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Independent local businesses... bursting with books for all ages and tastes

Take care of all your Christmas shopping needs right here in Lewisham. If you’re planning to give a book as a gift, look no further than these five fabulous book shops.

It’s more important than ever that we support our independent retailers in the run-up to Christmas this year. We’re confident our fantastic local Lewisham businesses have all your festive shopping needs wrapped up. Here we’ve featured five fantastic bookshops from across the borough bursting at the seams with books that’ll make you laugh, cry and wonder. From picture books to biology, science fiction to autobiography, from vintage to new. Books make the most timeless gifts. If you’re planning to give one this Christmas, read on.

Moon Lane Books

Forest HillA carousel horse in the middle of the shop with soft toys underneath and lots of colourful books on the shelves

Moon Lane Books is located on the borders of Catford and Forest Hill. We are a children’s bookshop with a carefully curated selection of adult general fiction and non-fiction. Since opening in 2018, we have been dedicated to raising equality of access and representation. From picture books to general fiction, we endeavour to support books that are inclusive and represent the society we live in.

Recommended books:

Picture Book: Clean Up! by Nathan Byron and Dapo Adeola

Young Fiction: A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Young Adult: Clap When you Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Adult: On Earth, We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Visit Moon Lane Books webaite

Crofton Books

Crofton ParkThe inside of Crofton Books shop is crammed with books on lots of different bookshelves

We set up Crofton Books in 2016 to share our love of books both vintage and new. And to use books to celebrate important developments, such as Black Lives Matter and the need to reuse. We believe books are a visual delight and seeing them in the flesh inspires people. It’s why we’re so excited to open our very own bookshop on Brockley Road soon. Follow us on social media for the latest developments.

Recommended books:

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

On Connection by Kate Tempest

Visit Crofton Books website

Kirkdale Bookshop

SydenhamKirkdle bookshop from the pavement it has a mint green facade

We have been open since 1966 – making us probably the oldest independent bookshop in SE London! We sell an eclectic range of new, second-hand and children’s books, as well as greetings cards and gifts. This year has been rather odd – but you can always rely on books to get you through!

Recommended books

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo is definitely our favourite this year. Magnificent.

Entangled Life by Martin Sheldrake. Mushrooms will change your life.

Visit the Kirkdale Bookshop website

The Bookshop on the Heath

BlackheathThe Bookshop on the heath from the pavement is a corner shop with a turquoise facade

The Bookshop on the Heath is one of South London's oldest second-hand bookshops. We offer a range of out-of-print titles in most subjects, including literature, art, history, travel, biography, children's books, guidebooks and local history, with many signed first editions. Also many maps and prints of Blackheath and Greenwich, framed and unframed. Recent arrivals include first editions of Stephen King, facsimile reprints of Agatha Christie and several dozen Baedecker Guides to European countries and beyond, from the 1880s onwards, in first-class condition.

Visit The Bookshop on the Heath website

The Word

New CrossThe Word bookshop from the pavement, it has a black facade with white lettering

Welcome to The Word, a cosy, buzzing independent bookshop in New Cross. We're bulging with wonderful books to dive into or give as presents. There's fantastic new and popular fiction for grown-ups, children's books for toddlers to teens, and a great selection of poetry and graphic novels. We've also got plenty of serious, and not so serious, non-fiction - from biographies to books on politics, history, race and gender. If we haven't got it in stock, we can always order it for you.

Visit The Word website

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