It’s the holiday season, and I’m SO excited! For most of us, Christmas and New Years means a little time away from school and work to relax and spend time with the people we love. But when it’s cold outside and you’re stuck indoors, all that free time can end up being a little boring.
My favorite solution? Reading of course! While you’re waiting to get some of the great new gifts on your holiday list, why not read a few holiday-themed books to keep you busy? Here is my holiday book list of 20 middle-grade books you’ll love, no matter WHAT your age!
P.S. – Want to win some of the books on this list? Head over to my Instagram account for a book giveaway you won’t want to miss!
1. The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
Why settle for a pony or a puppy for Christmas when you could have a dinosaur? This book is a rollicking adventure from singer-songwriter and YouTuber Tom Fletcher.
2. When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
What would happen if Santa fell to Earth? This book shares Christmas through the eyes of Cornelia Funke. It’s quirky, funny, and heartwarming. A new holiday classic!
3. The Lotterys More of Less by Emma Donoghue
Sumac Lottery is the keeper of her family’s traditions, and she’s on guard to make sure that no Lottery celebration gets forgotten. But this winter all Sumac’s seasonal plans go awry when a Brazilian visitor overstays his welcome. Can Sumac hang on to the spirit of the season, even if nothing is going like a Lottery holiday should?
4. The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig
Fans of A Boy Called Christmas will rejoice at this whimsical story of the first child to ever be gifted a Christmas present!
5. Jingle by Gordon Korman
Griffin Bing and his friends are NOT happy. Instead of going away for winter break, they’ve been signed up to volunteer at a local Christmas extravaganza . . . as elves. But being an elf is nothing compared to being blamed when a prized Christmas possession — worth over ten million dollars — is stolen right from under your nose.
6. The Impossible Boy by Ben Brooks
When Oleg and Emma invent a new classmate called Sebastian, they’re amazed when he appears – very much real. But as the trio begin their adventures, impossible things keep happening. Things soon take a turn for the dangerous when the three friends are pursued by the mysterious Institute of Unreality, who want to capture and erase Sebastian, restoring order to the world.
7. The Vanderbeeks of 141st Street
The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. So when their reclusive landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are.
8. A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. . . . Lemony Snicket meets Klaus in this cheeky, Christmas classic-in-the-making that sparkles with wit and warmth!
9. Nutcracked by Susan Adrian
Every time Georgie dances with the Nutcracker doll, she leaves the ballet studio and enters a world where everything around her is larger than life. It’s so magical, Georgie can’t wait to return again and again. Then the Nutcracker’s magic seeps into the real world, putting Georgie’s friend in danger. Can Georgie save her friend, the Nutcracker, and most of all, herself?
10. Kringle by Tony Abbott
Unlike the traditional Santa Claus myth, Kringle is a coming-of-age story about an orphan who becomes a force for good in a dark and violent time. It is a tale of fantasy, of goblins, elves, and flying reindeer — and of a boy from the humblest beginnings who fulfills his destiny.
11. The Night I Met Father Christmas by Ben Miller
Jackson knows all about the flying reindeer, he knows about the elves and the secret North Pole workshop, he knows about the magic that allows Father Christmas to deliver presents around the world in just one night, but there’s one thing he doesn’t know … how did Father Christmas become Father Christmas? That all changes when, one Christmas Eve, Jackson meets Father Christmas and hears his incredible story.
12. Father Christmas and Me by Matt Haig
Amelia lives in the magical town of Elfhelm, newly adopted by Father Christmas and his wife, Mary. When the jealous Easter Bunny launches an attack to ruin Christmas, it’s up to Amelia, her family, and the elves to fight off the forces of evil. But can they keep Christmas alive?
13. Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen Peril at Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn
For young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, Christmas becomes a lot more exciting when a dead body is found in this second book in the Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series. These books are inspired by the life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot.
14. The Miracle on Ebeneezer Street by Catherine Doyle
George is about to spend his third Christmas without his mom. Since she died, George’s life has felt dull and grey; his dad has thrown himself into his work and has no time for family, and definitely no time for Christmas. Then, George stumbles across Marley’s Curiosity Shop and finds a mysterious snow globe. That night, George and his dad are swept on an adventure to three Christmases – past, present, and future.
15. Tinsel: The Girls Who Invented Christmas by Sibeal Pounder
What if somewhere along the way we’ve all got the Santa story a bit wrong? Join Blanche Claus and her best friend, Rinki, for a funny festive sleigh ride you’ll never forget!
16. Christmas Carol and the Defenders of Claus by Robert L. Fouch
Carol really loves Christmas. She wishes it all could be a year-round event. The only downside to the holiday is that she lives in Florida. Then, on a magical December trip to NYC, Carol meets her destiny. Santa—the real man with the bag—meets Carol at the top of Rockefeller Center, overlooking the tree. There he explains that she descended from a long line of Defenders of Claus, those who protect and serve Santa. Carol’s dad was a Defender. And now Carol has been tapped to fulfill his legacy.
17. Young Scrooge by R.L. Stine
Rick Scroogeman hates Christmas. He can’t stand the carols and the pageants. But what he hates the most is having to watch the old movie A Christmas Carol every year at school. But everything starts to change when three ghosts visit him. At first, he thinks it’s a dream. But then he realizes that it might be a nightmare. A nightmare that could become real.
18. The Naughty List by Michael Fry and Bradley Jackson
When Bobbie’s hilariously bumbling efforts to save her brother’s Christmas actually land him on Santa’s Naughty List, she must travel to the North Pole to make things right again and save Christmas. Bobbie suddenly finds herself on an epic holiday adventure complete with rogue elves, dysfunctional reindeer, a lazy Santa, and more.
19. Greenglass House by Kate Milford
It’s wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler’s inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Soon Milo’s home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house.
20. Top Elf by Caleb Zane Huett
The elves can’t be kept on shelves in this hilarious middle-grade debut about what happens when Santa opens a contest to find his successor.
Have YOU read any of these books? Planning to add some of them to your reading list? Come on over to my Instagram account and let me know!