26 Thoughtful Gifts for Graduates

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • June 01, 2026

It's graduation season—a time filled with excitement for what has been accomplished and uncertainty about what lies ahead. As students of all ages contemplate big transitions, they're looking for hope and guidance on what comes next. Celebrate your graduates with these books providing inspiration, advice, and age-old wisdom.

Inspirational keepsakes

• Oh the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss—From soaring to high heights and seeing great sights to being left in a Lurch on a prickle-ly perch, this perennial favorite addresses life's ups and downs. Browse editions for a slipcased deluxe copy.
• The Moth Presents: All These Wonders by Catherine Burns—These 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown are perfect for anyone standing on the edge of a new horizon.
• Gmorning, Gnight by Lin-Manuel Miranda—The Broadway phenom's twice-daily tweets from before Hamilton will offer inspiration and encouragement to grads as they pursue their own dreams.
• The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy—Find hope and reassurance in uncertain times with this beautifully illustrated tale of four friends making their way through the world.
• I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal—Whether celebrating life's milestones or finding the positive in everyday moments, this exuberant, inspirational book is filled with endless good wishes.
• Yay, You!: Moving Up and Moving On by Sandra Boynton—For new graduates, or for anyone facing imminent change, here is profound insight, bold inspiration, and truly "ensloxifying" advice. Also an occasional hippo.
• What The Road Said by Cleo Wade—Give your graduate the deluxe slipcased edition of this uplifting picture book about choosing courage, kindness and finding your own way in life.
• The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin—Available in a stunning deluxe edition with a lovely slipcase and extra pages for personalization, this is an ideal gift for new beginnings—at any age.

Practical guides for adulting

• Dreyer's English by Benjamin Dreyer—As authoritative as it is amusing, this sharp, contemporary guide offers lessons on punctuation, grammar, and writing things well—from texts to term papers.
• Get Good With Money by Tiffany Aliche—From The Budgetnista comes this ten-step plan for finding peace, safety, and harmony with your money—no matter how big or small your goals.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear—No matter your goals, this guide will teach you how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
• Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo—From the host of MarieTV and Marie Forleo Podcast, an indispensable handbook for becoming the creative force of your own life.
• Prep: The Essential College Cookbook by Katie Sullivan Morford—New to the kitchen? Living on your own for the first time? Never fear! This useful guide will teach you how to create real meals with real food.
• The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook by Pamela Ellgen—College students don't typically have a lot of time, money, or kitchen space. Get them this collection of more than 100 simple, tasty, and affordable recipes.

Words to live by

• The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison—Here is the Nobel Prize winning author of Beloved in her own words: a rich gathering of her most important essays and speeches, spanning four decades.
• Pearls of Wisdom by Barbara Bush—The late, great former first lady was famous for handing out sage advice. Witty and wise, this collection offers her tips for a happy and meaningful life.
• Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward—The Sing, Unburied, Sing author's Tulane University 2018 commencement address explores themes of grit, adversity, and the importance of family bonds.
• Congratulations, By the way: Some Thoughts on Kindness by George Saunders—This inspiring meditation on kindness from the author of Lincoln in the Bardo comes from his 2013 commencement address at Syracuse University.

Get ready for greatness

• The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon—From America's favorite government teacher, a portrait of twelve ordinary Americans whose courage formed the character of our country.
• Strong Ground by Brené Brown—This urgent call to reimagine the essentials of courageous leadership delivers practical, actionable insights for leading with wholeheartedness.
• Getting There: A Book of Mentors by Gillian Zoe Segal—A good mentor is hard to find. The path to success is rarely direct. Here, 30 leaders in diverse fields share their secrets to navigating the rocky road to the top.
• Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday—Through engaging stories about historic and contemporary leaders, this book shows you how to conquer fear and practice courage in your daily life.

Follow your bliss

• The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad—A guide to the art of journaling and a meditation on the central questions of life with contributions from many bestselling authors and innovative thinkers.
• Consider This by Nedra Glover Tawwab—Life comes at us fast, with challenges at every turn. This book from a bestselling author and popular therapist offers advice for navigating life's ups and downs.
• Creative Hustle by Olatunde Sobomehin and Sam Seidel—The authors, co-teachers of an eponymous course at Stanford University, help you identify and navigate your own creative path in this illustrated guide.
• How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope by James Crews—A collection of uplifting and deeply felt poems by well-known poets from all walks of life, including Amanda Gorman, Ross Gay, Joy Harjo, and others.

To all the graduates out there, we wish you a happy celebration of everything you have achieved and the best of luck in your future endeavors!

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