Christmas books for 9 year old & 13 year old

[Whatkatyforgottodo]

I like to get my daughters a Christmassy book each year to read in December. It was easy when they were little but is much harder now they’re older! The older one loved the Lottie Brooks book last year but also likes older style books especially fantasy. The younger one’s favourite book at the moment is A Little Princess. Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

Have they read all of these? (C&P from a similar thread.)

The Dark Is Rising series (the second is set at Christmas but you need to read them in their order).

101 Dalmatians

Little Women (the story opens at Christmas, so very suitable). In an ideal world, if you don’t already have a copy, the Folio Society edition would make a splendid addition to the family library. Great for reading aloud.

https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/little-women.html

A Christmas Carol (inevitably).

Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights series is not specifically Christmassy but they’re the kind of books that benefit from an investment of time, so excellent to read over the holiday.

Also true of The Hobbit. And Lord of The Rings and any of the shorter, satellite novels.

Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories is another great holiday read.

Have they read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever <a class="break-all" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Christmas-Pageant-Ever/dp/0064402754www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Christmas-Pageant-Ever/dp/0064402754?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-christmas-5195891-christmas-books-for-9-year-old-13-year-old" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Christmas-Pageant-Ever/dp/0064402754www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Christmas-Pageant-Ever/dp/0064402754

It is very short but hilarious. Funnily enough while searching for this link I discovered it has just been made in to a film, out on November 8th

Thanks. The older one has already read The Dark is rising, Little Women and The Hobbit. Could try her on LotR although not sure she’s quite up to it yet…

They haven’t read this, looks like something the younger one would enjoy. Thanks!

Funnily enough I first encountered it in the late 1970s when I was about 15 and doing my O levels! Our English Lit teacher had found it and loved it, so as an end of term treat she read this to us in the last lesson. She said she had read it to all her classes and we (her oldest class) were the ones who seemed to like it best.

A couple of weeks ago we were having a weekend away in a holiday cottage that had many book shelves crammed with all kinds of books. I was browsing through them and found a copy of this do spent a happy evening re-reading it.

I gather it is tremendously popular in America. Hence the film I guess.

For the 9 year old how about Tinsel by Sibeal Pounder (author of Witch Wars which is popular for that age).

Or The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig.

The Matt Haig series was good at that age.
The christmas pig by Jk Rowling
the Michael morpego The Snowman

Have they read the Tom Fletcher Christmasaurus series? They're brilliant.

We also love the Matt Haig series here.

For the younger one there is a Christmas Hetty Feather book if she likes historical fiction; or try the gorgeous and atmospheric The Armourer’s House by Rosemary Sutcliffe; or The Children of Green Knowe.

For the older, The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton is a lovely, sweet and funny historical novel which is perfect for that age (a little grown up but not too much).

Ben Miller the night I met Father Christmas. He also has 3 books diary of a Christmas elf that's an easy read for the younger one.
Mistletoe and Murder- one of the murder most unladylike series.
Jacqueline Wilson has done a re-write of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. There is a Christmas version of that too.

Another vote here for the Christmasaurus series of books by Tom Fletcher - my 9yo loves them and we will re-read them again this year.

I enjoyed the Hetty Feather Christmas one.

Consider The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher: doppol.com/books/The-Christmasaurus-38797

Christmas is over

Christmas in Exeter St is lovely and funny

The Christmas pig! Or the Tom fletcher one