Pop art to ballet, reach for a coffee-table read when choosing holiday gifts

This combination of photos shows cover art for “The Christmas Book,” by Phaidon editors, top row from left, “The Color of Dance,” by TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian, “Birding for a Better World,” by Molly Adams and Sydney Golden Anderson, “The Art in Flower,” by Lindsey Taylor, “Dressing the Part: Television's Most Stylish Shows,” by Hal Rubenstein, “Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection,” photographs by Slim Aarons, and "Vanity Fair: Oscar Night Sessions,” photos by Mark Seliger, and bottom row from left, “Yellowstone: The Official Dutton Ranch Family Cookbook,” by chef Gabriel “Gator” Guilbeau, “The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families,” by Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer, “Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words,” by Jenni Nuttall, “Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed,” by Donald Bogle, “Thom Browne,” by Thom Browne and Andrew Bolton, “Milton Glaser: Pop,” by Steven Heller, Mirko Ilić and Beth Kleber, and “LL Cool J Presents the Streets Win,” by LL Cool J, Vikki Tobak and Alex Banks. (Phaidon/Black Dog & Leventhal/Princeton Architectural Press/Monacelli/HarperCollins/Abrams/Abrams/Weldon Owen/Chronicle Books/Viking/Running Press/Phaidon/Monacelli/Rizzoli New York via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — A good book packs power. A good book thoughtfully chosen as a gift can add a layer of joy.

The holidays are a great time to track down just the right coffee table reads for loved ones. There's a wide array this time of year. Some options: