Books make great gifts–they offer the recipient a chance to enter a world unlike their own—even if it’s just in the details. They’re truly works of art, bound into pages and delivered in a handsome jacket. And what pairs well with written works of art? Sure, fine spirits—but also visual works of art!
Recently BookPeople started a program to showcase the artists on your friendly neighborhood bookselling staff—which means you can get incredible artwork right here in the store. Here’s a few pairings that we think would make splendid gifts this year.
Big Wonderful Thing by Stephen Harrigan is the hot-ticket item this holiday season for anyone who loves the great state of Texas. A thorough history of the biggest chunk of land in the United States, this is Texas history for ALL Texans and comes highly recommended by our booksellers. What could be better paired with a book like that than gorgeous photographic prints by Texas artist and bookseller extraordinaire, Rachel M.? Her work is on display on the 2nd floor of BookPeople, with photographs of longhorns, cowboy boots, and the irresistible state flower: the bluebonnets. Or, pick up one of her handmade photo cards and send a little piece of Texas to friends all over the world! Her beautiful cards
featuring lit-up Christmas trees would make the perfect accompaniment to Willie Nelson’s Pretty Paper, an inspiring Christmas fable based on Willie’s classic song. Find Rachel’s cards on our blank card wall in the stationery section on the first floor, near the postcard spinner!
Speaking of great cards on our blank cards wall, local artist and former bookseller Flip Solomon has blank cards and 
some of her jewelry featuring her incredible ink paintings in our store! Don’t miss her full-size paintings, currently hanging in the BookPeople cafe. Stop by, have a coffee, and peruse the gallery wall of moody and atmospheric dreamscapes Solomon has created, then pick up a card from the stationery wall near the postcard spinner to share the experience with a friend! We’re pairing Flip’s artwork with Tana French’s In the Woods, not only for the monochromatic vibes but also French’s dark mysteries that leave us in breathless suspense as she unwinds a masterful plot before our eyes.
There’s lots more art on display on the 2nd floor, like these prints from Tomoko of her
favorite mouse heroes from children’s classic literature. A fan of the mouse as a protagonist, Tomoko loves the message that size doesn’t matter when it comes to the measure of your bravery or the impact you can have on the world. Her mixed-media paintings were painted on pages from the books with watercolor, ink, and colored pencils. We’re pairing her illustrations of the famous warrior, Martin, with the original Redwall by Brian Jacques, an incredible adventure story about an abbey under attack from sea-faring piratical rats, and the brave mouse that steps up to save it!
But wait, there’s more! Tomoko also has artwork prints to pair with Stuart Little by E.B White, The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary, and many others, including picture books like Angelina Ballerina or If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and classics like The Rescuers and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. You can find her work displayed on the 2nd floor of BookPeople near the art section!
Finally, don’t miss out on great musical pairings! Staci Gray is a popular children’s musician—and also one of BookPeople’s booksellers! Her CDs are available here at the
bookstore and she has a musical storytime every month—catch her next on
January 8th at 10:30am. We’re pairing her CD with amazing new books about music and friendship, like our favorites Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe and Elvis is King by Jonah Winter and Red Nose Studio. While Elvis is King describes the pop legend’s rise to glory as illustrated by detailed, handmade figures, Pokko and the Drum demonstrates what happens when a young frog gets a new instrument!
Come see us for your last-minute gifts this holiday season!
We have a gift-wrap station and coffee to lift your spirits, as well as plenty of advice for those hard-to-shop-for giftees. Support a local store and local artists this season, and shop independent!
BookPeople 