Well, here we are again - Christmas and time for my 8th annual frosty and festive children's book list.
This is a list of books for young independent readers that are set in winter or the festive season. I always hope to have a list comprised of some newer titles that you can add to your future classics list and I hope you approve. There may be some big name classics that I've left out but it's probably because they don't need a plug so I'm giving more space to books you might not yet have discovered.
Books make such wonderful gifts but so does sharing a story. There is something truly magical about gathering in for a fine story and I think that this is such a great tradition to have (or start) at Christmas. A book shared aloud with loved ones is an experience that costs so little and carries such a great reward.
I like to pick a book to focus on as a Christmas special and this year I would like to pick A Ukrainian Christmas by Yaroslav Hrytsak and Nadiyka Gerbish - translated by Marta Gosovska and Anastasiya Feher. The authors say "Christmas brings the indestructibility of hope in times of the greatest hopelessness. As long as we celebrate this holiday, we can neither be defeated nor destroyed. This is the message that Ukraine is trying to convey to the world. And this is what our book is about."This beautiful book has illustrations by Olena Staranchuk and it has been republished with an introduction allowing context with the war in Ukraine and the Publisher is making a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
I haven't posted reviews in the list below because that would take up more space (and time!) than I have, but these are all books I've personally enjoyed. As always please do remember to buy from independent booksellers where possible and support the incomes and further careers of creatives. I'm sure I've missed out a few more so please do add those in the comments - and do please share your own titles that fit the frosty & festive requirements
- Arden, Katherine – The Bear and the Nightingale
- Bell, Alex and Tomic, Tomislav – Polar Bear Explorers’ Club
- Bello, Abiola et al - The Very Merry Murder Club (short story collection)
- Butterworth, Jess – Running on the Roof of the World
- Carroll, Emma – Frost Hollow Hall
- Casey, Dawn - Winter Tales
- Clive, Mary - Christmas with the Savages
- Crossley-Holland, Kevin – Between Worlds (illustrated by Frances Castle)
- Doherty, Berlie – Children of Winter
- Doyle, Catherine - Miracle on Ebenezer Street
- Esiri, Ali (editor) - A Poem for Every Winter Day (poetry)
- Elphinstone, Abi (editor) - Winter Magic (anthology)
- Farr, David - Book of Stolen Dreams
- Fisher, Catherine – Snow Walker
- Fisher, Catherine – The Clockwork Crow
- Foxlee, Karen – Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy
- Gaarder, Jostein – The Christmas Mystery
- Gardner, Sally and David Roberts – Tinder
- Gayton, Sam – the Snow Merchant
- Gold, Hannah (illustrations by Levi Pinfold) - The Last Bear
- Goodfellow, Matt - Let's Chase Stars Together (poetry)
- Gordon, John – The Giant Under The Snow
- Hargrave, Kiran Millwood – Leila and the Blue Fox
- Hitchcock, Fleur – Murder at Snowfall
- Horwood, William – The Willows in Winter
- Ivey, Eowyn – Snow Child
- Landman, Tanya - Midwinter Burning
- Lauren, Ruth – Prisoner of Ice and Snow
- Lean, Sarah - The Good Bear
- Leonard, M G - The Arctic Railway Assassin
- Matthews, Caitlin and Helen Cann – Fireside Stories, Tales for a Winter’s Eve
- Montgomery, Ross - The Midnight Guardians
- Morris, Jackie – East of the Sun, West of the Moon
- Nicholls, Sally - The Silent Stars Go By
- Nimmo, Jenny – The Snow Spider
- Penfold, Nicola - Beyond the Frozen Horizon
- Pratchett, Terry – Wintersmith
- Preussler, Otfried – Krabat
- Priestley, Chris – The Last of the Spirits
- Riddell, Chris (poems chosen by) - We Wish You A Merry Christmas and other festive poems
- Rundell, Katherine – Wolf Wilder
- Smith, Alex T - The Grumpus and his Dastardly Deadly Christmas Plan
- Stevens, Robin - Mistletoe and Murder
- St John, Lauren – The Snow Angel
- Streatfeild, Noel – White Boots
- Thebo, Mimi - Dreaming the Bear
- Torday, Piers – There May Be A Castle
- Webb, Holly - Luna
- Wilson, Amy – Snowglobe
- Woodfine, Katherine – The Midnight Peacock
https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/blog/our-christmas-book-recommendations-for-children-6297
Dawn Finch is an author and former children's librarian and former chair of the Society of Author's Children's Writers and Illustrators Group (CWIG)
This may well be the last Finch's Frosty Festive Fifty as I no longer write under the name Finch! My married name is McLachlan and from 2023 I will be exclusively using that. I shall have to think of a decent festive rhyme - "McLachlans a' cracklin list" maybe? Maybe not!
1 comment:
Susan Cooper - Dark is Rising
Jenny Overton - Thirteen Days of Christmas
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