As we inch towards the holiday season and our sunny California climate begins to cool down, there’s no better time to curl up by the fire with a good Christmas story.
Whether your reader loves festive classics, holiday romances, or thrilling mysteries, there’s a perfect book out there to fill their winter break with cheer.
Encouraging teens and tweens to read for pleasure is more important than ever. Independent reading builds vocabulary, empathy, and focus, while also giving teens a much-needed break from screen time. Holiday books, with their warmth, humor, and heart, are perfect tools to remind young readers that reading can be relaxing, joyful, and deeply personal.
Here are four of the best Christmas reads for teens:
Classic literature may be considered too stuffy for some readers, but teens with strong reading skills are the perfect candidates to dive into a world of older Christmas stories. I’m kicking off this list with a personal favorite: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, while not technically a story about Christmas, is a wonderful book that introduces readers to nuanced situations like love, grief, war, and unique family structures.
The story begins on Christmas Day, when the four sisters are grappling with the fact that they must forgo presents this year because the ongoing Civil War has made it difficult for their family to afford gifts. Heartwarming, relatable, and timeless, Little Women is a great choice for readers.
If you’re a parent of a teen reader, you may have already encountered the hottest YA book as of late, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Fans of that series will find the perfect winter counterpart in Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances is an anthology by three authors (John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson).
Each author’s piece is connected; the writers use the same setting and cast of characters to make three different stories with differing points of view. Lighthearted and cute, Let is Snow is a delightful holiday romance that remains age-appropriate.
For those who prefer a bit of mystery, The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery by Eva Frantz delivers just the right mix of suspense and seasonal spirit. The story follows 12-year-old Flora and her mother as they travel to the seaside town of Helmersbruk for Christmas. There, Flora discovers an abandoned manor full of eerie oddities and must solve its secrets before Christmas arrives.
Finally, it’s vital to get reluctant readers excited about the joys of reading. Books with familiar themes or favorite franchises can make all the difference. A Notchmas Carol by Dr. Block is an unofficial Minecraft holiday story loosely based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Featuring beloved Minecraft characters, it’s perfect for tweens who love the game.
Christmastime is the perfect time to inspire teens and tweens to discover the magic of reading through festive stories. We’re not only helping them build literacy skills, but also nurturing lifelong traditions of wonder and comfort during the most wonderful time of the year. I hope this list has inspired you to read a new book this holiday season!