I recently discovered the most fantastic store filled with the best bookish stationery I have ever seen. I could easily curl up in this store and stay there — if only it weren’t in another country. *sigh* Bookish stationery is my absolute weakness. If you want to buy me the best gift ever, this is the kind of thing you look for: bookmarks, notebooks, pens, stamps, wax seals, stickers…and so on.
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WRITER at P.66 in Georgetown, Penang (Malaysia), is a great place to start. This place is Instagram-famous for its cozy aesthetic, both for the stationery store and the cafe at the back. The Peanut Caramel Latte is an excellent choice while planning your bujo layout for the next month. I love the local vibe with its selection: a range of notebooks designed by local artists featuring covers inspired by popular sites around Penang, along with stickers, pens, and stamps all inspired by travel to Malaysia. If you love all things Malay, it is worth checking out the official website here.
Seeing P.66 had me thinking about what I would consider the best bookish stationery to give as gifts, especially during the holiday season. What should I look for? Can I have it delivered? And how can I support our small indie creators?
Bookish Stationery for DIY Reading Logs
Avid readers often like to track their reading; too many books blur together over time, and it messes with my head! For those who like keeping everything electronic, Book Riot’s annual Reading Log is coming very soon. You can check out the 2023 version here. I’m a little old school and artsy, so I love mixing it up with some scrapbooking/journalling and bujo. Check out these items if you want to gift some decorative bookish stationery. Individually, they are so cheap you can mix and match your gift basket.
Washi Tape and Stickers
Genre Fiction Bookshelf Stamp Washi Tape from CarvetheMoon – $9
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Starting with some fresh washi tape! This roll breaks off into stamp-size pieces, each featuring a different genre. I love this as a corner detail setting the theme for the page.
Cats and Books Washi Tape from DoomBloomArtGermany from $7
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Raise your hand if you think cats simply belong in your reading nook. Well, I came here for the Cats and Book Washi tape and ended up with bookmarks and stickers in my cart.
Bookshelf Washi Tape from TreasuresDelightsEtc from $5
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TreasureDelightsEtc has an excellent collection of simple notebooks ready to personalise with labels, bookish washi tape, and stickers.
Bookish Chapter 1 Stationery Set from eboniismoon – $10
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These hand-drawn sticker sets printed on matte sticker vinyl are far more durable than I expected! Strong, cozy reading feels to suit any bookish journal.
Ready-to-Go Book Annotation Kits
Some fantastic ready-to-go book annotation kits are easy to use for those just starting. It can be overwhelming initially, but the right kit and stationery set-up can make book annotations a joy and a new hobby to explore.
Small Book Annotation Kit from theebookbouquet – $13
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Small, quick, and accessible. This is the perfect little gift to add to any package. The set includes a colour theme for tabs, pens, and highlighters, with extra sticky notes. Keep it simple, sweetheart.
I Love to Read Pen from SunnyRiverCreations – $25.00
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Add a bookish pen to the stationery gift list, with some personalised touches in the titles. I love the little details like pencils and glasses.
Reading Journal with Book Tracker, Review Prompts, and Reading Challenges from Duncan & Stone Paper Co. – $24.00
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This complete reading journal has everything set up and ready to go. Plenty of templates to note your favourite quotes, recommendations to follow up, and templates for reading lists within the book. The extra reading challenges help to spice up my TBR pile, too.
Bookish Stationery for Old School Paper Charm
Letter-writing is still a thing, even more so with bookish stationery like this! Many of the stationery sets can be personalised with names or have extra features put in.
Classic Books Stationery Collection from peachandpoppyco – $38
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I considered adding this to the Washi/Sticker sub-heading, but the complete stationery kit has much more. It includes a snail mail kit (paper and envelopes), a mini kit, notecards, washi tape, and stickers. It’s so bookish and old school and sells out fast!
Complete Personalised Stationery Set with Vintage Books from naomilynn – $47
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You can customise this vintage theme stationery set with ink and envelope colour and have your name printed. It includes paper, folded cards, flat cards, and envelopes. It’s a nice, simple touch to great bookish stationery.
Book Bundle Book Lover Card Pack from Cynla – from $21
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Grab a bundle of cards to add to your stationery gift set, either to gift to your bookish friends or to send as your own greeting card with your gifs. The artwork for these cards is dreamy and playful, adding a literary charm to your set.
Bookish Stationery for the Personal Library
We all reach that point where we borrow and swap so many books with our friends that it is easy to lose track of who has what! Of course, there is always The Special Collection that never leaves the home, but generally speaking, Home Library Stationery is a brilliant idea!
Home Library Starter Set from WhirlingWorld – $35
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This DIY Library Kit has a cute stationery tin to hold the log book, notebook, memo pad, and Ex Libris stickers.
Personalised Book Embosser from MoonlitMagicJewelry – $40
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Gentle enough to protect your pages but firm enough to provide a clean embossing image. There are eight designs to choose from; I’m partial to the open book with wildflowers.
Woman Reading / Ex Libris Stamp from BuleriaStamps – $30
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Add this stamp to your bookish stationery collection for a classy antique-library touch. Each stamp features a woman reading in a Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood art style. It can also be personalised with your name as a private library.
Little Library Rubber Stamp from Rubberhedgehog – $19.00
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The gift that keeps on giving: Little Libraries. This stamp is a lovely idea for any bookish stationery collection and helps keep track of books to return.
The Ultimate Splurge in Bookish Stationery to Give as Gifts
This is it. This is my final suggestion and something I remember for every special event in my bookish friends’ lives.
Ultimate Bookish Stationery Gift: Personalised Blind Date with a Book Box Gift from Lobookdecor – starting at $31
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All you need to do is choose the genre; this bookish gift set will do the rest! The set includes an annotation bookmark, a book review bookmark, a drink bag with hot chocolate and tea, sea salt caramels, stickers, cozy socks, and a greeting card. Okay, so it is a bit light on the stationery side of things (though I do love the annotation bookmark and sticker sets). However, the gift box is like an ode to bookish stationery nerds everywhere. It’s gorgeous and the perfect gift.
For me, there is nothing better than finding the perfect stationery store with an attached cafe to sit and enjoy my reading life. When I don’t have one close, I rely on the internet to create my own at home. This list has plenty of inspiration to make your own bookish stationery gifts. Enjoy!
– Ann-Marie Cahill
