Most Beautiful Books of 2018 – A Holiday Gift Guide
A Holiday Gift Guide
Most Beautiful Books of 2018
On this page:
Welcome to my review of the most physically beautiful books published in 2018, with the aim of helping you to find appropriate gifts for your nearest and dearest, or – even better – take an opportunity to treat yourself during the holiday season! The books are loosely sorted by genre, and I’ve added links for every book to help you track down the exact edition if you see anything you love. There’s truly something for everyone: subcategories include picture books, children’s books, teens, fiction, mystery, the natural world, poetry, fantasy & scifi, Harry Potter, and Christmas…
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I very deeply appreciate your support of my site hosting costs if you use them, but warmly encourage you to buy from your local Indie bookshop if you have the opportunity. On the other hand, if you’re an Amazon shopper, I have put the books in this handy list for you.
Picture Books
Dragon Post - Emma Yarlett
Alex finds a dragon living in the cupboard under the stairs, so he writes letters to lots of different people to ask for advice on taking care of his surprise visitor. Incorporates 5 fun removable letters.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Once Upon a Wild Wood - Chris Riddell
An inventive fairy tale mashup about the adventures of Little Green Raincape. Features a die-cut cover and richly detailed drawings by the masterful Chris Riddell.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Cinderella 'Pop-In' - Dinara Mirtalipova and Katie Haworth
The classic Cinderella story for children, with delightful illustrations presented in a delicate pop-up aperture format. In series with previous years offerings of Beauty & the Beast and Sleeping Beauty.
➤ Find Cinderella Pop-In at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Beauty & the Beast Pop-In at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Sleeping Beauty Pop-In at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Ink House - Rory Dobner
The Ink House is an artist’s mysterious mansion, built on a magical pool of ink that inspires creativity in anyone who lives there. When the artist goes adventuring, animals great and small arrive for the Annual Ink House Extravaganza. Features a die cut cover and stunning ink illustrations.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Children and the Young at Heart
Facsimile Moomin Books - Tove Jansson
The Moomins, in case you didn’t know, are kind, philosophical creatures with velvety fur and smooth round snouts, who live in a tall blue house in a beautiful woodland valley beside the sea.
Following on from the first four books in this series which I featured in the 2017 edition of “Most Beautiful Books of the Year”, Sort of Books completed the set this year when released their final four special collectors editions of the original Moomin books.
These pocket sized hardbacks use the gorgeous original 50s and 60s cover artwork, and feature illustrated endpapers, hidden cover designs, and several volumes also contain foldout maps. They are delightful and very affordable.
➤ Find Tales from Moominvalley from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Moominsummer Madness from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Moominpappa at Sea from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Moominvalley in November from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Bonus: Take a look at The Moomin Craft Book
Walliams' 10th Anniversary Editions - David Walliams
A limited release of special 10th anniversary editions of some David Walliams’ best-selling children’s books with coloured illustrations. Featuring metallic dust jackets, special hidden covers, ribbon bookmarks and sewn bindings.
➤ Find Mr Stink 10! Anniversary Edition from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Gangsta Granny 10! Anniversary Edition from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Grandpa’s Great Escape 10! Anniversary Edition from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find The Boy in the Dress 10! Anniversary Edition from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Mary Poppins - PL Travers and Lauren Child
First published in 1964, Mary Poppins has been delighting readers ever since. This lovely version is prolifically illustrated with Lauren Child’s fun signature mixed media images. Features full page spreads and inventive font designs.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See also the Mary Poppins editions comparison page
Wundersmith - Jessica Townsend
The second book in the Trials of Morrigan Crow (see also the 2017 gift guide for the first in the series, Nevermoor).
The UK edition has a gorgeous hidden cover under the dust jacket –sprinkled with gold – and pretty illustrated chapter headings. The Australian edition has a small illustration on the boards with illustrated endpapers that feature the cover design from the UK edition.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Lost Magician - Piers Torday
In this modern day homage to Narnia, four children step through a mysterious library door to discover the magical world of Folio, where an enchanted kingdom of fairy knights, bears and tree gods is under threat from a sinister robot army. Features decorative chapter headings and a hidden cover under the dust jacket.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Pages & Co: Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James
Since her mother’s disappearance, eleven-year-old Tilly has found comfort in stories at Pages & Co, her grandparents’ bookshop. But suddenly her favourite characters, Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland, wander into the shop, and Tilly’s adventures begin. Features a hidden cover under the dust jacket and b&w internal illustrations. Particularly lovely for anyone familiar with classic children’s literature.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Train to Impossible Places - P. G. Bell
An imaginative middle grade novel about a train that travels through impossible places, a boy trapped in a snow globe, and a girl who’s about to go on an unbelievable adventure. The UK edition features internal illustrations and a hidden cover.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Twice Magic - Cressida Cowell
The second volume in the Wizards of Once series. Wish is in possession of a powerful, Magic Spelling Book; Xar has a dangerous Witchstain on his hand. Together they can save the Wildwoods from the curse of the Witches but they are separated by the highest wall imaginable. Features delightful illustrations throughout.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ While stocks last, sprayed page edges edition at Waterstones
Stella Montgomery Intrigues - Judith Rossell
Writer-illustrator Judith Rossell has just released the final book in her magical Stella Montgomery series. These delightful historical fiction books feature young orphan Stella and her dreadful aunts, good for fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. Each book is printed in a different coloured ink and they contain lovely b&w illustrations as well.
➤ Find Wakestone Hall (book 3) at Amazon | Booktopia (AU) | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Wormwood Mire (book 2) at Amazon | Booktopia (AU) | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ OOP. Find Withering-by-Sea (book 1) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge - MT Anderson & Eugene Yelchin
Elfin historian Brangwain Spurge and the goblin archivist Werfel are trying to survive being catapulted across the mountains into goblin territory, deliver a priceless peace offering to their mysterious dark lord, and spy on the goblin kingdom. Witty mixed media illustrations show Brangwain’s furtive missives back to the elf kingdom, while Werfel’s written narrative tells an entirely different story.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Restless Girls - Jessie Burton and Angela Barrett
A delightful feminist retelling of the ‘Twelve Dancing Princess’ fairy tale. Features a hidden cover under the dust jacket and gorgeous illustrations. The deluxe edition comes in a slipcase with an exclusive print and sprayed page edges.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Deluxe Slipcase Edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Little Mermaid and other tales by Hans Christian Anderson, and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - illustrated by MinaLima
This year saw two more books in MinaLima’s gorgeous children’s classics series with Harper Design: Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. These both feature gorgeous illlustrations throughout as well as clever paper engineering in the form of spinning snowflakes, gatefold designs, maps, paper dolls and removable letters.
➤ Find Little Mermaid at Amazon | Bookshop.org | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Secret Garden at Amazon | Bookshop.org | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See also Collecting MinaLima’s Interactive Children’s Classics for more in this series.
The Legend of Sally Jones and The Murderer's Ape - Jakob Wegelius
The Murderer’s Ape is the story of Sally Jones, ape and gifted engineer, , with detailed black-and-white illustrations throughout the text. The Legend of Sally Jones is a colour prequel graphic novel following the ape’s early adventures.
➤ Find Legend of Sally Jones at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Young Adult
The Mermaid Handbook - Carloyn Turgeon
A lavishly illustrated compendium of mermaid lore from the editor in chief of Faerie Magazine, and the latest addition to the Enchanted Library series. Includes legends, facts, trivia, step-by-step projects and recipes, all accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See also the whole Enchanted Library series here
Percy Jackson Lightning Thief: Illustrated Edition - Rick Riordan and John Rocco
This new edition of “The Lightning Thief” has been illustrated throughout by American artist John Rocco. It’s a stunning edition, with full colour art on almost every page. The binding is smyth-sewn with a blue ribbon bookmark. And the mapped endpapers show Camp Half-blood on the front pages and Percy’s quest along the back pages.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See a detailed review of this edition for more information
Glass Sword [Collector's Edition] - Victoria Aveyard
These collector’s editions of the Red Queen series feature bonus content, colour interior art, hidden covers under the dust jacket, and sprayed page edges.
➤ Find Glass Sword (Collector’s Ed) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Red Queen (Collector’s Ed) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Six of Crows [Collector's Edition] - Leigh Bardugo
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See an in-depth review of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom collector’s editions here
Throne of Glass [Collector's Edition] - Sarah J. Maas
The (superior) US collector’s edition features a cloth slipcase with unique foil art on the case and the book cover, a ribbon pull, beautiful brand-new interior page designs, metallic endpapers, and a new map of Erilea. The UK edition
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See an in-depth review of Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses collector’s editions here
Classics
Frankenstein Reimagined - Mary Shelley and David Plunkert
This edition is illustrated with 100 dark and evocative images by American artist David Plunkert and includes an 8 page vellum insert detailing the doctor’s designs and a gatefold image of the monster.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
☞ Read the guide to all the books in Rockport’s Reimagined Classics series here
Virago Modern Classics - 40th Anniversary Editions
Virago published a stunning collection of 14 paperback titles with pretty patterned covers and French flaps to celebrate their 40th anniversary this year.
➤ Find the 40th anniversary collection at Amazon | Blackwells
Fiction
And the Ocean Was Our Sky - Patrick Ness and Rovina Cai
A lyrical retelling of Moby Dick with lush, gorgeous art of Rovina Cai woven throughout the text.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa
A gift edition of this road trip story across Japan with a cat. Features a ribbon bookmark and internal spot illustrations.
► Buy Travelling Cat Chronicles from Book Depository [UK Edition] or Amazon (US).
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Fox 8 - George Saunders
An enchanting and comic, but ultimately quite dark fable of human greed and nature. Features delightful illustrations by Chelsea Cardinal.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Eleanor Oliphant [special edition] - Gail Honeyman
This is a humorous and poignant story about the importance of friendship in a world where people are increasingly isolated. The Waterstones special edition is signed, and features a redeigns glittery cover and patterned endpapers.
The Natural World
Glorious Life of the Oak - John Lewis-Stempel
Explores Britain’s relationship with the iconic oak tree, including the life-cycle of the tree; the flora and fauna that depend on it; the oak as medicine, food and drink; where Britain’s mightiest oaks can be found; and tells oak stories from folklore, myth and legend. In series with The Secret Life of the Owl and The Private Life of the Hare.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings - Helen Jukes
A fascinating account of a novice beekeeper’s year of keeping honeybees. Mainly it just features interesting content with a pretty cover, otherwise it’s a standard hardback.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Black Fox Running - Brian Carter
A re-release of an older novel, this is essentially Watership Down with foxes. Again, I’m including this one mainly because it’s a good story with a very pretty cover.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garner
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s.
The first print run of the UK editions feature a collection of different hidden cover designs.
Blue Salt Road - Joanne M. Harris
A beautifully illustrated modern fairy tale.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Mystery
Agatha Christie Special Editions
Harper Collins have started to release some new hardcover editions of some classic Agatha Christie mysteries, with four now in the series. These pretty casebound novels have cheap paper and are only glued in, but they feature lovely illustrated endpapers and decorative chapter headings.
➤ Find 4:50 from Paddington from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells
➤ Find ABC Murders from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells
➤ Find Mystery of the Blue Train from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells
➤ In series with Murder on the Orient Express from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells
☞ Also, you might like to check out the Guide to Agatha Christie Special Editions here
The Sentence is Death - Anthony Horowitz
Death, deception, and a detective with quite a lot to hide stalk the pages of Anthony Horowitz’s fun new murder mystery, the second in the bestselling series starring Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne. Fun illustrated endpapers on the UK edition.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Book Lover's Reference
Bibliophile - Jane Mount
An illustrated love-letter to all things bookish. Makes a stunning gift.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See my detailed review of Bibliophile for more information on this book and several companion pieces
The Writer's Map - Huw Lewis Jones
A fabulous illustrated atlas of the journeys that writers make, encompassing not only the maps that actually appear in their books, but also the many maps that have inspired them and the sketches that they use in writing.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ You might also like my article on literary maps, with more details on this book and other
Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading - Lucy Mangan
A love letter to the joys of childhood reading, from Wonderland to Narnia.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Myths & Legends
Circe - Madeline Miller
An epic retelling of the history of the infamous goddess from the Odyssey. The UK edition features stunning decorative covers under the dust jacket, and decorative endpapers.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Signed edition while stocks last at Waterstones
Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker
A fascinating but rather brutal retelling of the Iliad that explores the stories of the women and girls that were collateral damage in the Trojan War, with pretty endpapers.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Signed edition while stocks last at Waterstones
Heroes - Stephen Fry
Fry retells a collection of dramatic, funny and adventurous tales of the Greek Heroes. Patterned endpages.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Zahhak Pop-Up - Simon Arizpe and Hamid Rahmanian
This Iranian legend of Zahhak, taken from the incredible illustrated edition of the Shahnameh, is one of my favourite pop-ups of the year.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
☞ See also the detailed review of Zahhak for more information about this gorgeous book
Poetry
Poems to Live Your Life By - Chris Riddell
This gorgeously illustrated anthology is divided into sections covering: musings, youth, family, love, imaginings, nature, war and endings. Riddell brings them to life with his exquisite, intricate artwork. Includes a variety of poets, ranging from Lewis Carroll and William Shakespeare to Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, and Neil Gaiman.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree - Frann Preston-Gannon
This lavishly illustrated compendium of nature poems is named after the first line of Judith Nicholls’ poem ‘Windsong’. There is a poem for every day of the year (although if you want to follow the seasons you have to live in the northern hemisphere). Includes a wide variety of poets, including John Agard, William Blake, Emily Bronte, Charles Causley, Walter de la Mare, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Eleanor Farjeon, Robert Frost, Thomas Hardy, Roger McGough, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, John Updike, and William Wordsworth.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Old Toffer's Book of Consequential Dogs - Christopher Reid and Elliot Elam
Written by award-winning poet – and like TS Eliot himself a fellow former editor of Faber and Faber – this collection is conceived as a companion volume to Eliot’s original volume Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. Introduces Dobson the Dog Detective, Flo the Philosophical Foxhound, and Frazzlesprat, a dog who would really rather be a cat and a host of other humorous hounds.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Harry Potter
The Archive of Magic - MinaLima
This magnificent book is modelled after a special item from the movie, and features removable facsimile reproductions of props and other materials from the movie, along with some very special effects. A lovely tribute to moviemaking magic, it would be ideal for any Wizarding World fan, aspiring concept artists and designers, and cinema buffs.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Tales of Beedle the Bard - JK Rowling and Chris Riddell
This lavishly illustrated edition of Rowling’s fairy tales is my favourite, but the US edition illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger is also beautiful.
➤ Find UK edition (Chris Riddell) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition (Lisbeth Zwerger) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Deluxe Illustrated Edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ See also my full review of all the Beedle the Bard editions for more information about this book and other editions.
A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts - Matthew Reinhart
This Pop-up guide to Hogwarts is incredibly detailed, you see different things from every angle, and you can fold it out into a huge connected map. The unfolding process is a little tricky so I suggest you watch the youtube tutorial before attempting it.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Pop-up - Matthew Reinhart
A magical pop-up retelling of Tim Burton’s iconic film, in time to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The deluxe edition is autographed and comes in a slipcase with an exclusive pop-up cover.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
I do these lists every year – if you enjoyed this list, you might also like to check out my other best of the year lists here…
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