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mine would have a lot of highly specific advice on which guys to date and all the kinds of crap not to take from anyone, but maybe that’s just me. What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self  ($11.50 at Amazon) is a collection of forty-one famous women’s personal letters to the young women they once were, full of the advice and insights they wish they had known then. Famous names like Ann Curry, Lee Ann Womack, Maya Angelou, Madeleine Albright, Queen Noor of Jordan, Cokie Roberts, Naomi Wolf, Eileen Fisher, Jane Kaczmarek, Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gray, should be recognizable even to Kids Today. A meaningful gift for a young adult who’s not quite sure what to do next and needs a little reassurance from older and wiser ladies.

Suggested pairing: Amazon.com Gift Card, so she can explore more from these inspiring role models

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The Smart Student’s Guide to Healthy Living by Fred Smith

There are few changes in life that are more stressful on one’s body than heading off to college.  The combination of high stress, late nights, cafeteria food, drugs, alcohol and social dramas are enough to wear down even the most health conscious college student.  Fred Smith, following his freshman year at Luther College, teams up with his mom, a registered dietician, to create The Smart Student’s Guide to Healthy Living, attempting to help future college freshman sidestep the many potential pitfalls that await.  The book presents chapters on diet, sleep, fitness and stress reduction, including forty recipes that can be prepared in a dorm room with a focus.  A thoughtful gift that can help prevent the dreaded “freshman fifteen” and get the student in your life off to a healthy start.

Suggested pairing: 24 Hour Fitness Gift Card to help your grad stay active

The Girl’s Guide to Absolutely Everything by Melissa Kirsch

“Absolutely everything” is a tall order, but Melissa Kirsch does her best to pack in all the advice that you’d want to share with a young woman

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who’s just starting out in adult life. The book is divided into 10 chapters covering health, work, money, manners, friends, love, family, spirit, home, and fashion. From housecleaning hints to practical dating and sex advice to information on saving and investing money (start those Roth IRAs now, kids!), reading The Girl’s Guide to Absolutely Everything ($13.00 at Amazon) is the next best thing to having a cool, funny older sister who’s been through it all and wants to keep you from making the same mistakes — right down to the quotes from real women sprinkled throughout.

Suggested pairing: Groupon.com gift card, to learn how to have fun while saving money

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How to Be a Person: The Strangers Guide to College, Sex, Intoxicants, Tacos, and Life Itself by Dan Savage, et. al.

Veterans of The Stranger, Seattle’s alternative weekly, Lindy West and Dan Savage have teamed up to tell students everything their parents may not have told them about how to have a cool college experience in How to Be a Person: The Stranger’s Guide to College, Sex, Intoxicants, Tacos, and Life Itself ($12.50 at Amazon).  Full of tips about sex, laundry, drugs, music, relationships, STDs and more, it’s loaded with plenty of humor and potentially lifesaving advice.  It also includes a selection of previously published, college-oriented Savage Love columns, with Savage’s inimitable reality-based approach to sex and sexuality – which are sure to offend some readers.  A unique guide to life for any open-minded college student.

Suggested pairing: CVS Gift Card, because you need to buy condoms somewhere

The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece by Claro, Danielle; Linett, Andrea; France, Kim

How could a women’s fashion guidebook published in 2003 still be relevant, you ask? Well, THAT’S HOW GOOD IT IS. The Lucky Shopping

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Manual ($20 at Amazon), based on the popular (if fluff-brained) shopping magazine shares timeless, expert advice on how to dress fashionably, whether you’re on a budget or browsing at high-end boutiques. The majority of the guide is dedicated to building a wardrobe of classic, versatile pieces that will cover you from work wear to casual outfits and formal occasions. The wardrobe you create with these staples will last for years, while trendy accessories and jewelry keep your style up-to-date. Advanced lessons include how to cross-reference a wardrobe, buying vintage, shopping while traveling, and fabric care. Even though Lucky magazine is kind of infamous for fetishizing ridiculously spendy luxury items, this surprisingly down-to-earth manual is solid advice for women of any age.

Suggested pairing: Gift Card to Nordstrom or Macy’s, for a killer interview outfit

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Man Meets Stove by Jim Madden

Man Meets Stove($8 at Amazon) is based on the premise that the most effective way to win the attention of the fairer sex is by preparing a delicious home cooked meal.  Its target audience is men who know nothing more than the finer applications of the microwave start button.  Created by Jim Madden, this humorous, testosterone laden romp through the culinary arts presents chapters on basic cooking skills, breakfast, sandwiches, meat, beverages, sauces and desserts – from an unashamedly macho point of view.  If “Orgasm Salad” or a dessert called “Pour Some Sugar on My Banana” pique your interest, this cookbook is for you or the graduate in your life.

Suggested pairing: Target Gift Card, for starter kitchen tools

Freakin’ Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else by Clinton Kelly

Whether you’re a fan of the wardrobe-makeover show “What Not to Wear” or not, there’s plenty to learn from co-host Clinton Kelly. His book,

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Freakin’ Fabulous (which could also be titled Please Stop Embarrassing Yourself), covers all the basics to get your grad acting like a classy, confident, professional adult. The book is divided into seven self-explanatory sections: “Dress,” “Speak,” “Behave,” “Eat,” “Drink,” “Entertain,” and “Decorate.” Young adults who may never have had to dress for an interview, attend a formal black-tie event, or present a hostess gift will find this a trove of practical, helpful information presented in a funny, non-overwhelming way. The section on entertaining also has some great food and drink recipes that will add to anyone’s party repertoire. Read our full review for more.

Suggested pairing: Crate & Barrel gift card, to stock up on fabulous kitchen tools and household essentials