Just One Chapter sweatshirt is a bestseller due to its simplistic yet timeless embroidery, wide variety of colors to choose from, and soft yet comfortable fabric. Next to that, their sizing and design are unisex, so there is a sweater for everyone!

Three sweatshirts in various colors lay on top of each other. There is a cream-colored one in the top right corner, then a baby blue one underneath it, leaning towards the left, and a light green one at the bottom right. Each one has an embroidered illustration of an open book and a rose blooming out from between the pages. Underneath each illustration is the phrase, "Just one more chapter..." written in serif font on each one. The blue and green sweaters have the phrase written in white font, and the cream sweater has it written in light brown. The embroidered illustrations for the blue and green sweaters are also drawn in white, but the cream sweater has the emboridery in light brown.
IMAGE VIA LEMAMADESIGNS ETSY SHOP

Bookish Pins

If the tween or teen in your life is super into customizing and personalizing everything from their backpacks to the wallpapers of their phones or laptops, then a set of bookish pins is their perfect gift. AlwaysSeptemberShop on Etsy sells multiple bookish pins that are sure to connect with every type of young book enthusiast. From punny pins that say “reading is my jam” to adorably funny pins with illustrations of cats and dogs reading books, there is a pin — or two — for every creative reader. These pins will be sure to brighten up any jacket, tote bag, or backpack, and will let your tween or teen proudly show off their identity as a bibliophile.

A collection of seven book-related pins with various sayings and illustrations on each one. Top left: A white pin with flowers and an open book, with a banner reading "Shhh... I’m reading.” Top center: A yellow pin featuring a camera and the words "Bookstagram made me do it.” Top right: A black pin showing a light switch with text "Book on, anxiety off.” Middle center: A white pin with a jam jar and the words "Reading is my JAM.” Bottom left: A pink pin with a happy book character and the phrase "It’s a good day to read.” Bottom center: A light brown pin with a heart background and the word "Books.” Bottom right: A pink pin with the words "Read more books" in a cut-out letter style.
IMAGE VIA ALWAYSSEPTEMBERSHOP ETSY SHOP

From aesthetic-pleasing reading logs to cozy, bookish merch to keep them warm during the winter season, there is a gift on this list for every bookish tween or teen out there. We can assure that giving any one of these gifts to the one in your life will be sure to make their days merry and bright, all year round.

Looking for more bookish gift recommendations? Click here!

Find more YA book recommendations on our Young Love: YA Romances to Swoon Over bookshelf on our Bookshop!

FEATURED IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR / FELICIA BONO