Reading ring: read with one hand, at last

What is a reading ring?

Also called a thumb page holder or book page holder. The idea is simple: a ring in the middle, a wing on each side. Your thumb goes through the ring, the holder sits in the gutter of the open book, and the wings press the pages so they cannot flip shut.

The result: one hand is enough to hold the book and keep your place. The other stays free for the handrail, the duvet, the mug or the phone.

How it works

Open the book at your page. Slip the ring onto the first joint of your thumb, loosely. Rest your thumb in the centre fold: each wing lands on a page. To turn the page, lift one wing, let the page through, rest again.

The wings do the work, not the ring, so it does not need to be a snug fit. After two or three pages the gesture becomes natural.

Which books does it suit?

A reading ring is at home on paperbacks and standard softcover novels: the flexible spine lets itself be held and the wings cover the useful width. That is exactly the book you take on the train.

The thicker the book and the stiffer the binding, the more the pages resist. On a very large hardback, a book stand will be more comfortable than a ring. In between, it depends on the spine and on the size of your hand.

Wooden reading rings: the shades

Wood is the most common material, and the nicest: light, soft to the touch, silent on paper. Each piece keeps the grain of its wood; no two rings are quite the same.

Our model The Companion comes in four shades: mahogany (reddish brown), golden oak (honey), walnut (dark brown) and natural maple (light beige). The Reading Cat, in dark wood, adds a little cat head to one wing.

Reading ring or bookmark?

Both. A reading ring holds the book open while you read; close the book on it and it marks your page until next time. A classic bookmark only does the second half of the job.

Making your own: clay, 3D printing, wood

Many readers make their own from polymer clay or air-dry clay: a ring, two wings, a spell in the oven or a drying time, and a varnish. It makes a lovely afternoon project, and templates are easy to find online.

Clay stays brittle and a little heavy, though; 3D printing gives a clean object, but in plastic. Solid wood is lighter, gentler on pages and ages well. If you would rather not craft one, that is the one we offer.

Choosing the right size

Our rings are made for an adult thumb, worn on the first joint. The ring does not need to be fitted since it carries nothing: it only has to slip on without forcing. The Reading Cat has a 2.2 cm ring.

If you have very large hands, write to us before ordering: we will check for you.

Giving a reading ring

It is the reader's gift par excellence: small, useful, and it slips into an envelope or inside a book you are giving. The duo "one for you, one to give" lets you keep one ring and give the other, each in its own shade, at 14.90 € for both instead of 19.80 €.

For a fuller gift, the Reader on the Go Gift Set brings together a reading light, The Companion and The Reading Cat.