By Michaela O’Callaghan, Rosie Burgoyne, Aimee Haldron and Joanne Boustead
T’was the night a few weeks before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The most wonderful time of year is here once again and there are so many amazing books available to make the holiday season even more enjoyable. So, we thought we would give you some examples. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for little ones or for a book to kickstart the festive season, we’re here to help!
Evie’s Christmas Wishes by Little Island
This festive treat is written by Siobhán Parkinson and packed full of gorgeous illustrations from Shannon Bergin. With a green postbox on the cover, and Dublin landmarks throughout the text, this is a lovely Christmas tale seated firmly in the heart of Dublin city. Evie is all excited as she gets ready for Christmas, but will her Christmas wishes come true? She gets a role in the Nativity and it begins to snow...what could be better? However, there is something extra special that awaits her and her family at the end.
Little Santa by Jon Agee
We love this delightful hardback picture book published by Scallywag Press. We all know Santa as an adult, but what about when he is younger? This story follows Little Santa as his family decide to leave the North Pole for sunny Florida! This is a fun story that explores how Little Santa befriends a reindeer and some elves, and how he becomes the Santa we all know and love! Agee’s simple illustrations and humour makes this enjoyable for both adult and child – a great festive read aloud story.
The Little Fir Tree by Christopher Corr
What a charming adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale! Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, this hardback picture book features beautiful folk art, inspired artwork from Christopher Corr alongside a simple but important message about cherishing what you have. The story follows a little fir tree who always wants something more than his current life in the forest. You can imagine the joy when he is cut down to be used as a Christmas Tree. However, this experience isn’t quite what it seems with him being tucked away after the fun of Christmas is over.
The Christmasaurus and the Naughty List by Tom Fletcher illustrated by Shane Devries
From acclaimed children’s author Tom Fletcher we have a new festive book, and we suspect it is as fun as his others! The Christmasaurus is on a mission to track down children who are on the Naughty List and changing their naughty actions into nice ones. Fletcher’s festive title, The Christmasaurus, was the biggest debut middle-grade novel of 2016, and he is well known for his fun and mischievously magical stories.
So, This Is Christmas by Tracy Andreen
We’ve all seen the Hallmark Christmas films filled with small town romance, endless supplies of freshly baked cookies and Christmas miracles. Andreen’s So, This Is Christmas is the embodiment of these films. When Finley returns to her hometown of Christmas, she discovers her parents have separated and her best friend is dating her ex. It’s safe to say this was not the Christmas welcome she had been expecting. With emotions running high (and the surprise appearance of a boy who is convinced that the town will be a Christmas wonderland), Finley tries to get the holiday back on track. So, This Is Christmas is a heart-warming and charming story centring on the importance of family, friends and love. It is the perfect gift for lovers of YA (Young Adult) romance.
The Night Train by Matilda Woods and Penny Neville-Lee
Get ready to board the Night Train for a magical adventure starring yetis, ballet dancers and princesses! The Night Train is the perfect Winter read for ages 5-7 brought to life by Penny Neville-Lee’s charming illustrations as readers follow the train’s quirky cast of passengers as they band together in a race against time to get the train moving again after disaster strikes.
Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod
Think The Parent Trap meets The Holiday for this festive YA rom-com where two girls swap lives for a Christmas adventure. Elle and Holly are complete opposites – Elle is a social media star trying to create new content and gain new followers while Holly is trying to escape her embarrassing mistletoe disaster with her ex which unravels all of her Christmas plans. But both girls get more than they bargained for when Elle meets the cute boy from across the street and Holly meets Elle’s handsome twin brother. The perfect festive read to get you in the mood for the holidays.
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