24 Christmas book ideas for older children & tweens, perfect for a book advent calendar, Christmas Eve Box or simply sprinkling some festive cheer!
Whether you’re looking to add a book to a Christmas Eve Box, create a Book Advent Calendar or simply want to find a festive book you can enjoy with your young reader, we’ve got a whole host of Christmas books ideas for older children, tweens and early teens.
There are so many wonderful Christmas book options available now that it’s hard to pick just a few! But we’ve rounded up some of our favourites to get you started.
Let the festive reading begin!
Scroll down for all the details and links. Happy Browsing!
Looking for more festive activity inspiration to enjoy? Click here to discover more.
We all know that children learn to read and enjoy stories at difference paces. So use the below purely as a guide and please feel free to check out our other book ideas for more inspiration too.
Note: This post contains some affiliate links. This means that we may earn a small commission when you click on such links, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only share links to products we would use ourselves and all opinions are our own. You can read the full disclaimer here.
The Complete Guide To Book Advent Calendars
Get the full lowdown on how to create a book advent calendar and tips galore on doing so without breaking the bank!
Our Top Picks For Christmas Books Ideas For 9-12+ Year Olds
A classic! What more can we say?! Once added to the book advent calendar, this book will last and last, captivating a whole host of ages! Pair it with a movie night if you’d like or simply enjoy on its own. This is one of those books that just has to be read each Christmas time!
Find out more here.
Who can resist a festive serving of Lauren Child’s fabulous Clarice Bean?! Concerned that Christmas might be Christmassy enough Clarice summons up her inner elf to keep the festive spirit high. A perfect new addition to the Christmas book offerings.
Find out more here.
A modern day classic and the first in Matt Haig’s Christmas series, this is an emotional rollercoaster of a read as we learn the real story of the boy who is to become Father Christmas. (Perfect to read ahead of watching the movie set to be released imminently.)
Find out more here.
The ever-popular Horrible Histories takes the reader on a journey of Christmas across the ages and explores where today’s traditions originated. As always with Terry Deary’s books, this festive edition is engaging and entertaining as well as informative.
Find out more here.
More frosty magic than festive. This fabulous tale follows the story of 12 year old Jess who is allergic to the sun but discovers a secret ice garden complete with resident. An enchanting heart-warming story for older readers.
Find out more here.
As Ben’s Christmas wish to have his father home for Christmas never comes true, he’s starting to question the whole Santa thing. But when his plan to get proof results in him giving the real Father Christmas concussion, Ben is thrown into a series of mishaps and adventure! A great, funny read sure to hold attention.
Find out more here.
What do you call an elf who has just won the lottery? Welfy!
‘Tis the season for jokes (good, terrible and everything in between) so why not add some festive cheer to your child’s book collection with this round up of Christmas crackers!
Find out more here.
A series of 13 short stories written by a host of award-winning authors including Serena Patel (Anisha Accidental Detective) and Robin Stevens (Murder Most Unladylike series). A collection of mysteries, mur2ders and adventures all set around the festive period, this is a perfect dip-into book for the run up to Christmas.
Find out more here.
Thinking about gifts? We’ve got suggestions for everyone from children to tween girls, tween boys, teens and your Mum friends! Not forgetting our furry pet friends too!
For the complete list of guides, click here.
A Christmas Carol and The Santa Claus story rolled up into one when Jackson ends up joining Father Christmas on his deliveries one Christmas Eve. A fun festive light-hearted read; definitely one for the list.
Find out more here.
The stunning timeless illustrations-only story by Raymond Briggs is of course a great Christmas book option. But we were pleasantly surprised by this written version penned by the fabulous Michael Morpurgo.
Find out more here.
Okay this one is more ice, snow and magic than Christmas but it’ll always be a festive book to me as my elder son discovered it one December and was completely enthralled. Highly recommended fantastical adventure.
Find out more here.
New for 2021, J. K. Rowling certainly needs no introduction. This time however we follow Jack as he searches for his favourite toy, Dur Pig (or DP for short). Definitely written for a slightly older audience, this book touches on broken families and teenage angst in amongst plenty of festive magic.
Find out more here.
J R R Tolkien’s vivid imagination is set to work envisaging life at the North Pole in this series of letters, written for his own children and delivered one a year when they were young. This beautiful hardback edition includes reproductions of all the letters and illustrations Tolkien had penned by hand.
Find out more here.
Holly Carroll and her family love Christmas! So much so that they celebrate it every day of the year. But when the family move, and Holly transitions from home-schooling to her local school, she starts to question how to fit in when you are different. Read our full review of this fabulously festive book, and interview with author Mel Taylor-Bessent, here.
Buy your copy here.
Meet The Christmas Carrolls
Read our review of new children’s book The Christmas Carrolls and discover more in our interview with the author behind the festive cheer!
What is Christmas without Ebenezer and Tiny Tim? This beautiful edition is a great introduction to the unabridged version of the Dickens’ classic with Quentin Blake’s instantly recognisable illustrations making light of the text. For the upper end of the age group or to read as a family.
Find out more here.
A collection of short festive stories by the late great Sir Terry Prachett. A brilliant introduction to the fantastical mind of this master writer including exploding mince pies, a helpful partridge in a pear tree and Father Christmas being arrested for burglary!
Find out more here.
The memory of Christmas is being stolen in Eddie’s new hometown by some decidedly ‘shady characters’. Can he restore memories and normality before it’s too late? A different kind of festive story which should hit the mark with this age group.
Find out more here.
Did you know that only female reindeer keep their antlers in winter? Can you guess what was the first Christmas carol sung in space? Perfect for inquisitive young minds and festive chats at the dinner table!
Find out more here.
Simple christmas Eve Box
Ideas for filling a DIY Christmas Eve Box – perfect for last-minute panics or when you don’t want to splurge.
A festive chapter in the Murder Most Unladylike series. This story sees detective duo Daisy and Hazel join forces with fellow detectives to uncover the truth behind an ‘accident’ at Maudlin College in Cambridge just two days before Christmas.
Find out more here.
Jake finds Christmas tricky, with the changes in routine and sensory explosion of lights and noise. But when he forms a special bond with a lost dog he finds on the street, things become a little easier. A great story to prompt discussion around different experiences of the Christmas season, and purposely produced with dyslexic readers in mind.
Find out more here.
Beautiful story of Thea who, whilst visiting her father and his new family in Norway for Christmas, discovers a bear in the nearby woods. The book explores the relationship between Thea and her father, one familiar to many young readers, whilst also sharing the fantastical special bond between Thea and the bear.
Find out more here.
You know you’re in safe hands with Dame Jacqueline Wilson! We return to the World of Victorian foundling Hetty Feather for this festive tale as Hetty’s own Christmas takes an unexpected turn when an old friend arrives.
Find out more here.
A modern day retelling of A Christmas Carol, full of magic and emotion. The story follows George and his Ebenezer-like Dad as a magical snow globe from Marley’s Curiosity Shop takes them on an adventure through Christmases past present and future.
Find out more here.
But of course!! This is a traditional edition of the timeless poem, a perfect heirloom to live in your Christmas Eve Box and be enjoyed year upon year!
Find out more here.
More Christmas Book Inspiration
Looking for Christmas book ideas for other age children? We’ve got suggestions for everyone. Click below for more.
Which other festive books do your children enjoy reading? Do let us know in the comments below! We love discovering new Christmas books!
Share Your Festive Adventures!
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @jollyfestive.
And be sure to tag #jollyfestive in your photos. We love to see what you’ve been preparing for advent this year!
More Christmas Activity Ideas
Over 100 UK Christmas Train Rides In 2023
With over 100 Santa Special Steam Trains included from across the UK, use our complete guide & interactive map to find the best Father Christmas Train Rides near you for 2023.
13 Christmas Lights Train Rides UK for 2023
Christmas Lights train rides are the latest hot ticket for the festive season! Learn more and use our map to find your nearest light fantastic experience.
10 UK Polar Express Train Rides For 2023: A Complete Guide
Don your Christmas PJs and find your nearest UK Polar Express Train Ride location for a fabulous family Christmas day out.