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 to share, we’ve got a whole host of Christmas books ideas for older children, tweens and early teens.
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.
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Our Top Picks Of Christmas Book Ideas For Older Kids
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 or simply enjoy on its own. This is one of those books that just has to be read each Christmas time!
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 addition to the Christmas book offerings.
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. (Now a movie too!)
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. And the latest edition is full-colour too!
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.
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.
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!
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, murders and adventures all set around the festive period, this is a perfect dip-into book for the run up to Christmas.
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.
When the lead character is a reindeer called Dave, you know you’re in for a goodun! This new Christmas read by the ever-so-funny Stephen Mangan has just the right balance of adventure, emotion and laughs.
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.
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.
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. A keeper to grow into and enjoy over the years.
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. The first in a 3-part series, read our full review of this fabulously festive book, and interview with author Mel Taylor-Bessent.
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.
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!
New this year, Lottie Brooks is back .. and this time, it’s Christmas. A fun-filled tale of festive family celebrations and chaos – think many of us can relate already!
The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby
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!
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.
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.
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.
Is this Christmas of the future? Run by robots without all the festivities we know and love. Winterzone is in control but a clue suggests there may just be a way to bring back Santa.
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.
But of course!! This is a traditional edition of the traditional poem, a perfect heirloom to live in your Christmas Eve Box and be enjoyed year upon year!
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 Christmas books do your children enjoy reading? Do let us know in the comments below! We also love discovering new festive reads!
Looking for more inspiration?
- How to make a Book Advent Calendar
- Play Christmas Movie Bingo with our FREE Printable Game Boards
- Easy Christmas Family Game Ideas
And be sure to check out our Jolly Festive gift guides – we’ve got gift ideas for everyone on your nice list!
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