Gift Ideas for Writers

Mother’s Day is a great day to show your mom a little appreciation. You can take her out to dinner, send her a nice card, or get her a thoughtful gift. If you’re feeling stumped, there’s plenty of fun and clever gift ideas for readers and bookworms that make perfect Mother’s Day gifts. We’ve rounded up some of the best Mother’s Day gifts for book lovers and readers.

Best Mother’s Day Gifts for Book Lovers

1. Sterling Silver Book Necklace

Jewelry is a classic gift for Mother’s Day, but this gives it a bit of a bookish twist. This necklace is designed to look like a vintage hardcover book. The classic design makes it perfect to wear casually or for a special occasion. Gorgeous and thoughtful, Mom will love it.

The charm and chain are sterling silver. You can choose between a variety of chain lengths.

2. Recycled Book Roses

Flowers are a classic Mother’s Day gift, but real flowers die and eventually are thrown away. These recycled book page flowers last forever and make a beautiful gift for any book lover. My Cotton Branch makes gorgeous paper roses from a variety of books and comics. You can make the gift even more meaningful by selecting pages from one of Mom’s favorite books like Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice. Make the gift even sweeter by selecting one of the children’s books, to remind mom of the times she read to you in bed when you were a child.

3. Comfy Socks for Book Lovers

There’s nothing cozier than a hot drink, comfy PJs, and some soft socks. For a reader, this gift is practical and fun. What makes them fun is the message hidden on the bottom: “If you can read this, please bring me a book.” Your hardworking Mom will appreciate this gift that reminds her to take some time to kick back, relax, and read. Available in five colors.

4. Bookmarks are for Quitters T-shirt

This is the perfect gift for moms who read an entire book in a day. They don’t even need a bookmark, because “Bookmarks are for Quitters.” We recommend adding a book or a sweet treat to this gift.

This playful t-shirt is available in white, blue, gray, yellow, and pink.

5. Personalized Bookmark

If your mom is the type of reader who does need a bookmark because she enjoys longer books or marking her favorite passages, then this is the gift for her. This gorgeous bookmark is personalized for your mom. It can be engraved with the names of all her children and features a minimalist heart. If you pay a little extra, you can have a special message engraved on the back as well.

The bookmark is handmade from stainless steel, creating a lasting and meaningful gift for your mother.

Check out more fun bookmarks for readers.

6. Kindle Oasis E-reader

If your mom reads a lot and she doesn’t already have an e-reader, this is the year to get her one. We recommend the Kindle Oasis because it’s waterproof, making it perfect to read at the beach, by the pool, or in the bath (more on that later). It also comes in a gorgeous Champagne Gold color, perfect for the stylish Mom.

With a 7″ display, it’s like reading a regular book except easier on the wrists since it’s so light. It also stores hundreds of ebooks and you can instantly buy new ones direct from the Kindle store, or take advantage of a Kindle Unlimited Subscription (which makes a great gift for Mom as well!).

7. Book Cases for E-Readers

If your mother already has an e-reader, a fantastic literary-themed Mother’s Day gift is to get a case that looks like a book. Not only will it protect the e-reader from damage, but it looks just like a vintage book! We highly recommend KleverCase, which makes cases for Kindles, iPads, and even iPhones. They make cases that look like specific books, like the Alice in Wonderland book above, or just generic leather books. The choices are endless and your mom will really appreciate the bookish case.

8. Literary Bath Salts

It’s nice to let mom pamper herself on Mother’s Day and these literary-themed bath salts are the perfect excuse for her to take a little “me time.” The Soap Librarian makes a variety of bookish soaps and bath salts based on famous books like The Great Gatsby and Pride & Prejudice. Check out their bar soaps as well–they’re shaped like books!

9. Bamboo Bath Tray

Now that Mom has everything she needs to take some “me time,” make sure she can really enjoy her bath. This bamboo bath tray has everything she needs to relax and enjoy a good book. With extending sides that fit any bathtub, this caddy includes an adjustable reading rack to hold an e-reader or book, as well as a notch for a glass of wine. There’s even a notch to keep your cell phone or a candle safely in place.

10. Vintage Books Scented Candle

Speaking of candles, a bookish candle makes a fun Mother’s Day gift for any book lover. The Cheeky Nose makes a variety of scrumptious and fun candles based on a variety of themes–including books! Their “Vintage Books” scent is a favorite of ours, with that musty old book smell that brings back memories of stepping into used book shops or reading your grandparent’s books. Every book lover will really enjoy this candle.

11. Library Card Earrings

If your mom is a librarian or just has nostalgic memories of date stamps on library cards, she’ll love these earrings. Made by Liza and Lulus, these cute earrings are a pair of miniature library cards, complete with a history of check-out stamps. Made from recycled wood, they have sterling silver french wire hooks.

Check out more bookish gifts for librarians.

12. Book Shelf Infinity Scarf

This scarf makes a stylish fashion statement! Featuring a print of books on a shelf, any book loving mama will appreciate this gorgeous scarf. This chiffon scarf is lightweight, perfect to wear year round.

13. Custom Book Page Throw Blanket

If your mom loves cuddling up with a good book, this amazing throw blanket will keep her toasty warm. What is unique about this blanket is it is fully customizable–you choose the text that is displayed on this “book page.” That means you can pick a page from your mother’s favorite book or even write a story for her. She’ll appreciate all the thought that went into this personalized gift.

14. Heart Shape Book Page Holder

This is such a cute way to show mom you love her. Tilisma makes these beautiful wooden book page holders. You slide them onto your thumb and they help hold book pages open for a more comfortable, one-handed reading experience. The heart shaped design shows your love.

15. Custom Library Book Stamp

Most book lovers worry about lending out their favorite books in case they never see them again, but you can ease your mom’s concern with this gift. This custom book stamp says “From the Library Of” and can be personalized with your mother’s name. This unique gift is perfect for Mother’s Day.

16. Reading Figure Sculpture

This beautiful art piece is begging to be displayed on your mother’s bookshelf. Artist Danya B has designed this lovely figure sitting and reading a book. This statue is made from cast iron, but is surprisingly lightweight. It also works well as a bookend–you can even order two!

17. Punny Book Shaped Coasters

These solid wood coasters are a unique and fun gift idea for book-loving moms. Each features a “punny” version of a classic book cover, with a drink related twist. “Gone with the Wind” becomes “Gone with the Wine” and “Pride and Prejudice” becomes “Pride and Beverages.” There are 16 options available which you can buy in customized sets (2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 coasters) or as a whole group

18. Bookshelf Mug for Readers

If your mom is a bibliophile who enjoys a warm drink while she reads, this is a must-have gift for her! This 11 oz mug features an illustration of bookshelves, featuring a variety of classic books, a sleeping cat, and even a bird that has escaped its cage. Include some of their favorite coffee or tea to make an awesome gift bag (and check out the next item for some tea ideas!)

19. Literary Themed Tea for Mom

If your mom enjoys drinking tea, she’ll really like these literary-themed teas. Rosie Lea Tea UK has 60 different author tins to choose from, each feature the author’s name and a famous quote. Each tin comes with their delicious Orange Crush Fruit Infusion tea, a deliciously fruity tea that’s great hot or iced. You can choose from loose-leaf, breakfast tea bags, or strawberry tea bags.

20. Pillow eBook Reader Holder

If your mother likes to read in bed and uses an e-reader or tablet, this gift will give her a hands-free reading experience. This pillow comfortably sits in your lap while providing a stand to hold a tablet or e-reader. It also features pockets to store reading accessories. When you’re done, it folds up to function as a normal pillow or you can use the handle to carry it around.

21. Literary Foil Art Prints

Annya Kai Art Foils makes beautiful art prints using real gold foils. She has an entire portfolio of prints featuring literary quotes. The prints are not only beautiful but inspiring and a great Mother’s Day gift. Each print is made to order so you can choose the background color and either gold or silver foil accents.

22. Book Lover’s Reading Journal

This reading journal is a perfect way for mom to track the books she reads. The review pages have spaces to record details like title and author of the book, as well as the dates spent reading the book, a rating, and notes on the book. There are also other worksheet pages like one to record your “biblio style” of favorite authors, books, and genres and pages to record favorite quotes from books.

23. These Are My Reading Glasses Funny Wine Glasses

For the mom who has a sense of humor and loves wine! This pair of stemless wine glasses say “These are my reading glasses.” Include a bottle of mom’s favorite wine and she’ll really enjoy this gift.

24. Books to Read Tray

Every book lover has a “to be read” pile, but this is a unique way for mom to display her books. Gifts with a Cherry on Top makes these shabby chic wooden trays that say “Books to Read” on the side. Perfect for displaying on a shelf or coffee table. The trays are made to order and come in three different sizes with a choice of 13 different colors to match mom’s home decor.

25. Blind Date with a Book Box

If you feel really stumped on a great Mother’s Day gift idea, here is one that is sure to delight. Happily Ever Books makes these “Blind Date with a Book” gift boxes. You tell them what kind of book genre your mom likes to read and what kind of coffee/tea she likes. They will pick out a book and include a ton of other fun small gifts.

Still, haven’t found the perfect gift for mom? Check out more of our gifts for readers and book lovers. Our gifts for readers megalist has 50 fantastic gift ideas for bookworms. Also explore Mother’s Day gardening gifts, Mother’s Day gifts for movie lovers, and meditation and yoga gifts for mom.

Bookworms occasionally like to leave their cozy reading nook and hang out with friends. We kid, but often times readers are also big fans of board games and tabletop games. In fact, they especially love board games for book lovers. These are games with a literary angle, either based on famous works or utilizing the nerdy knowledge that book lovers often possess. These make great gifts for readers or even a good gift for yourself. Check out all the literary board games below.

Literary Board Games for Book Lovers

1. Bring Your Own Book

Book lovers never have a shortage of books on hand, which is the only other thing you need to play this fun party game. To play, grab your favorite book and select a card from the deck. The card will give you a prompt like “dating advice” or “a line in a ransom note.” You then search your chosen book for the best line that works. Think Apples to Apple or Cards Against Humanity, but with books instead!

This game never gets old since the books are always changing. You can even make it themed, having guests bring romance novels, outdated textbooks, cookbooks, or whatever interesting combination you want to play with.

Age Range: 12 years and up

Number of Players: 3 or more

Playing Time: 20 minutes

2. Literati Challenge Game

This is another party game that bookworms (and writers) love. You’re given five words and 90 seconds to write a story using all of those words. The challenge comes in the fact that you might not know the words you were given, so you have to bluff in your story to earn points. The result is laugh-out-loud funny stories that will create a memorable night of gameplay.

This is the kind of game that only appeals to certain types of people who are into creative thinking and challenging vocabulary. Most book lovers and writers fall into that category, so they’ll love this hilarious party game.

Age Range: 15 years and up

Number of Players: 2 or more players

3. 221B Baker Street Deluxe Edition Board Game

Perfect for mystery lovers and fans of the game Clue, this mystery board game features legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. The game comes with 200 cases for you to solve as you travel London (on the board) searching for clues.

This game is a great way to bring to life your love of mystery novels by solving your own case from the safety of your living room. Reviewers love playing it in teams, so this can make a great party game for mystery fans. This version of the game includes all of the expansion packs so you save money on buying extra cases.

Age Range: 12 years and up

Number of Players: 2 – 6 players

4. Liebrary

Similar to Balderdash, this is another game beloved to book lovers and writers alike. To play the game, the players are give a book title and a plot summary and then asked to write a first line for the book. Then the other players try to pick the correct first line to earn points. It involves a lot of creativity and a little bluffing to earn points and win the game.

The game design on this one is also top-notch. The box looks like a vintage hardback book and the card games look like library card catalog cards. Book lovers and literature nerds will love everything about this game. It’s a great party game or even fun for just a few friends hanging out together.

Age Range: 12 years and up

5. Game of Thrones Risk

Game of Thrones has become hugely popular thanks to the hit HBO show, but fans of the book and the TV show alike will enjoy this special version of the classic game Risk. This board game is as epic as the book series, with two different custom maps (Westeros & Essos), 3 ways to play (Skirmish, Dominion, or World at War) and over 600 unique game pieces. If you’re a fan of the game of Risk and the series Game of Thrones, this is a game you must add to your collection.

Risk is the kind of game that is liked by certain types of people, but others may find it boring. Luckily there are tons of other Game of Thrones board games available if Risk isn’t your type of game.

Age Range: 18 years and up

Number of Players: 2 – 7 players

6. Choose Your Own Adventure Game

This unique game captures the fun of a classic Choose Your Own Adventure book in a tabletop game. A cooperative adventure, this game captures the prose and style of Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Perfect for a party or playing in small groups. A variety of stories are available as their own board game, so you’ll never get bored.

Age Range: 10 years and older

Number of Players: 1+ players

Playing Time: 1 hour

7. Marrying Mr. Darcy Board Game

Jane Austenites are head over heels for this Pride & Prejudice card game. Utilizing characters from Jane Austen’s beloved novel, you step into the story by playing as one of the female characters. You want to earn the most points by collecting character cards for different attributes like Wit, Beauty, and Reputation. The amount of points you have for each attribute determines which suitor you will match with and a roll of the dice determines whether or not they will propose.

While this game can be played by anyone, even those who haven’t read Pride & Prejudice, big Jane Austen fans will really appreciate the references to the book. If you really get into the game, there are also expansion packs available to add on to the fun.

Number of Players: 2 to 6 players

Playing Time: 60 minutes

Check out more gifts for Jane Austen fans.

8. Scrabble Linen Book Vintage Edition Board Game

When I think of board games for book lovers, Scrabble always comes to mind. Readers love words, and games that let them flex their vocabulary are extra fun. This version of Scrabble doesn’t have a special literary theme. Instead, the game has literally been turned into a book. Instead of the normal cardboard box that Scrabble normally comes in, this special edition comes in a beautiful white linen vintage style book box. Stored inside is the vintage 1948 version of the classic Scrabble board game. When you’re done playing, it all goes back in the box which can be displayed on the shelf with your other books.

Scrabble is a great game, loved by readers and writers alike because it allows them to utilize their vocabulary skills. This version makes an excellent gift that any book lover will enjoy.

Age Range: 8 years and up

Number of Players: 2 to 4 players

Check out more gifts for Scrabble lovers.

9. Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle: A Cooperative Deck Building Game

Thanks to the popularity of the Harry Potter book and movie series, there are tons of Potter-themed board games available. This one is a must-play for die-hard Harry Potter fans. Hogwarts Battle is a cooperative deck building game that actually features 7 sequential games that progressively become more difficult. Reviews for this game are outstanding, though the gameplay is a bit too complicated to explain here (especially with 7 different games).

If you enjoy co-op tabletop games like Forbidden Island or deck building games like Dominion and are also a Harry Potter fan, you should get this game immediately. You can also hack it to play as a one player game if you want to take on the challenge solo.

Age Range: 11 years and up

Number of Players: 2 to 4 players

10. Art of Conversation Literary Card Game

If you’re looking for board games for book lovers and willing to count cards as a board game, you’ve gotta check out this game. These cards put a literary spin on the Art of Conversation game. The purpose of the original game is to inspire conversations among groups of people, whether it’s family, friends, or business associates. This version of the game focuses on questions about books, allowing players to share their experiences reading various types of books and to gush about their favorites.

This card game is great for book clubs or just book nerds together at a party. The questions cover all types of book, from literature and poetry to other genres like science fiction and mystery. Every reader will enjoy this game. It’s also adaptable for all ages, so children and adults can play together and share the love of reading.

Number of Players: 2 or more players

11. Dick: A Card Game Based on Moby Dick

Here’s another book-themed card game you may enjoy. Dick takes the concept of Cards Against Humanity or Apples to Apples and combines it with the famous Herman Mellville novel Moby Dick. To play, you pick a question card and the other players select one of the 375 answer cards which are taken word for word from the text of the book. What follows is hilarious rounds of selecting the best answer. While fans of the book will really appreciate this game, anyone will enjoy this fun twist on the classic party game CAH.

As you may guess by the name of the game, there’s a lot of, ahem, puns in this game. So it’s not for kids, but great for adult gatherings. Reviewers do say that it’s not as low-brow as Cards Against Humanity, so academics and lit nerds will enjoy it.

Number of Players: 4 or more players

12. Booktastic! Modern Literature Edition

This is the only board game for book lovers I’ve seen that models the gameplay after one of the most fun parts of being a bookworm–buying more books! To play the game, you move your pieces around a board of a small town, occasionally stopping in the bookshop to buy more books. To earn money, you have to answer trivia questions in 3 categories–including casual reader questions so even non-book-nerds can enjoy the game.

This version of the game focuses on modern best-selling fiction, with titles up through 2004. Bookstastic is not currently being manufactured, so getting copies of this game is becoming progressively harder. If you’re interested in this game, buy a copy now!

Number of Players: 2 to 4 players

13. Bards Dispense Profanity: Shakespeare Card Game

Here’s another literary take on Cards Against Humanity. This one focuses on the works of William Shakespeare. Game play is the same as Dick and CAH: you draw a card and the other players put down answers that are lines from 24 of Shakespeare’s plays. The reviews for this game indicate it is hilarious and fun, no matter how familiar you are with the original texts.

Again, this game is an adult party game so it’s not meant for kids. Since Shakespeare is so widely read in schools, this is a game even non-readers will enjoy. It’s great for parties of literature snobs and laymen.

Number of Players: 4 or more players

14. Classic Paperbacks Puzzle

This isn’t technically a board game, but this puzzle will delight literature nerds. This 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle features many classic paperback book covers from the 1960s and 70s by artist Richard Baker. Many readers will recognize famous covers for The Great Gatsby, A Clockwork Orange, Breakfast of Champions and more.

The completed puzzle measures 25″ x 20″.

15. The Lord of the Rings: Board Game

This is the ultimate game for fans of JRR Tolkien’s beloved trilogy The Lord of the Rings. Based on the book, you play as a hobbit journeying through the classic landscapes of the book in the quest to destroy the One Ring. The game features beautiful graphics and details that will delight superfans.

While this game is great for fans, it is not one for casual gamers as the rules are complex and take a little while to learn. If you’re looking for a party game or something non-fans will be interested in playing, look elsewhere.

Age Range: 12 and up

Number of Players: 2 to 5 players

Playing Time: 60 – 90 minutes

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Want to see fun and creative gifts for writers and book lovers? Try our megalists of gifts for writers and gifts for readers.

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