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Here’s What I’m Gifting the Book Lovers in My Life This Year

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Here’s What I’m Gifting the Book Lovers in My Life This Year


I love losing myself in a good book, and I’m not the only one. Finding great gifts for book lovers isn’t just about testing for the best e-reader (which we have!) or rounding up all the accessories worth adding to your Kindle (we’ve done that too), but rather it’s about setting up your favorite reader to keep enjoying stories.

You can help them with anything from a new reading gadget or a handy accessory to cozy items to settle in for a nice, long reading session. After all, if there’s anything we’ve learned from the rise of #BookTok, it’s that there’s no lack of accessories and items that can make a reader happier than ever. Here are our favorite gifts for book lovers we’re shopping this season.

Be sure also to check out our other buying guides, including Best Kindles, Best E-Readers, Best Kindle Accessories, Best Tablets, and Best Digital Notebooks. If you’re on the hunt for more gifts, don’t miss our guides to the Best Viral Gifts, Best Gifts for Bird Lovers, Best Subscription Boxes for Gifting, and many more.

Updated November 2025: We’ve added the Kobo Clara Colour, Kobo SleepCover, and PopSockets Heart of Silver PopGrip to this guide.

Featured Gifts

A Fun Case and Grip

PopSockets PopCase Kindle and PopGrip

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Table of Contents

A New E-Reader

When I got back into reading, I fell in love with ebooks and getting free copies from the library that I would read on my Libby app. That year, for my birthday, I was gifted a Kindle from two different people, and I’ve never looked back. Whether they’re a new reader looking for a better way to read one who’s complaining about how heavy their books are, an e-reader makes for a great solution (and you can still get those free library books on it!).

Kobo

Libra Colour

If they have an e-reader but want the option to use color, the Kobo Libra Color is the best option. It lets them use a range of colors as they read, and you can add on a stylus to turn it into a digital notebook. It’s got page-turner buttons, which are great and something you won’t find on Kindle.

Kobo

Clara Colour

This e-reader from Kobo is the same price as the Kindle Paperwhite, but it comes with a color screen. It’s a smaller 6-inch size like the base Kindle, and I love how lightweight it is to hold. It’s a great budget color e-reader if you don’t want the Libra’s stylus and notebook feature.

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (2024, 12th Generation)

If they don’t have a Kindle, the 12th-edition Paperwhite is our favorite one. It’s got a warm front light and great battery life, and it comes in a fun pink color. Upgrade to Signature for an auto-adjusting light and more storage (aka more books!).

Amazon

Kindle Scribe (2024)

The Kindle Scribe 2 is a great e-reader and digital notebook in one. It’s larger than the Libra Color, making it easy to write and draw on, but the downside is it doesn’t have a color screen. There’s a color model coming this winter, though.


E-Reader Accessories

From cute cases to handy straps that make reading easier, there’s no lack of fun options to add to a Kindle or other e-readers.

PopSockets

PopCase Kindle and PopGrip

PopSockets has a new collection of Kindle cases that have a MagSafe ring, so you can easily pop on a PopSocket grip. The Curled Up With a Good Book design has a matching case and grip you can use together.

SleepCover

This handy case not only looks nice, but the lines on the cover actually allow it to fold and prop the Kobo up while you read it. So handy! It comes in cute colors and is available for multiple Kobo devices, including the Clara and Libra.

PopSockets

Heart of Silver MagSafe PopGrip

This is my favorite PopGrip. It’s big enough that my small hands can comfortably reach it on the 7-inch Paperwhite and Colorsoft, and it is both cool to the touch and to look at.

Strapsicle

E-Reader Hand Strap

These straps from Strapsicle make it really easy to hold up an e-reader. They’re easy to attach, and I even find just using one of the two straps secures it. The limited-edition neon collection is super fun and worth shopping before it runs out.


Accessories for Physical Book Readers

No e-reader? No problem. These book lights solve the constant struggle for a book reader: darkness getting in the way of their reading.

Vekkia

14 LED Book Light

Our favorite reading light is a super versatile clip-on with an adjustable gooseneck. The two swiveling light bars have seven LEDs each.

Glocusent

LED Neck Reading Light

This lightweight neck light is a great option if your reader might hate clipping something onto the pages. It has three light warmths and six brightness settings.


Book Bags

If the book lover in your life is known for toting their e-reader or book of choice everywhere they go, here are some fun accessories for carrying them around (and for logging their thoughts as they read!).

Hello Clio

The Original Kindle Belt Bag

This cute belt bag isn’t too much wider than a normal one, but it packs a soft internal pocket made for carrying a Kindle Paperwhite or base Kindle (a Kobo Clara would also fit just as nicely).

New York Public Library

Library Card Tote Bag

This tote bag screams “I love books” in the best way possible. It’s a great size with, nice long straps that make it super comfortable to wear.


Stickers, Journals, and Annotation Tools

Whether they’re looking to decorate their e-reader or the pages of their books, there’s a fun add-on here for every kind of reader.

Strapsicle

Sweet Stickers

Strapsicle recently launched stickers, with both a sweet and spicy pack. It’s a nice-size set that could easily decorate multiple e-readers.

Papier

Reading Journal

If they’re constantly crushing a new read, get them a journal to track everything they’ve read and how they liked it.

Book Tabs

I don’t like primary colors while I annotate my books. This is a similar but much larger pack of book tabs I found at my local Daiso, and the pastel colors are much more pleasing on the eyes as I mark up my book pages.

Passion Planner

Passion Highlighters

I love these highlighters for my paper planners, and they’re a great option for readers who like to highlight passages. There’s a highlighter and pen end for each color if they like to underline.


Reading Vibes

Gifts for your local book lover aren’t just giving books and book items. Help them set the mood while they read with these cozy gift ideas.

James Wax

Reading Time Candle

The label says it all. Give them a candle to alert everyone they’re busy reading. I’ve tried all four scents you can choose from, and my favorites are the mimosa and white tea scents.

Sony

WH-1000XM6

Help them block out the world while read (or take part in immersion reading, where you listen to the audiobook while you read the physical book at the same time) with our favorite noise-canceling headphones.

East Fork

The Mug

Give them a gorgeous mug to stay hydrated with their drink of choice while they read, whether that’s a nice cup of tea or a hot toddy.

Beautiful by Drew Barrymore

Beautiful Electric Kettle

They’ll need some hot water with that cup of tea, and this chic electric kettle is both stylish and affordable without slacking on performance.

Ugg

Men’s Neuman

Give the gift of happy, cozy feet with our favorite set of men’s slippers. Our WIRED reviewer says these slippers hold up well and have the classic Ugg front, with a low back that makes them easy to slip on and off.


Gorgeous Books and Boxed Sets

Looking to give the gift of a true book? These box sets and illustrated editions are worth collecting.

Lord of the Rings Illustrated Editions

If there’s a book I want to get my husband that he’s already read, it’s these beautiful illustrated editions of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and even The Silmarillion.

One Piece

Maybe they’ve been a One Piece fan for years. Maybe they’re a new fan after seeing the Netflix series. You can start their collection of the still-running manga or even give a couple initial volumes to get them hooked on the original.

Crescent City Boxed Set

If they’re fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, it’s official: They’ll need to read Sarah J. Maas’ other series, Crescent City, to keep up with what happens in the next ACOTAR book. The first one is my favorite.

Judy Blume Essentials (Boxed Set)

by Judy Blume

These are a great series of books if you’re shopping for an elementary reader or teenager. The books have held up, with Blume’s themes still resonating years later.


Book Subscriptions

Buying a book for someone can be hard if you’re not sure what they’re into or what they’ve already read. But covering a few months of a subscription is the gift that gives over and over again.

Audible

If you know someone struggling with time to sit down and read, give them an Audible subscription so they can listen to books while they drive, do chores, work out, and so much more.

Book of the Month

Subscription

Book of the Month is a subscription for the reader who loves physical books. Every month, there are five to seven titles to choose from that ship right to their door (they can skip months if nothing catches their eye).

Parnassus

Signed First Editions Club

WIRED reviewer Adrienne So has subscribed for years (on and off) to Parnassus Signed First Editions, from novelist Ann Patchett’s store in Nashville, Tennessee. The books are mainly literary fiction, with occasional nonfiction. Every book she’s gotten has been an absolute banger.


Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.



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The Best Babbel Promo Codes and Deals for April 2026

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The Best Babbel Promo Codes and Deals for April 2026


I’ve been trying to become fluent in Spanish for the last decade. After spending most of my adult life surrounded by multilinguals, I often feel like I’m playing an impossible game of catch-up. Like everyone else, I’ve tried to become regimented with practicing on an in-phone app like Duolingo, which attempts to ‘game-ify’ language learning, but mostly ends up with a sad and sick-looking green bird icon guilting me to practice every time I open up my phone.

Babbel aims to help people actually learn the language through practical conversation and grammar, using proven pedagogical methods and speech recognition technology. Each lesson is short, with 10 to 15 minute lessons developed by a team of over 150 linguists. Instead of learning the same simple phrases in ad-ridden games on an endless loop, take charge of your language learning this year and make that commitment a reality. No more excuses—we’ve got a Babbel promo code and a Babbel coupon to help you hit your goals. Maybe you’ll be fluent by your next vacation (or at least able to order a chopped cheese with confidence at the bodega).

Unlock Your Babbel Promo Code and Save Big in April 2026

Not only is Babbel a helpful interactive app to simplify language learning, but it also has holistic services to help introduce the language to every part of your life. These are things like Babbel videos, which do a deep dive into what makes a language so fascinating, Babbel podcasts, which are led by Babbel experts who take an inside look at local culture and break down language secrets, and Babbel magazine, which highlights stories from around the world so you can better understand the history, culture, and people from the language you’re learning (and maybe will inspire you to take a trip to practice that language IRL!).

Make sure you check back often to find the latest Babbel promo code for sitewide savings. There are often discounts on the subscription tiers, which range from three month plans to annual memberships. Plus, springtime is usually when there are significant Babbel discounts for new users. And, if you sign up for the Babbel newsletter, you can receive a link for a Babbel coupon in your inbox.

Save 60% on 6-Month Plans With the Healthcare Workers Discount

As stated, knowing another language is an invaluable life skill, and a skill that is immeasurably valuable to healthcare workers, who may be able to more easily give lifesaving care. Healthcare professionals and nurses get a Babbel discount of 60% off a six-month Babbel subscription. To claim the Babbel discount, users just need to verify their medical credentials via ID.me.

Claim Your 60% Military Discount on 6-Month Subscriptions

This Babbel discount also applies to active duty military, veterans, and their families, who are also eligible for 60% off six-month Babbel subscriptions. This Babbel military coupon is valid for National Guard, reserve members, and immediate family members of service personnel, and all you need to do is verify your status at ID.me.

Snag a 60% Teacher Discount on Your Next 6 Months

Babbel is also extending the 60% discount to the real unsung heroes, teachers. Knowing more than one language is an invaluable tool for educators to be able to talk more effectively to parents or guardians, as well as to more deeply understand their students’ cultural identities. Educators and teachers, like K-12 teachers, university professors, and other educational staff members, are eligible for 60% off a six-month Babbel subscription. And like the others, you just need to verify credentials through ID.me.

Grab Top Lifetime Subscription Deals and Save in April 2026

Everyone knows that learning a language is a lifetime process, and Babbel wants to make it even easier for you to commit to it. If you pay once, you’ll get access to all available Babbel languages forever with Lifetime deals. You’ll just need to look for the “Lifetime Subscription” Babbel promos that could potentially save you hundreds of dollars over several years. Be sure to check back often, as these rotating deals often pop up during major holiday sales. While the upfront cost is higher, you’ll get access to all 14 available languages with this Babbel promo code lifetime subscription deal.



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Robotaxi Outage in China Leaves Passengers Stranded on Highways

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Robotaxi Outage in China Leaves Passengers Stranded on Highways


An unknown technical problem caused a number of robotaxis owned by the Chinese tech giant Baidu to freeze on Tuesday in the middle of traffic, trapping some passengers in the vehicles for more than an hour.

In Wuhan, a city in central China where Baidu has deployed hundreds of its Apollo Go self-driving taxis, people on Chinese social media reported witnessing the cars suddenly malfunction and stop operating. Photos and videos shared online show the Baidu cars halted on busy highways, often in the fast lane.

A college student in Wuhan tells WIRED that she was stuck in a Baidu robotaxi with two friends for about 90 minutes on Tuesday. (She asked to be only identified with her last name, He, to protect her privacy.) The student says the car malfunctioned and stopped four or five times during the trip before it eventually parked in front of an intersection in eastern Wuhan. Luckily, it was not a busy road, and the group was not in immediate danger. The screen display in the car asked the passengers to remain in the car with seatbelt on and wait for a company representative to come “in five minutes,” according to a photo He shared with WIRED.

He says it took about 30 minutes to reach a Baidu customer representative on the phone. “They kept saying it would be reported to their superior. But they didn’t explain what caused [the outage] or let us know how long we needed to wait for the staff to come,” He says. But no one ever came, and after another hour of waiting, the three passengers decided to just get out and go home by themselves (the doors weren’t locked).

On Chinese social media, other passengers also complained about being unable to reach Baidu’s customer support. “I tried every way I could think of to call for help using the options the app showed, but the phone line wouldn’t go through, and when I pressed the SOS button it told me it was unavailable. So then what exactly is the SOS for?” wrote one person in a post on RedNote alongside a video showing the button not working. She said she had to force the door to open and get out of the car as traffic halted to a complete stop behind her robotaxi. “Apollo Go, you really owe me an apology,” she wrote.

Baidu didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Local police in Wuhan issued a statement around midnight in China that said the situation was “likely caused by a system malfunction,” but the incident is still under investigation. No one was injured and all passengers have exited the vehicles, the police added. It’s unclear how many of Baidu’s robotaxis may have been impacted.

One dash cam recording posted to RedNote shows a car passing 16 Apollo Go vehicles parked on the road in the span of 90 minutes. On several occasions, the video shows the driver narrowly avoiding hitting the robotaxis by braking or changing lanes at the last minute.

Others were apparently not as fortunate. In another RedNote post, a man claimed he crashed into one of the malfunctioning Baidu vehicles. The man wrote in the caption that he was driving over 40 mph on a highway when the car in front of him suddenly changed lanes to avoid the stopped robotaxi. He couldn’t react fast enough and ended up running into the self-driving car. Photos of the man’s orange SUV being towed away show that the car’s front-right fender was completely torn off, and other parts appeared to have sustained major damage.



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Our Favorite Affordable Air Purifier Is Temporarily Even Cheaper

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Our Favorite Affordable Air Purifier Is Temporarily Even Cheaper


Tired of the stale, fetid air looming over your apartment like a cloud? Check out the Coway Airmega Mighty, an already wallet-friendly home air purifier that’s even cheaper right now as part of the Amazon Big Spring Sale. It’s currently marked down to just $154, a $76 discount from its typical price, but you’ll want to move quickly if you’re interested, as the deal is only available for a limited time.

Coway

Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH

Despite its low price tag and squat stature, the Airmega Mighty is capable of cleaning a substantial amount of space. At full bore, it can handle a 361-square-foot space, although you’ll get the best performance, and save your ears, if you’re closer to a 200-square-foot room. If you don’t want it running constantly, there are built-in timers to automatically shut off after 1, 4, or 8 hours, or you can use Eco Mode, which will run until the Might doesn’t sense any dirty air for half an hour.

That’s right, the Airmega Mighty has a built-in air quality sensor, and it reflects the current state of the air quality using a colored light with three levels. It uses those readings to automatically adjust the fan speed and timing settings on the fly, as well as giving you a peak into how bad the air you’re breathing right now is for you. While it lacks integration with smart home setups like Google Home, it makes up for it by handling all of its own business without Wi-Fi or extra apps on your phone.

While the Coway Airmega Mighty is available in three colors, only the black and silver model is currently discounted, so you’ll have to pay full price if it doesn’t match your living room’s color scheme. We’ve put in the work testing every air purifier we could get our hands on, so make sure to check out the full guide if you’re trying to clean up your space. The Coway is discounted as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, and we’ve got the best deals from products we’ve tested gathered in one place if you want to save some bucks.



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