It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the perfect opportunity to cozy up with a festive book!
While you’re making your list (and checking it twice!) consider gifting a book to your favorite bookworm this holiday season.
K-2nd Grade
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Part of the popular Click Clack series, this book will have your young reader rolling at the antics of Duck, who gets the entire barnyard stuck in quite a predicament! When Santa comes to the barnyard, will he be able to save the barnyard animals and Christmas?
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Who doesn’t love this chilled out cat? Now your little one can explore the classic 12 Days of Christmas song in a whole new way. After all, who needs five golden rings when you could have five onion rings instead?
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The Latkes are a family like any other…except they’re potato pancakes. And even though they’re a part of the Hanukkah tradition, they have no idea what Hanukkah is really about! Luckily, the family dog knows what’s up with the menorah, the Maccabees and dreidels, but will this silly family listen when he tries to set them straight?
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Christmas Eve tradition meets Latino flair in this magical, bilingual holiday tale. Learn about traditions such as the midnight feast, complete with tamales and champurrado (hot chocolate). Your child may even learn some new Spanish words!
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No matter whether you’re big or “li’l,” everyone can do something to help a person in need. This book, inspired by Brer Rabbit, explores the power of love and family as Li’l Rabbit does everything in his power to help Granna Rabbit feel better and celebrate Kwanzaa.
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Two holidays are better than one in this book about blended holiday traditions. When Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama share their various traditions surrounding Christmas and Hanukkah, they make the holidays sparkle brighter than ever before. Kids will identify with Sadie and her love for her blended family.
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What happens when an elf tries to deliver Christmas presents and gets discovered by kids trying to peek in on Santa? Hijinks, goofy traps, and fun galore! This acclaimed, adorable modern classic will have your little one giggling with glee.
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Seven boys under the same roof can only mean one thing: fights, fights and more fights. When their father passes away, he leaves a strange condition in his will: the brothers must work together to find a way to make gold out of seven spools of thread, or they will lose everything. This engaging story will tug on the heartstrings and give your young reader a taste of the true values of Kwanzaa.
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Elves are known for their toy-making abilities, which comes in handy when Santa’s sleigh is put out of commission. As competitive as they are creative, the elves come up with wild ideas for a sleigh design and present them to Santa, who will pick a winner. But is a new sleigh design really needed, or are some things meant to last forever?
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No matter where you’re from or which holidays you celebrate, all of us can find joy in even the simplest things in life. Set in the era of Nazi Germany, this timely read about a refugee who arrives in Manhattan with nothing but a photograph and the address of an aunt he’s never met will introduce your young reader to the complex emotions of grief and the importance of being kind to a stranger.
3rd-5th Grade
Christmas spirit is at an all-time low. Nikolas—nicknamed “Christmas”—must go in search of his missing father, and even the elves don’t seem to believe anymore. But who better than a boy named Christmas to revive the holiday spirit again?
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Five biracial siblings fight to save their home in this modern take on the “big family” stories you knew and loved. This heartwarming tale of love and community is a great addition to collections for grades 3-7.
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The My Weird School series really gets kids reading, and this Christmas-themed installment is no exception. Your kids will laugh out loud at the crazy antics of the Ella Mentry School kids, and they’ll be thrilled to discover thirty-two pages of games, puzzles, and more when they reach the end of the book!
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The famous Wimpy Kid is back, and this time he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Greg Heffley is suspected of damaging school property, and the only thing between him and the authorities is a surprise blizzard. But how is he going to survive the holidays trapped inside with his family?
6th-8th Grade
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On his eleventh birthday, Midwinter Day, Will Stanton discovers he is the last of the Old Ones, immortal beings dedicated to protecting the world from evil. This Newbery Award-winning fantasy twist on the twelve days of Christmas is an epic holiday tale.
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Though not a dedicated “Christmas book,” Little Women is a must-read classic, especially around the holidays. Children (and adults) of all ages can relate to Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy and their story of love, perseverance and the importance of home and family.
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When a Good Samaritan, who leaves 45 $100 bills lying around in the city at Christmastime, disappears, eleven-year-old Sam Brattle takes it upon himself to do some sleuthing and uncover the cause of his disappearance. This Christmas mystery novel is sure to draw in even the most reluctant of readers.
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This “realistic, character-driven” (SLJ) novel tells the tale of Joel, a 12-year-old amateur magician who is the only Jew at his school. Joel grapples with problems any kid can relate to: trouble with kids at school, the pain of watching his father languish in a coma and struggles with his faith. Dreidels on the Brain is a Hanukkah tale with the makings of a true holiday classic.
Young Adult (9th-12th Grade)
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In this clean teen romance, meet Charlie Donovan, a girl who thinks she knows exactly what–or rather, who–she wants. In an effort to win the heart of Teo Ortiz, the most popular boy in school, Charlie teams up with his cousin, J.D., her polar opposite and the one person in the world who annoys her the most. This story will make your young reader want to “bak(e) gingerbread cookies and bunuelos at any time of year” (VOYA).
by Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de La Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins, Laini Tayler & Kiersten White
At least one of these authors’ names should sound familiar to YA readers! From romance to classic Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa stories, your teen is sure to find their favorite holiday-themed short read in this lovely anthology.
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In a small town swept up in a Christmas Eve snowstorm, love can find you in the most unexpected of ways. These beloved YA authors will captivate your young reader with interconnected stories of friendship and chance meetings that blossom into love.
We hope this list was helpful for you! If your student needs additional ideas for what to read, check out our suggested lists on Biblionasium.
