Six Christmas Books to Read
I often see people looking for Christmas book recommendations, especially stories to share with children. In this post, I want to give a few suggestions of books that fit the following criteria:
1) Not very long (I tend to see readers looking for short books around Christmastime, and usually that’s what I want too!)
2) Vintage vibes (of course)
3) Easy enough to find
Let’s begin!
1. MOLLY’S SURPRISE (1986): My favorite of all the American Girl Christmas books is this third Molly book by Valerie Tripp. It’s so cozy, vintage, and yet with an emotional thread throughout. Best of all, it has a very happy ending! (I don’t like sad Christmas stories. 😉 )
2. TIN CAN SERENADE (2013) by Amanda Dykes: Look no further than this short story for a warm Christmas tale with wonderful cast of child and adult characters. It’s also completely free on Kindle!
3. NOEL STREATFEILD’S CHRISTMAS STORIES (2018): This is a wonderful collection of holiday stories from the beloved author of Ballet Shoes and so many other favorites. Several of them feature dancing and acting, which of course were Noel’s specialties.
4. THE TWENTY-FOUR DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1964) by Madeleine L’Engle is a book I discovered last Christmas and enjoyed so much! It’s the prequel (written later, I believe?) to Meet the Austins, which I also loved. A sweet story of a little girl who is uncertain about the birth of her younger sibling as Christmas approaches.
5. THE LIGHT AT TERN ROCK (1951) by Julia Sauer is a little-known Newbery novel that is atmospheric and thought-provoking, and set at a lighthouse. What could be better? 🙂
6. FROM ANNA (1972) by Jean Little: This moving story of a nine-year-old girl who is uprooted from Germany in the 1930s and forced to come to terms with her limited eyesight is one of the finest Christmas stories I’ve ever read.
A bonus: if you haven’t yet read the Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright, there are magnificent Christmas chapters in The Four-Story Mistake and Spiderweb for Two! Take a look at these dazzling quotes from Four-Story:
Randy threw her arms around Cuffy’s neck. “Oh, I love Christmas Eve!” she cried. “Even better than Christmas I love it. Because everything’s just about to happen!”
and:
” … there was the lighted Christmas tree, come into its own at last: a shimmering mirage, a tree of Paradise, a pyramid of jewels.”
What books do you love to read as Christmas draws near? Let me know in the comments!
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Christmas with the Chrystals (also by Noel Streatfeild), A Christmas Treasury by Louisa May Alcott,(particularly A Country Christmas which is on Kindle) and Christmas with Anne by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
I love those too!
My favourite is the thirteen days of Christmas by Jenny Overton. A possible explanation of the Christmas Carol! I first read it when I was ten: it’s still in print, and a lovely story. I also like the story of Holly and ivy by rumer godden. A charming, although old-fashioned tale, with dolls (as other Rumer Godden stories) and also about finding a home. Apart from that, I like to read extracts. The bit in little house on the prairie where Mr Edwards brings the presents. The bit in what Katy Did At School where the Carr girls get the Christmas box. Etc.
The What Katy Did at School chapter is wonderful!
I’ll be reading The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling for the first time and A Christmas Carol. I’ll see if my library has any of those!
Oh, that sounds fun!
Thank you for these ideas!
I like reading Christmas excerpts from the Betsy-Tacy series (someone has put together a list over on the BTS society’s FB page) and this year, I’m also going to read A Little House Christmas Treasury, a compilation of Christmas-related excerpts from the Little House books.
Ooh, I’ve seen the BT Advent too! I would have done it except I had just re-read Betsy In Spite of Herself 🙂
AHHHHHH I LOVED THE AMERICAN GIRL BOOKS GROWING UP! I’ll have to hunt down a copy of Molly’s Suprise and enjoy some nostalgia.
Yes! You totally should!
I am reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens,”All Of A Kind Hanukkah” by Sydney Taylor,”Lucy’s Light” and “ST,Nicholas”. I enjoyed “Anne’s Christmas” by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Noel Streatfeild’s “Christmas Stories” .
Marion
So glad you enjoyed the Noel Streatfeild Christmas stories too!
I am reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, Ben’s Chanukah,Tasha Tudor’s Christmas and Tasha Tudor’s Becky’s Christmas.I also like all of The American Girls’ Christmas stories and Rebecca American Girl’s Chanukah. Also the Story Of Saint Nicholas and books about Advent.
Marilyn
I love that Rebecca book too!
Thank you for this – some books I didn’t know, some I’d forgotten have Christmas scenes! Definitely things to check out.
For the last few years I’ve been following the Betsy-Tacy “advent calendar” posted in the FB group, and I love it. I’m also very fond of the Christmas scenes in The Five Little Peppers and How they Grew, Maida’s Little Shop, and Mary Jane’s Kindergarten. And of course the ending of Streatfeild’s Theater Street!
Julie Aamoth – I read “Betsy-Tacy advent calendar” and basically shrieked and immediately went to the FB group. Thank you so much for calling this to my attention!!
The Theater Shoes ending is wonderful!
Thank you for these recommendations! I will check some of these out. I also enjoy “Molly’s Surprise” and the other American Girl holiday books. Some of my favorites are “Felicity’s Surprise” and “Addy’s Surprise.” I don’t really know of many Christmas stories, so I was excited to see this list!
Yay! I love all the AG Christmas stories. 🙂
Julie, I *never* see anyone mention Maida or Mary Jane, two of my mother’s favorites that I inherited. In fact, my grandmother gave away my mother’s Maida books when she left for Radcliffe in 1955 (although Mary Jane wanted to attend Wellesley) and pre-internet it took me years to replace them for her!
Anna, the NY Betsy-Tacy chapter is going to read your book in the spring and I am going to lead the discussion! What fun.
More details about Maida and Mary Jane please! Author names?
Oh, I am so delighted to hear that! I hope you all enjoy it 🙂 I loved Maida’s Little Shop too.
I LOVE FROM ANNA AND THE MELENDY BOOKS!!!