Great Christmas Books for Older Kids

The Story of Holly & Ivy, by Rumer Godden
Here’s a short and sweet Christmas story that’s a great read-aloud for six- to nine-year-olds, with charming illustrations. Ivy knows she has no parents, but when she’s the only kid at the orphanage with no one to take her in, she sets off to find the grandmother that she dreams she has. Mrs. Jones has no children of her own, but this Christmas she feels the urge to decorate the house as if she did, wishing for a child to share her love with. And Holly is a little doll with a red dress, who wishes to be taken to a home. The power of their wishes, and some good luck, brings them together for a perfect Christmas ending!

Letters from Father Christmas, by J.R.R. Tolkien
If you have young fans of The Lord of the Rings in your home, offer them this magical book of letters from Father Christmas, accompanied by Tolkien’s own paintings, that he created for his own children. As the years go by, the letters begin to tell a story of fantastic excitements and adventures up at the North Pole, from the amusing accidents of the friendly North Polar Bear, to wars with a troublesome goblin horde. It will inspire young imaginations, and become a beloved Christmas favorite!

Father Christmas and Me, by Matt HaigAmelia is the newly adopted daughter of Father Christmas and Mary Christmas, and though she loves them, life in the land of the elves is cold and icy, and Christmas songs are sung year-round. More seriously, there’s a faction amongst the elves that wants her banished from Elfhelm, and the angry Easter Bunny and his evil rabbits are causing trouble too. Can Christmas be saved? Like its predecessors, A Boy Called Christmas, and The Girl Who Saved Christmas, this is a magical and funny story, with great illustrations.

The Nutcracker Mice, by Kristin Kladstrup
If your family’s Christmas music includes the Nutcracker, this story of the mice who have their own ballet company in a human theater in St. Petersburg is a must read! The truly delightful reimagining of the Nutcracker Ballet the mice perform one Christmas, and the brave mouse ballerina Esmeralda who makes the performance happen with the help of a young human girl, makes this a lovely read even if you’ve never seen the ballet.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, by Karina Yan Glaser
The Vanderbeekers (five children, parents, and pets) are being kicked out of their New York apartment just before Christmas. The kids are determined to persuade their reclusive landlord to change his mind, while making sure that Christmas isn’t overlooked during all the sadness and confusion. It’s a warm and engrossing family story, with a Christmas miracle at the end.

Bounce, by Megan Shull
12-year-old Frannie’s parents have left her at Christmas time with her two older siblings, who immediately start to party, trashing the house. Frannie wishes desperately that she could be part of another family…and her wish comes true, sending her bouncing through a series of Christmases spent as other girls. Some of her experiences are wonderful, some are sad, and all help Frannie grow into a stronger, braver person, able to fit more comfortably in her own family. Perfect for every kid who wonders what life would be like as someone else!

Greenglass House, by Kate Milford
It is Christmas time at Greenglass House, and the small hill-top hotel is snowbound. Milo, whose parents own the inn, is looking forward to a peaceful Christmas with no visitors. But despite the snow, a strange assortment of guests arrives. Each has a secret connected to the history of the house…and one secret is deadly. Full of mystery, story-telling, hot-chocolate and presents, and with a fantastic twist at the end, this is a beautifully magical story! And happily the sequel, Ghosts of Greenglass House, gives us Milo’s next Christmas, with its own magical adventures! Both are lovely read-alouds.