How the Grinch Stole Christmas! works for a read-aloud, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever suits middle-grade readers, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is a teen pick, and A Christmas Carol is the classic for adults.
At ReadNext, we group this list by reader: read-aloud picture books, longer stories for children, teen and YA holiday stories, and adult Christmas novels. Some titles are cozy and others are bittersweet, and a few carry grief, death, or sexual content. Where our notes list any of these, they sit under the title, so a parent, teacher, or gift-giver can choose for the person who will read the book.
Christmas Books, Grouped by Who Is Reading
Read-aloud picture books and poems
1. The Polar Express
Chris Van Allsburg
A magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
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2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Dr. Seuss
The story turns on the grumpy Grinch and his change of heart. Skip it if your listener dislikes rhyme or grumpy main characters.
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3. Olive, the Other Reindeer
Vivian Walsh
A dog named Olive tries to join Santa’s sleigh team. Skip it if your listener wants a story about Santa himself.
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4. Merry Christmas, Strega Nona
Tomie dePaola
Strega Nona and her helper, Big Anthony, share a Christmas Eve.
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5. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Clement C. Moore
The classic Christmas Eve poem. It is best enjoyed in an illustrated edition.
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6. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Barbara Robinson
The rough-and-tumble Herdman kids take over the church Christmas pageant. It suits middle-grade readers.
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7. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
Susan Wojciechowski
A gruff woodcarver named Jonathan Toomey and a lonely boy find holiday hope together. Our notes list grief and loneliness.
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8. The Christmas Pig
J.K. Rowling
A boy sets out to rescue his beloved toy pig before Christmas. Our notes list loss and grief.
Find it on Amazon9. The Snow Queen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale is about friendship, courage, and a heart turned to ice. Our notes list some peril and a frightening villain.
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10. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances
John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Three linked romances play out during one snowstorm over a winter holiday weekend. Our notes list sexual content, drinking, and strong language, so check it before giving it to a younger teen. Skip it if you want holiday romance without those elements.
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11. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Two strangers trade dares and notes through a notebook in New York. Our notes list mild profanity and sexual references, so check it before giving it to a younger teen. Skip it if your teen reader prefers a story with no romance.
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12. A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens
Scrooge is visited by ghosts in a story of redemption. Our notes list the death of a child and some frightening ghost scenes. Skip it for a younger child who needs a gentle story.
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13. Miracle on 34th Street
Valentine Davies
The novel is about a man who claims to be Santa Claus.
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14. The Christmas Box
Richard Paul Evans
A sentimental story about a family. Our notes list death and grief, so a reader sensitive to loss should know this before choosing it.
Find it on AmazonHow to Choose a Christmas Book by Reader
Start with who will read the book. Read-aloud listeners want picture books; solo readers can take chapter books and novels.
Then match the subject to the person. Animal stories, quests, romance, and ghost stories each lead to different titles.
- Read-aloud or solo: picture books for a listener, chapter books and novels for a reader.
- Content: read the note under each title before passing it to a younger reader.
Planning a December Read-Aloud
A read-aloud works well as a nightly routine in December. Read one picture book a night, or a chapter of a longer title.
Save a longer title for the nights when the listener is ready for more. For more to read aloud, see our picture books list.
Choosing a Holiday Read for One Person
One holiday book works best when it matches one person’s taste. A teen who likes romance may enjoy Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares or Let It Snow, while an adult who wants a classic can start with A Christmas Carol.
When the book will come with a gift, see christmas gifts for book lovers for what to pair with it.
Content Notes for Parents and Teachers
Not every title here is cozy. Our notes list grief, loss or death for several, sexual content or references for the two teen titles, and frightening scenes for A Christmas Carol and The Snow Queen. Those notes are unverified summaries, so check the book before handing it over. A book with no note has not been cleared either.
What to Do When a Pick Does Not Land
Set a book down after a few sittings if the listener is not engaged, and try another title from the same group. Switching within a group keeps the age and format right while changing the story.
If you are unsure which title fits, try the What Should I Read quiz, or browse books for every age and moment.
