Look no further for Christmas book recommendations because Christmas is here at the Radical Reader! It’s that time of year to snuggle down with fuzzy blankets, cups of hot cocoa, and Christmas music playing in the background. Time to dig out your favorite stories or read a few new ones.
These cozy Christmas book recommendations include some old and some new; some you’ve already read, and some you’ve just discovered! May you remember Christ’s life, death, and resurrection as you enjoy these adventures this Christmas.
The Very First Christmas (8-11):
While a picture book at first glance (and not a chapter book like I usually recommend), this story beautifully and truthfully paints the story of the first Christmas. We have had this story in our family for years and it is a Christmas favorite! Perfect for the reading level of younger kids, but beautiful for any age.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (8-11):
It may not necessarily be a Christmas book, but with ice and snow, presents, and Father Christmas… it may as well be. If you’ve never stepped foot in Narnia before, then prepare to be enthralled by this thrilling story of four children who are shipped out of London during the air raids of World War II. In the home of an old professor, they find a magical wardrobe that transports them to the icy world of Narnia where it is always winter… and never Christmas. An incredible read with powerful themes of sacrifice, love, and the strength of the deep magic.
The Family Under the Bridge (8-11):
Set in Paris during the early 1900s, this story follows an old beggar named Armand and his journey to desperately avoid helping three homeless children and their mother. But as Christmas approaches and the three children’s wish for a house from Father Christmas clearly won’t come true, Armand must face his own laziness and insecurities, and fight to save this family.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (8-11):
In my family, Christmas couldn’t be Christmas without our annual reading of this story. The saga of the six Herdmans who descend upon a church’s annual Christmas pageant has delighted readers for years. Though it’s reading level is for younger kids, I highly recommend teens and adults trying it out. This story will have you wondering what truly happened to Herod, why the Wise Men didn’t bring ham, and why Joseph didn’t chase the innkeeper into the next county. Believe me – you will never look at the Christmas story the same way again.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (8-11):
This beautiful picture-book is a perfect read-aloud for a cozy Christmas Day. I only recently discovered this story, but have quickly fallen in love with it!
The Gift of the Magic (12-14):
This short story by O. Henry is definitely a Christmas classic. The story of a young couple’s love for each other – a love so strong that they are willing to give up their greatest possessions for each others’ happiness – has charmed readers for years! Be sure to enjoy it this Christmas!
Elizabeth Yates has long been a beloved author in our family. But this Christmas story has become a definite must-read for me. Six short stories entwined in one peer into the lives of six people sitting in a small church’s candlelight service. A heart-warming story of the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the craziness of life.
This Christmas classic will have you laughing out-loud at Charles Dickens’ word choice, characters, and setting! With the help of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, read Ebenezer Scrooge’s miraculous transformation from a cruel and stingy miser to someone who loves Christmas. This story is a great read-aloud for the family, but also perfect for individual reading.