12 Best Books for Graduation

Yes, this post should have gone live way back in May or even April, but since I didn’t get anything together at that point, I thought I’d still try and post something that can be a helpful gift guide for the next graduation season.

It’s probably not surprising that books are my gift of choice from babies to adults, so books as graduation gifts make perfect sense to me. And with a personalized inscription or even a signature from an author, these books can become extremely special gifts.

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12 Best Books for Graduation

For Every One by Jason Reynolds

For Every One is exactly that: for every one. For every one person. For every one who has a dream. But especially for every kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to imagine. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been realized.

But others, the most important ones, lay ahead, and a lot of them involve kids, how to inspire them: All the kids who are scared to dream, or don’t know how to dream, or don’t dare to dream because they’ve NEVER seen a dream come true. Jason wants kids to know that dreams take time. They involve countless struggles. But no matter how many times a dreamer gets beat down, the drive and the passion and the hope never fully extinguishes—because simply having the dream is the start you need, or you won’t get anywhere anyway, and that is when you have to take a leap of faith.

Frog and Toad: A Little Book of Big Thoughts by Arnold Lobel

Beloved quotes from Frog and Toad are gathered together in this beautiful keepsake book on friendship and life.

This 48-page jacketed hardcover contains timeless quotes from the inimitable, inseparable pair, together with classic illustrations selected from the original four stories. This lovely volume is perfect at graduation, for birthdays, or just because.

Celebrate fifty years of Frog & Toad!

The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe with her call for unity and healing. Her poem “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” can now be cherished in this special gift edition, perfect for any reader looking for some inspiration. Including an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey, this remarkable keepsake celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry.

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

From the incomparable team of author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, this exuberant, inspirational book for kids holds more than a single wish or even three wishes—it is filled with endless good wishes. Wishes for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, laughter and peace.

Whether celebrating life’s joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments, this sweet book is for wishers of all ages! I Wish You More is the perfect graduation gift or baby shower book as well as an uplifting read sure to bring positivity to all who read it.

Just In Case You Want to Fly by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

just in case you want to fly
here’s some wind
and here’s the sky

Funny and sweet, told with lyrical text and bright, unexpected illustrations, Just in Case You Want to Fly is a celebration of heading off on new adventures–and of knowing your loved ones will always have your back when you need them.

A joyful, inclusive cast of children fly, sing, and wish their way across the pages, with everything they could ever need–a cherry if you need a snack, and if you get itchy here’s a scratch on the back–to explore the world around them. Bold illustrations created by Christian Robinson, creator of You Matter, bring out the humor and warmth of the poetic text, teasing out new meanings and adding delightful details that will have you turning the pages again and again.

The Path by Bob Staake

“You will walk. You will walk along a well-worn path that many people have taken—and long before you.” So begins this inspirational journey over gentle, grassy hills, through fields of wildflowers, over raging rivers, up steep mountains, and even through a dark, chilly cave. When it splits in two, you will have to decide what to do next—and you’ll create a path that’s unique to you.

Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life by Kimberly & James Dean

Pete’s glass-half-full outlook on life shines through as he adds his fun take on well-known classics attributed to luminaries from Albert Einstein to Confucius to Abraham Lincoln to Shakespeare and more!

Roar Like a Dandelion by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

Dance with a leaf.
Jump like a raindrop.
Sit in the sun and shine.

This imaginative story from Ruth Krauss—one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time—and celebrated artist Sergio Ruzzier is a remarkable collaboration that captures the timeless spirit of Krauss’s signature wit and humor. Paired with Ruzzier’s irresistible drawings, this story will delight readers of all ages and inspire them to roar like dandelions.

Things to Look Forward To: 52 Lare and Small Joys for Today and Every Day by Sophie Blackall

In these pages, beloved author and illustrator Sophie Blackall has gathered a collection of joys for all of us—reminders of everyday magic, like the sun coming up and new babies being born. With wisdom, whimsy, and compassion, the 52 illustrated ideas in this book offer moments of uplift and serendipity for yourself and your loved ones. Suggestions range from baking muffins for a friend to drawing a face on an egg and putting it in the fridge where it will smile at you each time you open the door.

A message of hope and solace in hard times and of joyful anticipation at times of new beginnings—whether you’re grieving a loss or starting a new chapter, and for all the days in between—Things to Look Forward To is full of gentle reminders of the objects, occasions, gestures, and ideas that warm our hearts. There is always something bright on the horizon, and sometimes that horizon can be a lot closer than we think.

What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom

This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child’s confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who’s ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It’s a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow, and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s just getting started.

When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

“One day for no particular reason, nothing was going right. Absolutely positively, nothing was going right. So, I decided to go left…”

Told through creative language play, and with depth and whimsy, this picture book reminds readers of their own agency and the power they have to direct their own path. Marc Colagiovanni’s lyrical text and Peter H. Reynolds’s stunning art create an enduring message of strength and perseverance that is both universal and personal, and one that readers will be drawn to over and over again.

Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great! by Sandra Boynton

Whether you are learning to skate, baking a cake, or even making a mistake, this hilarious and heartfelt rhyming book reminds us that trying our best is reason to celebrate. From children trying to master new skills to adults who had a hard week at work, we all get overwhelmed sometimes and need reassurance. And who better to offer it than a chicken exclaiming: “WOO HOO! YOU’RE DOING GREAT!”