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Books for Teachers

A teacher is likely to get plenty of mugs, so a book that is warm and easy to read is a kind change. These eight include cozy novels, funny stories and two true accounts of learning and work.

Gift ideas

  • Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

    Robin Sloan

    Clay Jannon takes the night shift at an odd San Francisco bookstore and sets out to solve the puzzle of its customers. Playful and bookish, and quick to read.

  • The Thursday Murder Club

    Richard Osman

    Four retirees who study cold cases for fun find themselves hunting a real killer. Witty, easy to put down and pick up again, and suited to most tastes.

  • Legends & Lattes

    Travis Baldree

    An orc swordswoman retires from adventuring to open a coffee shop in a fantasy city. Cozy, low on drama and a good break after a long day.

  • Educated

    Tara Westover

    Tara Westover first sits in a classroom at seventeen after a childhood in a survivalist family. A moving true story about what learning can change.

    Books like Educated

  • Hidden Figures

    Margot Lee Shetterly

    The true story of the Black women who worked as mathematicians at NASA, some of whom had taught math before. A story about skill and persistence.

  • The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

    Charlie Mackesy

    A boy, a mole, a fox and a horse trade short, kind thoughts in ink drawings. It can be read in one sitting, and it suits a calm moment.

  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette

    Maria Semple

    A Seattle mother who dreads school events disappears before a family trip, and her daughter pieces together why. Funny, and sharp about school-parent politics.

  • Remarkably Bright Creatures

    Shelby Van Pelt

    A woman who cleans an aquarium at night becomes friends with a clever octopus named Marcellus. Warm and quirky, about grief and friendship.

How to choose

Keep it simple, since teachers often get several gifts. A short, cheerful novel is hard to get wrong: The Thursday Murder Club, Legends & Lattes and Remarkably Bright Creatures are all warm and easy. Robin Sloan's bookstore novel suits a book lover, and Where'd You Go, Bernadette is funny about school life. For a teacher who likes true stories, pick Educated or Hidden Figures. A short thank-you note inside the cover makes it personal. Many schools have rules about gifts to staff, so check first.

Mind the themes. Educated describes family abuse, Hidden Figures covers segregation and racism, and Remarkably Bright Creatures deals with the loss of a son.

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