This is turning out to be a bumper year for titles about Christmas and the winter season. Not only have we got a collection of additions to already popular titles, but we also have a huge range of new characters to bring us Christmas Cheer.
Picture Books
“Little Santa” by Jon Agee is a delightful take on how Santa became the focus of Christmas that he has become. It is about doing what is right for you, rather than just following everyone else; a great addition to the Christmas collection.
Little Bear and the Silver Star by Jane
Hissey is a look at her famous collection of toys as they start to decorate the tree for Christmas. When the star for the top cannot be found, Little Bear gets worried. A midnight visit to the attic eventually finds the hidden glittery star, but then he loses it in the snow outside. However, with a bit of Christmas magic, the tree eventually has its crowning glory!
The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson and Victoria Sandoy is a magical look at what happens to a small Norwegian pine tree as it grows into a tall and strong tree. It is brought to another country and city (London), where it is the centre of celebrations and helps people remember the true meaning of the festivities. This is the story of the Trafalgar Square tree that is gifted by the Norwegian people, in thanks for the help they received in WW2.
“The Mice before Christmas” by Anne L Watson and Wendy Edelson is based
on the classic story by Clement Clark Moore, however this is about how the mice prepare and spend Christmas. It is a bright and vibrant story of family and friendship and the joy of the festive season. There are echoes of the Brambly Hedge stories and you can see this especially in the highly detailed and energetic illustrations. This is definitely one that should be a classic read.
“Santa’s Stolen Sleigh” (Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton sees our two heroes, Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam back in action. When Santa’s elves become ill, a polar bear called Flo offers to help with toy making, but then she steals Santa’s sleigh, so she can have a ride. Luckily things turnout well in the end and Flo is very remorseful.
“Grace and the Christmas Angel” by Lucinda Riley, Harry Whittaker and
Jane Ray is a beautiful and timeless story of Christmas, family and the sense of community that is found in fishing villages around the world. When Grace’s father does not get home for her Christmas concert she worries about his boat, out in a tempestuous sea. Luckily she has a guardian angel, called Hope, who answers the call and guides the vessels back to port. The illustrations are yet another triumph form the magical Jane Ray and they really add to the joy in te book.
“The Twelve Green Days of Christmas” by Barry Timms and Sian Roberts is another version of the 12 Days of
Christmas, however this time it has Santa as the main character and looks at what he sees when he is flying with his reindeer. The theme is about caring for our planet and being more green about the way we behave. It is a great and humorous story but with a strong eco message.
“Croc O’Clock” by Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders is a decidedly modern take on the concept of the 12 days of
Christmas, but mixed with the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Feeding time at the zoo is exciting as Croc gets increasingly larger meals, until he finally is ready to burst, but of course he doesn’t and his keepers put him on vegetarian diet for a while.
“The Toys’ Christmas” by Claire Clement and Genevieve Godbout is about a young boy called Noah and his toy
elephant called FanFan. when the latter can’t be found on Christmas Eve, Noah is worried and finding it hard to go to sleep. But FanFan is on his annual secret mission, together with lots of other toys; they meet up with Santa and let him know what their child would like for Christmas. This means that everyone gets a present that they wanted and of course on Christmas morning Noah finds his faithful friend is safely home.
Middle Grade Stories
“The Christmas Pig” by J K Rowling and Jim Field. This is a delightful Christmas story from one of the world’s
best known children’s authors. When Jack’s favourite toy Dur Pig (DP) is thrown out of a car window, he is distraught and even a replacement pig does not help. This is a totally magical story of lost toys and the love that a child has for a favourite toy. It is also a story about families, as Jack’s dad has gone and his mum is just beginning a new relationship; however, the daughter of the new friend is not happy and she is the one who threw DP out of the car. The twin elements of the story are all about accepting change and understanding that there can be new loves, even though you never forget the old.
“Diary of a Christmas Elf” by Ben Miller tells the story of a young Elf called Tog, who really wants to become one
of the toy-makers for Father Christmas. When things start going wrong and toys are being stolen, can Tog do anything to help solve the mystery, with the help of Santa’s daughter Holly? This is a great read for the 7-9 age group and will definitely bring on the Christmas spirit.
Clara Claus saves Christmas by Bonnie Bridgman and Louise Forshaw . When Santa is taken ill just before
Christmas, it is up to his children, but especially his daughter Clara, to try and save the day, by making sure all the presents are delivered. This is a delightful and very funny story for the young confident reader
“How Winston came home for Christmas” by Alex T Smith is the gorgeous follow up to the star |Christmas book from last year. Once again we have the story told in 24 chapters, so that you can read one for every day of Advent. This time, Winston is on the hunt for a missing mouse and has lots of adventures on the way. The book is full of recipes, craft ideas and that magical something that we all want from a Christmas story. A totally glorious read.
The Christmas Carrolls by Mel Taylor-Bessent and Selom Sunu shows us a
family who take their love of Christmas to the extreme. They celebrate it throughout the year and can’t understand those who just celebrate in December. When they move house and Holly starts at a new school, they find they are definitely meeting a lot of “Bah Humbug” feelings, so can they change people’s minds? A brilliant look at what ‘being different’ can mean and how we can stay true to ourselves, whilst understanding the different views of others.
“The Christmasaurus and the Naughty List” by Tom Fletcher and Shane
Devries is the third adventure featuring this totally unique dinosaur and his friends. When Santa does his annual weigh-in of the Naughty and Nice lists, he discovers that there are far too many children on the naughty list. If not enough children receive presents then Christmas cannot take place, and that would be a disaster! The Christmasaurus decides to intervene and get children moved from naughty to nice.
“The Santa List” by Kieran Crowley is another story about the naughty list. |this time, the siblings, Aisling and Joe have been playing tricks on their new babysitter and she has sent a letter to Santa, putting them on the naughty list. Can the children redeem themselves and get on the nice list; that is, if they can recover the list, which they have managed to lose! A brilliant read for the festive season.
“A Mouse called Miika” by Matt Haig and Chris Mould is the latest story set in the world that Matt Haig created
around “A Boy called Christmas”. This time the hero is the small mouse, Miika, who faces moral dilemmas when he wants to be friends with the only other mouse at the North Pole, but they are not as honest as he is, so eventually decisions have to be made. With the release of the film version of “A Boy called Christmas“, this new story set in the same world is bound to be a hit.
“The Night train” by Matilda Woods and Penny Neville-Lee. This is a magical
story that follows a group of characters as they board the night train, which will take them to a place where their dreams can come true. However, they have to reach their destination by midnight, otherwise they will not dream; unfortunately on this night there is an obstruction on the track and everyone has to work together to make things right. It is a great story for younger readers, with lots of bright and atmospheric illustrations that bring the story alive.
“Winter Story” by Jill Barklem invites us to join the mice of Brambly Hedge as they celebrate the coming of snow
and the excitement of preparing for a ‘Snow Ball’. The preparations are magical; from carving out a huge ballroom in the snow, to everyone baking and cooking a huge feast for everyone to share. this gives a warm and cosy feel to the reader.
“Wishyouwas” by Alexandra Page. It is the lead up to Christmas 1952 and Penny Black has been sent to stay with her Uncle Frank, who runs a small post office in central London. Penny’s mother is a pilot for the Royal Mail and flies post to Europe and back; but Penny is hoping that she will be back home in time to celebrate Christmas. What Penny does not expect, is to discover what she initially thinks is a rat, but turns out to be something very special indeed. This small creature speaks English and says his name is ‘Wishyouwas’; he is a ‘Sorter’ and this group of creatures have made it their purpose to try and retrieve lost post and make sure it finds its rightful recipient. However, the Sorters are under threat from the Royal Mail Rat Catcher and Penny finds herself trying to save them and prove how useful they would be to the service. This is a wonderful story about friendship, family and also being open to new ideas and accepting others who are very different. Alexandra Page has created a new Christmas classic and I know it will be a firm favourite for children and adults alike.
“A Night at the Frost fair” by Emma Carroll and Sam Usher is a wonderfully evocative time slip adventure in
which the young Maya finds herself transported back to the Frost Fair of 1788, where she meets a young boy called Eddie. She thinks he is being kidnapped, but finds that he has run away from home, because he is being treated as an invalid and not allowed any freedom. How Maya helps him and also makes changes to lives in the present day, makes for a perfect Christmas tale.
“The very Merry Murder Club”, edited by Robin Stevens and Serena Patel is a
collection of murder and mystery stories, written by some of our most talented writers for Middle Grade readers. The stories range from dead bodies to stolen treasures and each of them gives the reader opportunities to use their “little grey cells”. This has kept me happily engrossed over several days waiting to collect someone in my car.
“How Winston delivered Christmas” by Alex T Smith is an absolutely delightful story told in “twenty four and a half chapters”. It is about how a young mouse called Winston discovers a letter to Father Christmas, on Christmas Eve, and decides he will try and make sure that the letter is delivered. This is a glorious story full of Christmas spirit and one which is bound to become something of a festive ritual in many homes.
sharing. When frog mis-reads his map and ends up on the opposite side of the world from his Christmas hotel he is helped by Bear, who does everything he can to make the holiday memorable. This proved an absolute winner when I read it to six classes on one day and it leaves you with a warm glow.
“Grandpa Christmas” by Michael Morpurgo and Jim Field. This is a heartwarming story with a strong message for all of us. Mia and her family read a very special letter from her grandfather every Christmas, just after they have opened their presents. In this letter he talks about the need to care for our world and to make sure that we do our best to make it a good place for our descendants and for the creatures that we share the world with. So thought provoking and magical.
“Silent Night” The illustrations are bright and simple and can be enjoyed by children of all ages. The book also explains how the carol came to be written. It is a really delightful way for children to learn this song on the lead up to Christmas.
to make enough presents for Christmas. The illustrations are full of jokes will keep young readers amused for hours; it will also keep the adults chuckling as they read the story.
most beloved writers and illustrators. this is one for both home and school and you will dip into it year after year.
and the family of toy rabbits called the Twitches. When Stevie and her mother move from their tower block flat she is given a wonderful and quaint dolls’ house, in the shape of a teapot. Included are all the furnishings and fitting and a complete library; most fantastic of all are the family of toy rabbits that inhabit the house. What Stevie does not know is that the rabbits magically come alive and when the father, Gabriel is lost in the garden during the furniture moving, it is up to the family and especially young Silver to find him and get him back home. It is a lovely story about the importance of home and family and I am looking forward to reading more of their adventures in the future.
series of books by this French Canadian author and which was first published in 1994. It is a short and very witty story about what happens when Miss Charlotte arrives to teach a class of young children who do not enjoy school. Her somewhat eccentric methods eventually make her very popular, but the children find that they have to fight to keep the teacher they have come to love and admire. As a follow on, you might like to read “The Mysterious Librarian” which sees Miss Charlotte take on the challenge of encouraging children to enjoy reading.
“The Spooky School” by Tracey Corderoy and Steve Lenton is another set of short stories about the cake-baking, crime-fighting duo of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. They originally started their adventures in picture book format but have now branched out for the next age group. In this book they save jewels, fight ghosts and meet a fiendish new villain; a Red Panda called ‘Red Rocket’. It is great fun.
in the “Tanglewood Animal Park” series which follows the adventures of young Zoe, whose parents have bought Tanglewood Manor and turned it into an Animal Park. This story revolves around Tindu the male Tiger and the attempts to help him settle down in the park, before the arrival of his new mate. It is a charming story with a lot of information and a cast of characters that you can’t help but like. This is a super series, especially if you are an animal lover.
adventures of young Lady Miranda and her dog called Pug as they visit the local boating lake. However when things get out of control and Pug finds himself in the sea and being rescued by another young girl life becomes quite adventurous. This is the first in a series of adventures for the pampered pooch and joins the list of books written about the breed.
Pug related story only this time the hero is called Pugly and he is trying to bake a cake for his owner. Unfortunately his efforts seem to be being sabotaged by Clementine (Clem) the family cat. Most families with a mix of pets will understand the frictions between the main characters and the very funny scrapes that they get themselves in to.
“Marge and the Pirate baby” by Isla Fisher is the second book featuring Marge, a truly unique babysitter. This time she is looking after Jemima and Jake as usual, but finds herself having to look after their demon of a baby cousin called Zara. There are three short stories in this offering and I think that the author is really starting to be comfortable with her characters, which means that we become more involved with the stories. This is a funny and quirky book for both boys and girls.
where he is from. That is the situation that D.J and Gina find themselves in and they then have to try and find a way of sending him back home. This book is the first in a series of comic style books being published by Puffin. It is bright , well illustrated and full of humour; in other words it is great for boys in particular, although the strong female character makes it fun for everyone.
another one of their fantastically funny collaborations. Set in Funfair Moon it is full of zany aliens, dastardly villains and a clever heroine called Emily. As you would expect this will take you on a ‘roller coaster ride’ of excitement. The illustrations are full of the energy and humour that we have come to expect. It is a great book to read alone or to a class.
Teddington, disguised as humans. This book sees them and their friends going to Cornwall on their summer holidays. As usual there are lots of ‘groan worthy’ jokes as well as puns, both written and visual. I love the way that the author’s voice comes across so easily and the illustrator’s ability to translate all of this visually. A really great read for all ages.
on his nose as they are leaving his cave; that is when he finds that all his food is missing. He goes outside and discovers the wonder of the snow. Rabbit offers him a moldy old carrot to eat, which he is very grateful for. However he does not know that it is Rabbit who has stolen his food. When a wolf comes looking for some food the two friends have to work together and Rabbit in particular learns a few things about friendship. What a funny story with some gross elements such as Rabbit eating his own poo (yuck!)
Toad frozen solid in the ice house, little did they guess that it was the (in)famous Toad that they had heard stories of from their grandparents. Toad of course is just as excitable as in the past and when he finds that the weasels have taken over Toad Hall and want to knock it down for a housing estate, he is determined to get it back. With the help of his new young friends he finds a way to challenge the weasels. This is a great story full of charm and humour that really retains the spirit of the original and this is captured by the super illustrations by Holly Swain.