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!

When you hear someone talking about Noel Streatfeild books, chances are they’ll mention one of her most successful stories, usually in the Shoes series: Ballet Shoes or Theater Shoes (UK title—Curtain Up) or Skating Shoes (UK title—White Boots). And to be honest, I’m always excited when I see people talk about reading any Streatfeild book, because although some of the Shoes books achieved considerable popularity here in the USA, they just never quite attained the same status as other classic children’s novels.

Having been a Streatfeild fan since the age of nine, I’m delighted whenever I get the chance to introduce readers to some of her lesser-known stories. So without further ado, here’s a list of three books I’d love to share with you:

The Painted Garden (1949)

One of Noel Streatfeild’s favorite books was The Secret Garden, and this novel she published in 1949 is a clever retelling of that story. The Painted Garden follows ten-year-old Jane Winter, a middle child who has a tendency to get into trouble, as her family moves from rainy England to sunny California not long after World War II. Once in the picturesque town of Santa Monica, Jane (to her immense surprise) is cast as Mary Lennox in a major film production of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story. She has to learn how to deal with a difficult co-star and manage her temper, or risk losing the role and her one chance of importance. It’s a lovely book that has memorable characters and some of Streatfeild’s best atmospheric writing. Be sure to get the UK edition with this title, though—the US version (Movie Shoes) is abridged.

Caldicott Place (1967)

This is one of Streatfeild’s most emotionally moving stories, and it completely captured my heart the first time I read it (and on many subsequent rereadings). This is the story of a family who inherits an old manor house that was once grand but is now run-down and in need of attention. But the Johnstone family is in need of a new home after their father’s car accident, and not only do they gradually fix up the house, they take in several children who also need a place to live. At first, personalities clash and there are numerous challenges and misunderstandings—the youngest child tries to run away before one of the older girls convinces her to stay—but the ending is marvelously happy and satisfying. It’s safe to say that this book has one of my all-time favorite finales. My first copy of this book was a US edition called The Family at Caldicott Place, but to my knowledge there are few differences in the two texts. The only major difference I’ve found between the two versions is that the UK publication has more chapter breaks (and, therefore, chapter titles).

The Growing Summer (1966)

I will likely be talking more about this story in the summer, when I plan to re-read it (again!), but it’s definitely worth including here too. If you haven’t yet heard me discuss this tale of four siblings and their summer adventures in a mysterious Ireland setting, you’re certainly going to want to pick it up now. This book follows the Gareth children as they are uprooted to the home of their unpredictable Great-Aunt Dymphna, where they have to learn how to cope with complex responsibilities and secrets. The reason why I recommend this book so often is because I think it will appeal those who love Elizabeth Enright’s summery books or Edward Eager’s magical tales, and I know there are tons of fans of those books. This sometimes overlooked Streatfeild story fits right in with those, and I hope you’ll give it a try! (P.S.—I recently bought my first UK copy of this story but haven’t read it yet. I don’t think there are many text changes from my US edition called The Magic Summer.)

Do you have a lesser-known Streatfeild favorite? If so, I would love to hear about it!

One of the reasons I love classic middle grade/YA (and one of the reasons I write in this genre) is that these books are ideal for summer. I’ve collected a list of books that are particularly suited to summertime; a perfect complement to blooming flowers, breezy days, long walks in the woods, and (perhaps best of all!) ice cream and raspberries. 🙂

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson
This story of a young girl’s year on an awe-inspiring Pennsylvania farm won the Newbery Medal in 1957, and it’s full of rich descriptive language and the beauty of nature—a must-read for anyone who loves maple syrup, meadows full of flowers, and—of course!—miracles.

The Time Garden by Edward Eager
Edward Eager’s magical adventure books are always a delight, and The Time Garden is one of his best. A Revolutionary War-era mansion by the sea, an encounter with the March sisters from Little Women, and a slew of witty mishaps are just a few of the facets of this tall tale.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Often compared to the stories of Enright and Streatfeild, the Penderwick family’s original novel (there are five books in this series) will enchant readers who long for stories reminiscent of old favorites. (Birdsall says that she was inspired by The Secret Garden and E. Nesbit’s The Enchanted Castle when creating Arundel.)

Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
When two cousins discover a ramshackle resort town while exploring in the woods, they spend the summer learning the secrets of this forgotten place and the eccentric individuals who still live there. The sequel, Return to Gone-Away, is even more delightful, in my opinion!

The Magic Summer by Noel Streatfeild
Mystery and mayhem abound when four siblings from the city are sent to live with their great-aunt in the Irish countryside. (I love the poetry quoted in this book—it’s a fun touch!)

Jill’s Story by Jean Fiedler
This 1965 book is greatly unknown—I had to add it to the Goodreads database myself! But if you can find a copy of Jill’s Story, you’re in for a treat—it chronicles an unforgettable summer at Cape Cod for Jill Robertson, an aspiring young writer.

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field
A well-spoken and well-traveled doll, Hitty is carved from mountain-ash wood around the 1820s, and her sweet memoir describes the first hundred years of her adventurous existence, from life on a whaling ship to the streets of New York and her first ride in an automobile. (Published in 1929, it was the ninth winner of Newbery Medal!)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
I’ve reread this book probably every summer since I was ten years old, and it still feels wonderfully fresh. I love the new editions of the Montgomery books from Tundra, illustrated by Elly McKay—so breathtaking!

Carney’s House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace
All of the Betsy-Tacy books are splendid for this season, but I chose Carney’s House Party for this list, because it’s set during the summer of 1911, when Carney Sibley returns home from Vassar to host a house party for her friends in picturesque Deep Valley.