Unique Books & Gifts for Your Hard-to-Please Literary Friends

Do you have any challenging book-loving folks on your holiday gift list? Have they already read every book imaginable so you just don't know what to get them? I recently went to the 2008 Book Arts Jam sponsored by the Bay Area Book Artists (BABA) and Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA where I saw lots of cool stuff.

This truck and camper in the Foothill College parking lot foreshadowed that this would be a fun event.

I don't usually peek inside parked vehicles but I couldn't resist. Inside the camper was a cute little kitchen, a space to sleep and ladybug pillows!

Okay, out of the parking lot and on to the Book Arts Jam...

There were many artists displaying their wares. Here are a few of my favorites.
How about a journal made out of an old recycled lp? Here's a spiral "Personal Record Book" by Jaki Ernst. Cool, right? I bet your literary friends don't have one of these!



Here's a lovely little book for wine-lovers. Yep, the front and back covers of this tiny accordion book are made from matching halves of a wine cork! The little circular band on the left (kind of like a cigar band) slides over the closed book to keep it all together. That's another cork book all closed up on the right.








Here is the artist, Suzanne Lydia Thomas, with her cork book, cool mini-book earrings and pins. I bought a nifty little pair of mini-book earrings she created using paper handmade and marbled by her mom & dad.


Suzanne makes all kinds of unique books. Take a look at another of Suzanne's books below. It's small and could fit discreetly in the palm of your hand or tucked into a purse.




This one is titled, Protection.



It's another beautifully designed accordion book. When you open it up it reveals 10 pockets, filled with...











...protection!

This book contains a quote on what "Papa says" about never leaving the house without protection. Surely, this is the perfect present for someone on your gift list. You can find more of Suzanne Lydia Thomas' unique books, earrings and pins here.
Great stuff--take a look!
Tell her Lynn at The Imaginary Blog sent you.

Check out the Bay Area Book Artists, the Book Arts Jam, the other exhibitors and various book artists here.

Forecast: Holidays approaching with increased chances of book buying.

And of course if you'd like to buy one of my books for someone on your holiday gift list, please visit your local bookseller or click on these Amazon links for Shifty, Cinder Rabbit, Buzz Bumble to the Rescue, or Mermaid Mary Margaret. Thanks!

Imaginary Readers, if you know of any other cool book artists, Book Art Festivals or places on and off the web to find unique one-of-a-kind books, please tell us via the comment function below.

For Kidlitosphere posts about gifts and reading check out November's Carnival.