A book as a gift for a teacher who loves reading?

[Feteaccompli]

My DD has been exceptionally well supported by the deputy head at her school this term (she is last year of primary) and DD wants to buy teacher a book to say thank you.

We don't know teacher that well but DD says she loves books. To me this is a minefield of a gift as we'll probably buy a book she's alreadybread or get it wrong!

However, DD really wants to do this so I'm looking for suggestions to guide her. I was thinking a special edition of a classic? Or maybe something new if it has rave reviews?

Open to all suggestions!

Lonesome Dove. It's brilliant but not that mainstream. And if they have read it they won't be offended to be gifted it again.

I would not buy a book but a book token. The only reason to buy a book is if you know their favourite author and can get a book with signature and dedication. And don't waste money on book marks, we bookworms want just more books. 😂

Folio editions are really beautiful. Or you could go for the special independent bookshop edition of something new like maybe Nonesuch? I would go for a book token though

I would recommend a book token.

Or, if you want to get a book, Johann Peter Hebel's 'The Treasure Chest', which is a collection of (very) short stories. These kinds of things are nice to receive as a gift because you can dip into them, rather than feeling obliged to read a whole novel that might not be your usual cup of tea. Having said that, Hebel's stories are very easy to like. They also are remarkable in combining depth, wisdom and humour with a real simplicity of style. I think this could make it an especially good gift for a primary teacher, who could potentially read some of the stories with older primary children if they wish. Also, not enough people know of Hebel, so they are unlikely to have it already!

Please encourage your daughter to write a message in the book or a card. I have several books with inscriptions from students or with their cards kept tucked in the cover. Thanks are so much appreciated, and it is lovely to remember students.

Finding my Way by Malala Yousafzai is wonderful. It's her newish book and covers a joy of reading and the importance of girls education

It's such a wonderfully wise book and has also had me laughing a lot as well

As a retired teacher I still have a collection of gifts that I was given by various pupils over the years. It is great to be able to look back and remember those particular pupils. I am sure DD's teacher would be happy to receive a gift from her but I would try to guide DD towards buying a book token, so that the teacher can choose her own book and not duplicate on that she already has. If DD writes a 'Thank you' card as well as the book token, that will be able to stay with the book to remind the new owner of your daughter, long after she has left primary school.

I would go for something new, maybe Booker or some other prize nominee. Receipt in envelope so they can change it if they need to, and a little bookmark either way handwritten message from DD.

That is a great suggestion!

I’d go for a book token as well. Alternatively, in John Lewis and elsewhere, you can get embroidery or cross-stitch bookmark kits

Operate under the assumption that she will have read every good novel that you can think of.

With that in mind, choose either:
-Some great nonfiction book about teaching
-Some great reference book about literature

How about a surprise read from Mr B's emporium? You can choose a theme and they select eg an overlooked or an uplifting novel

A book voucher so recipient can choose own book.

DD could make a pretty book mark for her Deputy Head Teacher.

The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse by Charlie Mackesy is a fabulous book for gift giving.

The only teacher gift we ever bought was a voucher for Waterstones. The teacher really helped my DD find her love for reading. She was an avid reader herself and already had so many books we didn't want to duplicate. She cried when she saw the gift. (I assume it was happiness).

Not the fox horse mole book! Not for someone who loves reading

My dc did this... they chose their favourite books, wrote an inscritionand gave book to each of their teachers ... one staff member had justbhad a baby and dc wrote thatthey hoped thir dc would enjoy having it read to them as they had done..... they were appreciated by staff

This is excellent https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/17/reading-lessons-by-carol-atherton-review-breathing-new-life-into-old-texts

IMO, this book is saccharine nonsense!

Book with a gift receipt is fine. Does DD know anything else about her likes?

I agree with a bookmark and a book token. Bookmarks are surprisingly hard to get!

The other suggestion might be a lovely version of a beloved children's book - but you'd need to know what the teacher loved.

I must say, as a teacher, books are the loveliest gifts I have in my possession and rarely given , but you would maybe have to of a bit of research.

Personally, (book-loving ex-teacher), I’d go for a lovely edition of something excellent (Folio nice but expensive; Penguin has more affordable cloth-bound versions of lots of classics which are very attractive). With these you could choose something that maybe ornamental but could have a significance. Or a book token, and get your daughter to create a bookplate that the teacher can stick in. I would get generic book token over Waterstones then it can be used in independent bookshops too.
Avoid that Charlie McKesey book - as pp said, it’s saccharine plus she’s guaranteed to have it/have read it.

Teacher here - I’d go for “Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me” by Kate Clancy or “Because of you, this is me” by Jaz Ampaw- Farr. Although the second one has some harrowing accounts of child abuse so maybe the first one.

I've always thought of this as a book for people who dont really like books?

What about something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/BIROYAL-Reading-Journal-Book-Reviews/dp/B0DPF4TCDC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=21MTLROPKNBGM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rmZGhUL3rFPjtu0xwAQRgHK9Eva2nR3cTWxF7uPtRLZNWfcOW0dpse2RagHpwkJv6uMeAZhqRdEKCmeTNWUWNFKLlw-Ts9z1JMnfke7sGuqAGyuQX6Y2y6z0k7866_DRzyxhe29pf2ZqODlfVvPdNfJwlWyqcm-E5zsMToGJXMVcvszwJ3FVwZg9rqyaWemIYcb0ar5my_023B_J0oZNqCt9BenH84vErnUoDaa_17A.eQMfQyTjPkgzQXYuZA8GJEqkb7cxmZGIMhcTNuaaQyA&dib_tag=se&keywords=book%2Bjournal&qid=1774211308&s=books&sprefix=Book%2Bjpurnal%2Cstripbooks%2C276&sr=1-3&th=1

Your DD can write a note in the front, but this way it won't matter what the teacher likes reading.

On the downside, I have just added another item to my wish list 🤦‍♀️

For a teacher who encourages reading, how about Katherine Rundell’s “Why you should read children’s books (even though you are so old and wise)” - it’s only a fiver so you could also get her a book token for her own choice of book to go with it.