NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Feature Impact) What do readers want in a book gift? A title they asked for, a sign the giver was paying attention and, for many, a pre-owned copy they would welcome as much as a new one, according to an October 2026 survey commissioned by ThriftBooks.
Atomik Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who read at least three books in the past 12 months. Fieldwork was conducted October 14–19, 2026. The findings below cover readers’ gift preferences, holiday book budgets and attitudes toward pre-owned books.
What are good gift ideas for a book lover?
A book the recipient has asked for is the most popular choice in the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who read at least three books a year. Asked which book-related item they would most want to unwrap, 45% choose a book they requested, followed by a gift card at 17% and a current bestseller at 15%.
Givers favor requested titles, too. In the same survey, 51% say a book the recipient asked for is what they are most likely to give.
In a separate question, 53% say they would rather receive a single book someone selected for them, compared with 28% who prefer a gift card and 11% who would take a book chosen at random.
Books also rank highly as gifts overall: 44% of readers call a book their favorite kind of gift to receive, and another 32% rank it second.
How do you find out what book someone wants?
Ask for their reading wishlist. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 81% say they keep a list of books they want to read. That includes 59% who keep it in an app, in phone notes or on paper, and 22% who keep it in their head.
Most readers are open to sharing that list. Sixty-eight percent would share a reading wishlist with friends and family for the holidays, including 25% who already do.
A wishlist can also help avoid duplicates. Fifty-one percent of readers say the hardest part for someone shopping for them is not knowing what they have already read or own.
Is it okay to give someone a used book as a gift?
Most readers surveyed say they would be just as happy receiving a pre-owned copy of a book they want as a new one. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 70% give that answer. Another 24% say it would depend on the condition, while 4% say they would rather receive a new copy.
Readers are also willing to give pre-owned books. Twenty-four percent have already given one as a holiday gift, and 29% say they would. Another 20% would give a pre-owned book only if it looked new.
What are good stocking stuffer ideas for book lovers?
Most book gifts land in stocking stuffer price range. Among readers who plan to give books this holiday season, 58% expect to spend less than $20 per book, according to the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey. The largest group, 42%, plans to spend $10–$19 per book.
For total seasonal book spending, 30% of the full sample of 2,000 U.S. readers plan to spend $25–$49, and 25% plan to spend $50–$99.
The per-book spending figures describe readers who plan to give books; the total seasonal spending figures describe the full survey sample.
What are the best books to give as Christmas gifts?
Start with a book the recipient has asked for. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 45% choose a requested book as the book-related item they would most want to unwrap.
If you need a genre starting point, mystery and thriller is the most frequently selected choice: 38% name it as a genre they would most want to receive during the holiday season.
Horror follows at 20%, with science fiction and fantasy at about one in five. History and romance each draw 18%; biography and memoir and cooking and food each draw 13%; and classics draw 12%.
Respondents could select up to three genres. These findings identify popular genres rather than specific recommended titles; the recipient’s own interests and wishlist can help narrow the choice.
Should you give one of the best books of 2026 or an older title?
Choose based on what the recipient wants to read, whether that is a 2026 release or an older title they missed. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 45% say they have no preference between a 2026 new release and an older title, as long as it is a book they want.
Another 32% would rather receive an older title they missed, while 20% specifically want a 2026 new release.
The survey compares new releases with older titles rather than evaluating books on best-of-the-year lists. A book does not need to be newly published to be a welcome gift.
Are coffee table books a good gift?
Reading it and displaying it is the most common outcome among people who have received one. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 22% of all respondents say they both read and displayed a large illustrated or coffee table book received as a holiday gift, 20% say they mostly displayed it, and 19% say they mostly read it. Another 39% say they have never received one as a holiday gift.
Asked what they would most want someone to do with a coffee table book they gave, 41% say read and display it. Another 23% say read it, and 12% say display it.
What makes a book gift feel thoughtful?
A note written inside is the most frequently selected response in the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers. Asked what makes a book holiday gift feel most thoughtful, 32% choose a note written inside.
A title connected to something the giver and recipient discussed ranks second at nearly three in 10. An author the recipient mentioned draws 17%, followed by the next book in a series the recipient started at 11% and a special edition at 10%.
The leading responses emphasize a personal connection: a message from the giver or a book tied to a conversation.
What happens when someone receives a book they do not want to read?
Eventually reading it anyway is the most common response. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 38% say that is what usually happens to a gifted book they do not want to read.
Another 20% say they donate it, and 18% leave it on the shelf unread.
Are readers using AI to choose holiday gifts in 2026?
Some readers are turning to AI for gift ideas. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 15% say they have already used an AI tool such as ChatGPT to help choose gifts for the 2026 holiday season, and 16% say they plan to.
Another 23% say they might use AI, while 45% say they will not.
These findings describe adults who read at least three books a year, rather than U.S. holiday shoppers overall.
Are readers prioritizing screen-free gifts in 2026?
Screen-free gifts are a priority for most readers surveyed. In the October 2026 ThriftBooks survey of 2,000 U.S. readers, 44% say they are definitely prioritizing gifts that do not involve a screen for the 2026 holiday season, and 27% say they are somewhat prioritizing them.
Another 14% say they are not prioritizing screen-free gifts, while 15% are unsure.
About the research
ThriftBooks commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,000 adults throughout the United States who have read at least 3 books in the past 12 months. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between October 14 and October 19, 2026.
Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.
About ThriftBooks
ThriftBooks is an online bookseller specializing in new and used books.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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Michael French michael.french@featureimpact.com https://editors.featureimpact.com/