6 Special Edition Classic Books that are Perfect for Gifting!

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I am a sucker for a gorgeous book! Ok, I am a sucker for ANY and ALL books…but special editions take the cake! I have slowly been adding these beauties to my bookshelves over the years and wanted to share some of my very favorites with you guys! These books are absolutely gorgeous and would make such amazing gifts! If you have a friend or family member that has a favorite classic…grabbing them a special edition is such a thoughtful gift! There are so many different books out there…but these are just a few of my favorites! Do you have a favorite classic?

The Secret Garden from MinaLima

Ok, I have to start with this book because it was my first real foray into the world of special editions. I had seen mentions of MinaLima books on Instagram but didn’t own any of my own. I happened to find The Secret Garden on sale…so I grabbed it. It is one of my favorite books so I figured that would be a good place to start. You guys…I not only fell in love with this book…but I fell in love with MinaLima. These books are the ultimate in gorgeous collectible editions. I am going to add a little warning for your wallet…once you add one to your collection…you are going to want them all. Are they cheap? No. Are they worth every penny? Yes, yes they are!

So, what makes them so spectacular? Everything. The illustrations, the die cut pages, the fold-out elements, the interactive elements…they are just truly some of the most spectacular books I have ever laid my eyes on. I *may* have added several (more than several) more to my collection since I started…and I hope to keep adding them as they keep publishing them.

Classics Reimagined- Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is a book that booknerds the world over are obsessed with. They love them some Jane Austen. Well, I had never read it. I know, I know…don’t come for me. It was just never on my bookish radar for some reason. However, when I saw this stunning edition…you guessed it…I had to have it in my life. It is stunnnnnning. Swoon-worthy. It is so gorgeously illustrated by Alice Pattullo. I didnt even read it for the first month that I had it…I just flipped through the pages making “ooohing and ahhing” sounds. Old English lit is so far outside of my comfort zone. I just find it difficult to read. Adding the illustrations in makes it so much more enjoyable and accessible to me!

This is another book on the pricier side of things, but again, it is a keepsake and absolutely so beautifully done. There are quite a few books in this Classics Reimagined series as well. I have only added a couple more to my collection but they are also equally gorgeous. Stay tuned for another of those in a minute!

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables is another favorite of mine. So, when I decided I wanted to read it aloud to my kiddos, I went in search of a gorgeous illustrated edition…because that is apparently what I do now. Well, I found one and it is lovely. Not only is this is a gorgeous illustrated hardcover book…but it also comes in a beautiful illustrated slipcover. My kids absolutely loved hearing this book read to them and adored the charming illustrations by Luisa Uribe.

Like many classics, Anne of Green Gables is another book that was written a long long time ago…1908. Often times that leads to older language that can be more difficult to understand. Adding in the illustrations makes the books so much more kid friendly. They truly bring the stories to life!

So I of course fell in love with this book which meant I had to go in search of more in this series. It is published by Arcturus and I was delighted to find out that there are several more in this illustrated series. The Secret Garden, Peter Pan, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have also found their way into my life and onto my shelves!

The Hobbit

Oh how I love me some Hobbitses. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien is a book that I read about a million years ago. I had a thick and boring old paperback that I think I paid a dollar for at a thrift store. Well, this new illustrated edition is certainly quite a GLOW UP from that book! Illustrated by Jemima Catlin, this is a stunning book. It brings the story to life and does so with the most enchanting illustrations.

If you know a Hobbit fan, they would love this book! It has a gorgeous illustrated linen cover with the most beautiful golden details. Just such a treasure! If you have never read The Hobbit you are in for a treat. Such a magical book. Just be prepared…lots of singing.

The Jungle Book

I have to include another MinaLima book. They are just too spectacular not to share. The Jungle Book is such a spectacular story. Many people know of it only from the movies, but the book is just incredible too. Especially this edition. This book is filled with the most lush illustrations, fantastic interactive elements, and so much fun. Fold-out maps and spinning elephants are just two of the exciting elements you an expect to find in the pages of this book!

If you know a Jungle Book lover, this is a must-have! You could even pair the book with a copy of the movie for an even better gift. Do people still buy movies? At least I didn’t say VHS and really date myself!

I am going to stop at 2 MinaLima books for this blog post, but will add a link to my Amazon storefront with all of the other books they have. I own 10 and can tell you with 100% certainty that they are ALL stunning and you can’t go wrong.

Frankenstein

We are going to go dark for minute, my friends. Frankenstein… like you have never seen him before. This version is another Classics Reimagined book and it is frightfully gorgeous. The illustrations are both gorgeous and grotesque. Frankenstein is obviously know for being a dark and macabre story…and let me tell you, these illustrations amp that up another 100 notches. The illustrations by David Plunkert are chilling and eerie but in the most beautiful way.

This hardcover book has sprayed red edges to add to the creep factor! I definitely wouldnt recommend this book for a young child…not only is the story really dark, but the images can definitely be a bit disturbing for young readers. But if you have an older reader who is ready for such a heavy book, I recommend this version so much. It is visually stunning. This is one of the more affordable books as well. It is currently listed on Amazon for under $17!

Tips on Saving Money

As I mentioned above, these books usually come with a pretty large price tag. They are most definitely on the pricier side for a work of fiction, but they are all extremely high-quality books. But, there are definitely ways you can add these to your library or give them as gifts without completely breaking the bank.

Places like Amazon will often include these books, especially the MinaLima books, as part of their Buy 2 Get 1 free Sales. That can save a huge amount of money! You can also type “MinaLima” into the Amazon search bar and it will bring up ALL of their titles for you to shop from. Often times there will be at least one on sale. If you arent looking for a specific title and just want to add one of their books to your collection you can easily snag the sale book at a lower price. At the time of writing this you can currently get both The Secret Garden and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for under $20 each. I did however just miss the Buy 2 Get 1 Sale!

Another place that I have found that you can save lots of money on these beautiful editions is on Book Outlet. Now, Book Outlet is hit or miss…just like a regular outlet store. Sometimes you will find a huge selection of special edition classics and sometimes you come away empty handed. My advice is that if you find one…add that sucker to your cart and check out quickly. They often have very limited quantities and you don’t know when or if they are getting more. I have managed to find MinaLima, Classics Reimagined, and the Slip-Covered Arcturus books there. Instead of wandering aimlessley through their giant website, I will specifically type “MinaLima” or “Classics Reimagined” into the search bar. Easiest way to find them if they are there!

If you are new to Book Outlet you can use my referral link and save $5!

Thanks for Reading!

As always, thank you so much for reading! I appreciate you being here! Do you have any favorite Special Edition Classics? I am always looking for more to add to my collection! (Look away, husband…look away)