Homeschool Gift Guide: Books We Want to Give and Get
All the books we want to give and get in 2019.
You probably already know that I am a little obsessed with books and book-themed holiday presents. (See here, here, and here. Oh, and also here.) We follow the minimalist-ish tradition of giving “something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read” for our family gifts, and the “something to read” is always my favorite part of shopping. I can’t buy all the books for my own family, so here’s a roundup of fabulous titles for many ages and interests.
For Map Lovers
Who knew airline maps could be so cool? This book collects one hundred years of flight routes, from gloriously rendered bird’s-eye views of journeys to sleekly graphic trajectories. It’s a treasure trove for travelers and map lovers.
For Space Lovers
The “100 objects” conceit may be a little trite at this point, but this quirky pop culture history of space exploration is a fun last hurrah to the genre. From a 15th century B.C.E. bronze star disk to the Event Horizon Telescope, the objects in this book reflect the evolution of human understanding of our place in the universe.
For Book-Obsessed People with Blank Walls
I’d hang these postcards of Penguin Classics covers everywhere.
For Your Friend Who Loves the Classics With a Twist
Winterson doubly reimagines Frankenstein — the genesis of the classic romantic novel and the story itself — in this weird and hilarious novel that explores gender constructions, artificial intelligence, and the nature of love. It’s definitely a book for people who like books, but that’s most of the people on my list these days. (This is what I’ll be reading over the holidays!)
For People Who Can’t Get Enough Dickens
Maybe it’s all the Victorian history I read last year, but this historical fiction about Charles Field’s (the real-life inspiration for Dickens’s Inspector Bucket) attempts to unravel the plot behind an attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria is at the top of my holiday reading wish list. (With bonus Karl Marx!)
For Grown-Up Fans of The Westing Game
Suzanne had me at “Westing Game for grown-ups,” and this book doesn’t disappoint: 30-something Tuesday has never totally recovered from the disappearance of her best friend when she was 16, but she realizes that she’s forged a new family-of-friends as she embarks on a challenge set by a recently deceased millionaire obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe and the supernatural.
For People Who Love Think-y Science Fiction
This complex story takes place along two timelines: In one, Nedda is 12 years old, realizing that her father has been conducting a strange experiment to extend her childhood; in the other, grown-up Nedda is part of the crew of the Chawla on a mission to try to save the future of humanity. The two threads tangle together, merging past, present, and the heartbreaking power of human connection in surprising ways.
For Short Story Lovers
This collection is equal parts cautionary tale and dazzling celebration of possibility — which seems about right for speculative fiction about the future of the United States. With stories from writers including N.K. Jemisin (my current writer crush!), Justina Ireland, Charlie Jane Anders, Catherynne Valente (Suzanne’s writer crush!) and Charles Yu, this collection is all over the place — but in the most interesting ways. (“Calendar Girls” would be great to read with The Handmaid’s Tale.)
For Poets and Lovers
Caldecott-winner Brian Selznick provides an artistic backdrop for twelve of Walt Whitman’s most passionate poems in this dreamy, dazzling collection.
For People Who Love Words
Our newest poet laureate here in the States sings of connection to the past and the joys of a land of plenty, a tune that reverberates with the persistent anger and loss that shaped generations of Native American experience. Harjo confronts both her personal stories and tribal histories in this powerhouse collection that should really be on everyone’s shelves.
For History Lovers
I feel like I’ve been looking for this book for a long time: Yes, let’s look at slavery, we absolutely must confront that part of our past, but let’s not reduce the experiences of Black people in U.S. history to the experiences of enslaved people — because there’s a lot more to the story. Historian Proenza-Coles shines a light on men and women of color who “were central to the founding of the Americas, the establishment of New World nations, the dismantling of slavery, and the rise of freedom in the Americas.”
For Somebody’s First (or Fiftieth!) Hanukkah
“In the small blue room there was a bubbala, and a little shmatta, and then—oy vey!—came the whole mishpacha!” This riff on Good Night Moon is full of playful Yiddish vocabulary and tells a story of a Hanukkah celebration where whispering “hush” is secondary to dancing and noshing.
For Your Winter Solstice Shelf
This dreamy little book based on a poem by Newbery medalist Susan Cooper and gorgeously illustrated by the amazing Carson Ellis follows the solstice from its mythical past to its modern day present. It’s warm and hopeful and full of much-needed light.
For Lovers of Beautiful Books
You can judge this book by its cover: There is no bad copy of the subversive fairy tale Howl’s Moving Castle, but this extravagantly rendered version from the Folio Society is just plain spectacular. (Hint, hint, Jason! :))
For Doctor Who Fans
Ted Chiang considers the material consequences of time travel in this elegant collection of short stories, each of which poses — and explores — a specific philosophical question connected to time travel.
For People Who Are Serious about Television
If you, too, watch television through a series of critical lenses and find yourself digging into an episode of The Good Place the same way you’d dig into Moby Dick, you will appreciate Nussbaum’s essay collection about the wonderful and surprisingly rich world of modern television.
For People Who Appreciate Food for Thought
From “reality” television to scammer culture, Telentino unflinchingly examines the lies we tell ourselves and the selves we project for other people — and how the Internet has changed the ways in which we do both of those things.
For Your Friend Who Is Obsessed with True Crime Podcasts
What is it about real-life murders that makes them feel like must-see TV? Monroe answers the question by presenting four women whose lives were shaped by prime time murders as touchpoints for a bigger conversation about darkness, power, and finding our place in the world. (I’m actually a little creeped out by the whole true crime genre, but I found this book fascinating, so it may also be a good gift for your friend who doesn’t get your obsession with true crime podcasts!)
For People Who Still Can’t Get Enough Hamilton
Historian Atkinson kicks off his new trilogy about the American Revolution with a close-up look at the conflict’s early years, from 1775 to 1777. Hamilton lurks in the background, but Atkinson’s takes on Washington (not an ounce of cockiness in him) and Benedict Arnold (a valiant hero) make this a worthy companion to the musical.
For Kids Who Love History
Wow, this graphic novel hit all my sweet spots: In this alternate history (which you’ll quickly pick up is set during the childhood and succession of Queen Elizabeth I), a young girl’s life on an island of nuns is upended when a deposed queen comes to stay at the convent. It’s the lovingly detailed historical nuance (all the different kinds of stitches!) that makes this novel shine.
For Kids Who Need a New Series
Rick Riordan's imprint has been a series of near-misses for me, but Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a solid hit. Taking its cue from West African mythology and African-American folk tales, the book focuses on a boy who discovers his powers as a Storyteller when he accidentally tears a hole into the world of legendary heroes that he must join the fight to save. I’m already counting down the days until the next installment.
For Teens Who Need a Judy Blume-ish Book about Love
Laura Dean is the worst girlfriend, and Freddy knows it — but what can you do when you’re really in love? Freddy navigates the complex waters of almost-grown-up relationships with help from her diverse group of friends and community in this graphic novel about the jagged edges of love.
For Someone Who Needs a Fluffy Book for a Flight
This retelling of Pride and Prejudice is set in Toronto’s Indian-Muslim community, and while it tackles some modern-day concerns, it’s pure Austen romance at its heart.
For People Just Getting into Probability
This is definitely an introductory exploration of probability — but it’s such a fun one! I especially love how it explains probability in everyday terms, like how we can be sure about climate change while never really being sure about what the weather will be like tomorrow.
For Creative Tweens
Telgemeier’s books are delightful, but this interactive journal encourages kids to remember that they have great stories to tell, too.
For People Who Need a Reminder that Every Day Matters
I’m so in love with everything about this book, so bias alert: Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Gene Weingarten picked a date — December 28, 1986 — out of a hat and proceeded to turn his investigative efforts toward ferreting out the ordinary stories of people’s lives on that date — and how unordinary so many of them turned out to be. With bonus 80s nostalgia!
For Your New-to-Cooking Kid
Once you've mastered the cooking basics and want to feed other people, this cookbook is just the ticket. It’s officially part of my new Welcome to College Box.
For the Windmill-Tilters
Rushie's satirical genius illuminates this modern-day version of Don Quixote, which follows a traveling salesman determined on a quest (with his imaginary son) to prove himself worthy of his at-first-sight love.
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If you’ve got a reader who’s always ready for an excuse to hang with the gang from River Heights, one of these gifts might be a fun addition to your holiday wish list.