June is graduation month, and there is no more thoughtful gift to give your special graduate than an inspiring, encouraging, and enduring book. For this post, I set forth to cultivate a lovely collection for gift givers to consider, whether your student is graduating from elementary, middle, or high school, or even from the hallowed halls of college. As a bonus, all of these charming books are so inspiring, they make perfect gifts for any time or anyone … including ourselves. (P.S. The featured image comes from Freepik.)
I WISH YOU MORE by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)
Packed with glorious wishes, this heartfelt and encouraging picture book is one your gift receiver will cherish forever.
BE YOU! by Peter H. Reynolds (Author, Illustrator)
Be curious…Be adventurous…Be brave…BE YOU! 1,000 times YES!! We all can benefit from receiving the inspirational message that Peter Reynolds imparts. Perfect for any graduate, but especially appropriate guidance for the student about to enter middle school!
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss (Author)
This classic by the one and only Dr. Seuss has become a runaway favorite gift for graduates of any age. I can’t help but wonder if Theodor Geisel ever imagined how this book would gain such widespread appeal!
The Berenstain Bears’ Graduation Day by Mike Berenstain (Author, Illustrator)
This fun book demystifies graduation rituals and is perfect for the youngest graduates who face all that pomp and circumstance with a degree of trepidation!
She Believed She Could, So She Did (mini book) by Kathy Weller (Author/Illustrator)
Chock full of quotes that celebrate inner strength and the power of dreaming big, this beautiful little book is most suitable for high school and college graduates.
Imagine a World Full of Wonder by Heather Lean (Author), Leigha Huggins (Author)
This picture book is an artistic masterpiece, with each page inspiring kids of all ages to imagine a world of togetherness, acceptance, and infinite possibilities. A beautiful gift for a myriad of celebrations!
A Letter From Your Teacher on the last day of School by Shannon Olsen (Author), Sandie Sonke (Illustrator)
Part of the Classroom Community Collection (which also offers Our Class is a Family and A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School), this book offers a lovely way for teachers to impart their pride and best wishes to their classrooms.
maybe by Kobi Yamada (Author), Gabriella Barouch (Illustrator)
“Maybe is inspiration tucked inside an adventure, perfect for readers of any age who may be asking, ‘What next?’” (Jill Lorenzini, BookPage). This book is immensely popular, and I’m eager to read it!
The Freshman Survival Guide – Soulful Advice by Nora Bradbury-Haehl (Author), Bill McGarvey (Author)
This is my go-to gift for high school graduates, and the advice it imparts is invaluable. Boy oh boy, I wish I’d had a book like this before I went to college!
Carpe Every Diem: The Best Graduation Advice from More than 100 Commencement Speeches by Robie Rogge (Author)
OMG, I’ll be gifting this book to every college graduate I know. Please keep it a surprise, especially if YOU know my son!).
I hope you enjoyed this wonderful collection of inspirational graduation books. Did I miss any of your favorites? If so, please share them in the comments section below!
WRITERS' RUMPUS 
Wonderful ideas! Hmmm, so many good choices for this time of year.
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Thank you, Marcia! FYI: I gifted Carpe Every Diem to my son for his college graduation!
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Perfect, congratulations to your son! And thanks for reminding me about your great gift book ideas. 🙂
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Wonderful post! So many great books!
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Thank you, Cathy!
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Giving books to the tiniest graduates, preschoolers, is such a good way to reinforce reading is fun. They are so proud in their little caps and gowns. Having seen my four children graduate from preschool and now my grandchildren brings back fond memories. At this age a book is the greatest gift of all!
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How could I forget graduation from preschool! Yikes! Maybe because my son is only one year away from graduating from college! I completely agree with you that books are the greatest gift of all – for all ages, including our youngest graduates.
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Super list! Thanks for compiling it, Laura.
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Thanks, Marty! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Great ideas and I love the final title on the post Carpe Every Diem! There’s something special about getting nuggets of advice from a variety of sources! Thanks for sharing this.
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I can’t wait to read Carpe Every Diem! Thank you for commenting.
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Wow, these sound great, Laura! I might have to snap one up for my elementary school graduate. And I’m a big fan of Kobi Yamada. His books are so creative and beautiful.
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Hilary, I hope I’ve given you some wonderful gift ideas. I’ve never read anything by Kobi Yamada and really look forward to it.
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This is a great list! Thank you!
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Thank you, Angie! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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So many lovely options to become keepsakes! Thanks for pulling together the list!
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Thank you, Robin! I agree that each of books would become treasured keepsakes, the kind of inspirational books you want to read time and again.
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Books make the best gift!! Great ideas here.
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Darlene, I completely agree! I’m the aunt/friend/mom who always gives books!
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