How to choose a book for a milestone birthday
A good milestone book matches three things: the years the person remembers, how they like to play, and how comfortably they can read the page. Here's how to check each one, with the print size of every book at the end.
1. Match the decades, not just the age
Nostalgia works best when the questions or puzzles land in the person's teens and twenties. That's why each trivia book is tied to a birthday:
- 50th birthday (born 1976): 1976, then the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
- 60th birthday (born 1966): 1966, then the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
- 80th birthday: 1940s to 1970s.
- 90th birthday: 1930s to 1960s.
If the person is a year or two on either side of the milestone, the matching book will still mostly fit. If they grew up outside the US and Canada, expect some questions to be less familiar.
2. Quiz for a group, puzzles for one
A trivia book needs a reader and an audience. It suits a party, a family dinner or a visit; our hosting guide shows how to run one. A word search book is a quiet, solo gift the person can pick up whenever they like. Still unsure? Read trivia or word search: which to choose.
For some birthdays you can do both: the trivia book for the party and the 50th or 60th birthday word search for afterwards.
3. Check the print before you buy
If eyesight matters, look at the type size, not just the words "large print". The table below lists the measured type size for every book where we have it; among the trivia books, the 90th Birthday Trivia Book has the largest type, at 14.5 point. Page size matters too: the word search books use a big 8.5 x 11 page.
4. Think about who's buying
At 50 and 60 the gift often comes from a partner, sibling or friend, and the tone can be playful. At 80 and 90 it's more often children and grandchildren, and the book tends to be the centerpiece of a family gathering. Either way, choose the tone that suits the person; for some, the number itself is best left alone.
5. Buy from the right Amazon store
Every book page has buttons for Amazon.com (United States), Amazon.ca (Canada) and, where the book is sold there, Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom). Using your own country's store gives the right currency and delivery options. Amazon shows the current price and estimated delivery date before you order.
For young grandchildren
If a grandparent wants something to share with a child aged 4 to 8, see the children's books.
Print size and format of every book
Type sizes marked "measured" were read from the print file; the rest are as stated on the Amazon listing.
Birthday trivia books
| Book | Trim size | Pages | Type size |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 6 x 9 in (152 x 229 mm) | 65 | Not stated on the listing |
 | 6 x 9 in (152 x 229 mm) | 54 | Not stated on the listing |
 | 6 x 9 in (152 x 229 mm) | 92 | 13 pt (measured from the printed pages) |
 | 6 x 9 in (152 x 229 mm) | 92 | 14.5 pt (listing; also measured) |
Birthday word search books
| Book | Trim size | Pages | Type size |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 8.5 x 11 in (216 x 279 mm) | 163 | Grid 18.6 pt, word lists 16 pt (measured) |
 | 8.5 x 11 in (216 x 279 mm) | 163 | Grid 18.6 pt, word lists 16 pt (measured) |
Children's books
| Book | Trim size | Pages | Type size |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 8.25 x 8.25 in (210 x 210 mm) | 64 | Story text 16 pt (measured) |
 | 8 x 8 in (203 x 203 mm) | 64 | Not applicable (pictures only) |
What "large print" means here
There isn't a single legal definition of large print. The sight-loss charity RNIB describes large print as usually 16 point or higher; our article on what large print really means sets every measured size against that scale. We only use the words "large print" where the book's listing does, and we give the measured point size where we have it. All Ellis Gray books are paperbacks printed by Amazon; paperbacks don't lie flat on their own.
Written by Ellis Gray. Published October 16, 2026; updated October 17, 2026.