More Than 30 of the Best Christmas Books for Teens
Finding Christmas books for teens that are worth reading can be quite a challenge. At this point, books often include too much foul language or inappropriate content, so I am not quite ready to hand them to my teenager.
But out there in the world of young adult literature, there are also fantastic gems for the holiday season and this list includes my top three recommendations.
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Christmas Books for Teens
I requested a huge stack of Christmas books from the library when I decided to write this post. There are plenty of options when you are looking for Christmas books for teens. Sadly, I almost gave up after the first two because there was so much content I didn’t care for, but I am glad I kept reading because I found a few gems that I am happy to recommend.
My personal goal was to find fun Christmas books for teens without too much language or sexual content.
Everyone has different standards when it comes to making book choices for their teens so you certainly don’t have to agree with my choices. My goal is to provide some good information so you can make your own informed decisions.
Recommended Christmas Books for Teens
This section includes Christmas books for teens that I enjoyed and recommend. The stories were fun and engaging and the overall content was wholesome. I included a few “heads-up” as everyone has different ideas of wholesome books for teens.
Ten Blind Dates
Ashley Elston
When Sophie’s parents head out of town to visit her pregnant sister, Sophie is ready for some time on her own and with her boyfriend, Griffin. Unfortunately, Griffin wasn’t quite as enthusiastic to spend time with Sophie and the couple breaks up. When Sophie arrives at her grandmother’s house she is a mess from her break up so her grandmother hatches a plan: every member of Sophie’s extended family will arrange a blind date for her over the holiday break. She agrees and the blind dates begin.
If you enjoy Hallmark movies and want one in a book version, this book makes the top of the list. The characters are a ton of fun and even though the book was predictable (at least the guy she will end up with). The concept of the 10 blind dates arranged by her family was clever and I enjoyed reading about each of the dates.
It’s an easy one to recommend because there is a ton of wholesome goodness in this holiday romance. First, Sophie’s relationship with her very large, extended family is so much fun. I love their importance in her life. Second, there is little to no sexual content in the book. Nothing more than a kiss happens between Sophie and any of her dates. Finally, there is no bad language. It’s a triple win.
Heads up: In the first chapter, Sophie heads to meet her boyfriend at a party where there is drinking. One of the dates is a complete disaster, arranged by her evil cousins, and she ends up at a drive-in watching a porn movie. There is very little detail given about the movie or the associated shop and Sophie exits the date and calls a ride to rescue her right away.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (wholesome, romantic YA)
Amazon | Goodreads
The Afterlife of Holly Chase
Cynthia Hand
On my quest for a few teen holiday reads, I was absolutely delighted to find this book. The story was a delightful play on the Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Holly, the main character, is a modern-day Scrooge who failed to change her ways. After she dies, she is recruited by the Scrooge company and must serve her time as the Ghost of Christmas Past to save other “Scrooges.” When the Scrooge team begins to help a high school boy, Ethan, from his greedy, sad ending, Holly finds herself a bit too entangled in the story.
The connection to A Christmas Carol makes it a great addition to your high schooler’s December literature list, especially as a follow-up or companion read. It was a delightful tale with light romance that was overall age-appropriate.
More Detail: I only recall 2 curse words in the book. The sexual content is most often descriptions of their attraction (and there are quite a few). The couple “makes out” one time in the back of a theater, but it is one paragraph without many specifics. Nothing really progresses beyond kissing.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (a top holiday choice, especially for fans of A Christmas Carol)
Amazon | Goodreads
Carols and Chaos
Cindy Anstey
It is Christmas time, December 1817 and a party is being hosted at Shackleford Park. Kate Darby, the lady’s maid at Shackleford is clearly happy to see Matt Harlow, Ben Steeples’ valet, among the guests. As they begin to reconnect, Matt’s friend Johnny disappears under mysterious circumstances. Matt and Kate set out to find Johnny, but instead, unravel a much deeper plot happening in the town.
This book did not disappoint. The romance is sprinkled throughout the story remains at a PG level. The historical setting was reminiscent of my time watching Downtown Abbey and I loved it. Finally, the counterfeit coin mystery adds quite a bit of action to this story. It does include some violence, but nothing seemed too intense for young adults. You should be aware that there is a kidnapping and some hand-to-hand fighting.
While the book was a great read as a young adult holiday book, as an adult reader, I found Kate and Matt’s immediate romance a bit unbelievable and overdone. Later, I learned that this is a companion book to another book, Suitors and Sabotage. I suspect the history of these characters would have made the relationships a bit more clear but I was able to enjoy this book without reading the other one.
Overall, I recommend this one as a great addition to a holiday booklist for teens.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (a great Christmas Choice with a historical backdrop)
Amazon | Goodreads
The Holiday Switch
Tif Marcelo
This sweet YA holiday romance features Lila, a secret holiday book blogger, and Teddy, a visiting college student in town with his own secret. While working at the Inn on the same evening, they accidentally switch phones and both discover the other person’s secret. While learning to trust one another, they begin to find friendship and maybe even more. In the meantime, they both have to face the truth with their families before the holidays are over.
SPOILERS BELOW
I have been on the hunt for holiday reads for the teen crowd that keeps it clean and fun. This book definitely fits the bill. While Teddy and Lila do begin a holiday romance, nothing more happens than some kissing and some thoughts about Lila’s attraction to Teddy.
One particularly fun part of this story was that the main character, Lila, is a holiday book blogger. She posts reviews of fictional holiday books on her secret book blog. It was definitely a fun addition for book lovers.
I enjoyed the story, though, like most hallmark-style romance books, several events are a bit unbelievable. In this modern time period, I highly doubt that Teddy would have been able to keep his secret from his parents so effectively. In addition, the phone switching was a bit unbelievable. But in the end, you know what you are getting with cute romances and this story fits the bill.
I recommend this for ages 14+ but always use your own discretion.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
A Christmas Carol: Classic Version
Charles Dickens
or
A Christmas Carol: The Graphic Novel
Sean Michael Wilson
Either version of this timeless classic is a great read for your teenage child during the holidays. We currently own both versions of A Christmas Carol and the graphic novel captures the story well.
If your teen does read this classic during the holidays, consider hosting a Christmas Carol Book club to enjoy and celebrate this title.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Amazon Graphic | Goodreads Classic | Goodreads Graphic
One Way or Another
Kara McDowell
Paige Collins lives in fear of making the wrong choice about anything, even simple decisions. That is why when she is faced with the decision of where to spend Christmas, she has no idea what to do. Should she join Fitz (her best friend and long time crush) and his family at a cabin in the woods or fly to New York City (a dream destination) with her mom? Luckily for Paige, she won’t have to choose because in this creative story her life divides into parallel paths and she gets to experience both and determine which choice has the happy ending she desires.
The “sliding doors” concept of this story was so intriguing. The readers are continually taken from the unfolding events in one choice (NYC) to the unfolding events in the other (cabin in the woods). I enjoyed watching the two destinies slowly unfold. Brilliant and fun concept.
I’ve included this in my recommended holiday reads for young adults, but parents should be aware that the focus in this young girl’s mind is definitely romance and physical attraction (often typical for a high school senior). She thinks a lot about how close she is in proximity to the two male characters. Nothing physical happens beyond kissing and while she kisses one character quite a bit, there aren’t a ton of details.
Her best friend has joined a youth group and has taken a vow of purity until marriage. This same friend gets engaged over Christmas break and the main character makes a comment about how young she is and how she just wants to have sex. It’s not portrayed negatively but serves to show what a bad friend the main character is because of her own anxieties about life and committing to a decision.
As a parent of kids with anxiety, it did bother me that this poor girl’s anxiety was so crippling and yet, she made it to the middle of her senior year without any professional help. Thankfully, it is finally discussed in the end, but it was hard to read just how much coping she had to do without an understanding of what was going on.
Parents should also know that her best friend, Fritz, has a sister married to a woman. Her wife isn’t able to make it to the cabin for Christmas, but their marriage and relationship are discussed in a positive way. Some of the family is upset that they eloped, but their overall relationship is seen positively.
Overall, it’s a fairly innocent holiday romance for teens but the focus is 100% on her crush on her best friend and how much it impacts her thoughts and actions. I think kids 15/16 and up would enjoy the concept and the story.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
The Princess Present: A Princess Diaries Book
Meg Cabot
Princess Mia spends Christmas in Genovia with Grandmère and this year, her boyfriend, Michael, and her best friend, Lilly, are coming to Genovia, too.
This is a short novella in a series of Princess Diary books so I want to make it clear that I have never read any of the books. I read this one as part of my search for Christmas books for teens and this one came up.
There is nothing wrong with the book, so I included it on my “recommended” Christmas books for teens, but it also wasn’t a great story – unless maybe you are a fan of this series. As someone who hasn’t read the Princess Diary books, I had no connection to the character except through the movies so it was hard to get lost in the story. It felt short, choppy, and disconnected which is probably due to the fact that is written as journal entries.
There is a creative “Gift of the Magi” twist in the book that wasn’t predictable. It’s not the main focus of the book but it was a cute twist at the end.
Lilly is a pretty insufferable character. She is rude, immature, and mean. When called out on her actions, she doubles down on them, including the fact that she got a man fired because of a relationship situation with him.
There is nothing horribly inappropriate in the book other than a few references to the King’s girlfriend who is a lingerie model. There is an unflattering description of her job on page 28 and someone refers to her as a skank early on.
Overall, it was a quick, short read that might entertain a fan but wasn’t quite so entertaining for me.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
You, Me, and Our Heartstrings
Melissa See
Noah and Daisy are both talented musicians who plan to use the high school holiday concert to land a Julliard audition. But their plans didn’t involve a duet together. Daisy is a disabled violinist who wants to take risks while Noah is from a family of musicians and thinks that it will be safer to stick with tradition. Despite their differences, their duet goes viral and leads to complications in their lives and their relationship.
Daisy has cerebral palsy and it impacts the way people see her. As she becomes famous for her duet she becomes frustrated with only being viewed through the lens of one who overcame a disability instead of the lens of a talented musician. Noah has an anxiety disorder that greatly impacts the way he relates to people around him. Both of these characters have important voices that I am glad are being represented in a book for young adults. There is also a positive representation of LGBTQ characters in Noah’s family.
Parents should also be aware that there is more sexual content than a parent might want a younger tween/teen to read, so caution should be used. Condoms are given to Noah as a gift from his brothers. Daisy and Noah spend a night in bed together though they agree they aren’t ready for sex. Noah’s dad shares a story about how he and Noah’s mom were sleeping together before being married. While nothing descriptive happens, parents should be aware that sex is a topic of discussion. Parents can preview some of this content at the start of chapter 19 and the end of chapter 22.
I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the story and particularly loved the fact that it gave voice to a character with cerebral palsy and one with anxiety, but on the other hand, I had concerns about sexual content for younger teens. In addition, the writing was a little bit choppy for me. Even without any questionable content for teens, the story was only okay for me but I think teens would enjoy it.
Overall, I’d recommend it for older teens if parents are comfortable with the content.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
Christmas Books for Teens I Wasn’t Excited About
This section includes holiday books that I can not heartily recommend. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t give them to an older teen in my house, but they contain more mature content and/or language.
Honestly, it was disappointing to see so much language and sexual content in holiday books for teens. Some of these books had more sexual content than I would tolerate in a book for myself.
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares
Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Dash is wandering the bookstore when he spies a very out-of-place red notebook sitting in the bookcase. Inside the book, he finds a written message from a mysterious girl. The quirky message challenges him to a few dares in the bookstore and upon completion of the dares, requests for him to write back. He accepts the challenge and a back-and-forth relationship through the notebook begins.
Honestly, I loved the concept of this book and wanted to like it, but I just didn’t buy into the chemistry between these two characters. Lily was quirky and fun, but Dash seemed a bit of a downer. When they do finally meet, they don’t seem to have any chemistry at all. And once they meet, the lack of chemistry makes the remaining chapters a bit dull.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of F-words and quite a bit of sexual content. There aren’t any extremely graphic sexual descriptions, but there is talk about making it to third base and other general sexual references. In addition, Lily’s brother is sleeping with his boyfriend though details aren’t given. Finally, the opening chapter involved a dare with the “Book of Gay Sex” and a misreading of the word “c@ck.”
Overall, while nothing sexual was particularly graphic, I didn’t enjoy this one enough to recommend this one for teens. That said, if my 15+ teen was dying to read this because of the Netflix tie-in, I would let them, but that’s a personal choice.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
Let It Snow
John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
This book contains three short stories that overlap. The first story, “The Jubilee Express,” was a delightful snowy romance for teens. I loved it and wish it was the only one in the book.
The middle story, “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle,” was the least enjoyable and I found myself debating if I would even recommend this book for teens. It contains quite a bit of foul language and sexual conversation/humor. Everyone is an as$h@t and there are a lot of sexual comments about the cheerleaders. It was disappointing compared to the first story.
The final story in the trio, “The Patron Saint of Pigs,” was not nearly as enjoyable as the first story in the book. The plot was only okay for me so I wasn’t really drawn into the story or attached to the characters. The language and sexual content in this third story were tamer than the one by John Green.
Overall, this wouldn’t be the worst option for an older teen but it wasn’t a favorite for me. Again, there is a Netflix movie tie-in, which makes it attractive to teens. If you want to preview the content, you can stick with the middle story and know the other two are fine by comparison.
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️
Amazon | Goodreads
Love and Other Train Wrecks
Leah Konen
Love and Other Train Wrecks begins on a train where Ammy and Noah are strangers next to each other on a train. Ammy is heading to her father’s wedding with his new wife, and Noah is heading home to win his ex-girlfriend back. A massive snowstorm is happening and the train breaks down. In order to get to their destinations in time, Ammy and Noah hop off the train and that’s when their adventures begin.
Honestly, I was looking for a fun, holiday read and on that note, this book does not deliver. It is mentioned on plenty of YA holiday lists because it takes place during Christmas Break, but the holidays aren’t really part of the story at all.
In addition, this isn’t really a “light and fun” holiday read. Ammy is struggling to sort through her feelings about both her parents’ divorce and her mother’s mental health struggles. Noah has his own set of issues, but I could never quite get my finger on them. Ultimately, he doesn’t really reach any remarkable conclusions about himself or life.
I loved the revolving point of view between the two characters. It helped me get to know each of them a little more as I learned what was in their head.
There is a big twist in the book that I didn’t see coming. Unfortunately, it made me sad for Ammy because it only serves to further complicate the happy ending she is trying to have with her father and his “new family.”
The ending of the book left me wanting to know more about how things turned out, so that is a good sign. I was invested mostly in Ammy’s story and wanted to know how her family situation was resolved. I was not as invested in her romance with Noah, but I could see that a YA reader might be. The epilogue does give the reader a little bit of that hint at a resolved future without a ton of detail and that was enough.
As a holiday read, I give this book 1 star because it just isn’t a holiday read in my opinion. As a YA book, I give it two because it does a good job of exploring some heavier topics such as divorce with an adventurous romance for teens.
Note: The book has quite a bit of language though it doesn’t feel overdone because the curse words are scattered. There isn’t any graphic sexual content though it is implied that people have slept together in different conversations. Ammy and Noah also spend a night in a motel together making out, but there aren’t overly graphic descriptions.
My Rating: ⭐️ (as a holiday book)⭐️⭐️ (as a general YA read)
Amazon | Goodreads
Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless
Liz Czukas
I gave up after reading half of this book. I didn’t care for the amount of bad language in the book. That said, if the book was particularly enjoyable, engaging, or worthwhile in some way then I can certainly overlook the cursing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t interested in the plot or the characters even halfway through the book.
My Rating: ⭐️ (after reading halfway)
Amazon | Goodreads
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories
Edited by: Stephanie Perkins
I only read the first three before I tossed this one in the “nope” pile. So there might be a gem of a story hidden in there, but after the language and content of the first three, I was done searching.
My Rating: ⭐️ (after reading three stories)
Amazon | Goodreads
Ex-Mas
Kate Brian
Lila Beckwith’s parents are leaving for vacation and she is all set to throw the party of the year until her little brother rats her out. Now he has hopped a taxi out of town to help Santa at the North Pole and the only person who can help her rescue him is her ex-boyfriend.
Right away this book was full of cringe stereotypes and high school cliques. The main character is mean to her brother for no apparent reason. In fact, it becomes clear that a few years ago she ditched the person she was to become the stereotypical definition of a mean girl.
Between the high school cliches, the unlikeable main character, and the unrealistic storyline (her 8-year-old brother took a taxi to the train station with a friend), I just gave up. I didn’t even finish reading this one after about 1/3 of the book. It clearly wasn’t what I was looking for. I am on the hunt for some quality young adult reads for the holidays and this one just doesn’t make the cut.
My Rating: ⭐️ (after reading about 1/3 of the book)
Amazon | Goodreads
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe
Melissa de la Cruz
I was so excited about the premise of an updated, gender-swapping Pride and Prejudice, but this book just fell flat in all of the ways.
First, my main goal is to gather a list of YA Christmas books for my blog, and this title is recommended in lots of places. It’s not technically a YA book, but I would recommend an adult book for YA if I felt it was a good read. Sadly, this one disappointed me on a ton of levels.
The characters are shallow and poorly developed. Darcy, a “high-powered” NYC hedge fund manager, lives life with the insecurities and romantic difficulties of a 14-year-old. Her conversations with Luke Bennet and Carl (who she dates on and off again) don’t feel realistic at all. In fact, within the first few chapters, she jumps from arguing with Luke Bennet, to “passionately kissing him” under the mistletoe to a coffee date with another guy. It all felt very “high school party” instead of the actions of a successful career-driven woman.
And why is Darcy already kissing Luke (the Elizabeth Bennet character)? There is absolutely no dramatic build-up for their relationship.
Because of the title, I was trying to find the parallels to characters in the original version but it was difficult. I’ll be honest, I gave up reading this one after just a few chapters. It was not what I was looking for and it wasn’t my style of writing at all.
My Rating: ⭐️ (after reading 1/4 of the book)
Amazon | Goodreads
Christmas Books for Teens Still on My List
I haven’t read any of these Christmas books for teens, but they are on my list. You’ll want to do a little more research on your own before handing these titles to your teen.
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas Mystery
Agatha Christie
Publisher’s Description: “On Christmas Eve at Gorston Hall, the Lee family’s festivities are shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs—in a locked bedroom—the tyrannical patriarch Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.
When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man, but which one of them turned a special occasion into an occasion for homicide? The suspects will indeed be stirring this Christmas Eve…”
Never Evers
Tom Ellen
Publisher’s Description: “Kicked out of ballet academy and straight into a school ski trip, Mouse knows certain classmates can’t wait to see her fall flat on her face. Meanwhile, Jack looks forward to danger and girls but hasn’t a clue about either. That’s until French teen sensation Roland arrives in the resort – who Jack’s a dead ringer for. When Roland persuades Jack to be his stand-in for a day, Jack, in disguise, declares his feelings for Mouse. But what happens when he’s no longer a pop star – will it be music and magic on the slopes?”
So, This is Christmas
Tracy Andreen
Publisher’s Description: “When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.”
All Wrapped Up (A Geek Girl Special)
Holly Smale
Harriet Manners knows a lot about Christmas.
She knows that every year Santa climbs down 91.8 million chimneys.
She knows that Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was almost definitely a girl.
She knows that the first artificial Christmas trees were made out of goose feathers.
But this Christmas is extra special for Harriet, because four days ago she had her First Ever Kiss.
Now she just needs to work out what’s supposed to happen next…
Snow in Love
Melissa de la Cruz, Aimee Friedman, Nic Stone, & Kasie West
Publisher’s Description: “What’s better than one deliciously cozy, swoon-worthy holiday story?Four of them, from some of today’s bestselling authors. From KASIE WEST, a snowy road trip takes an unexpected detour when secrets and crushes are revealed. From AIMEE FRIEDMAN, a Hanukkah miracle may just happen when a Jewish girl working as a department store elf finds love. From MELISSA DE LA CRUZ, Christmas Eve gets a plot twist when a high school couple exchange surprising presents. From NIC STONE, a scavenger hunt amid the holiday crowds at an airport turns totally romantic. So grab a mug of hot cocoa, snuggle up, and get ready to fall in love…”
Reindeer Boy: A Graphic Novel
Cassandra Jean
Publisher’s Description: “Quincy has the same dream every year on Christmas Eve – of finding a little boy holding a special gift for her under the tree – and every Christmas morning, she’s awoken to find a gift wrapped in tinfoil with her name on it…
When school resumes after the winter break, Quincy’s class discovers they have an unusual new transfer student named Cupid. Ridiculously cute and friendly, the new boy has everyone both enamored and confused. Those antlers can’t be real…can they?? With Cupid having seemingly set his sights on Quincy, it seems she’ll be having a memorable year indeed!”
Tessa and Weston: The Best Christmas Ever
Abbie Emmons
Publisher’s Description: “It’s Tessa and Weston’s first Christmas together, and Tessa is determined to make it the best holiday ever. But when her estranged mother shows up with a suitcase and plans to stay for two weeks, Tessa’s hopes are shattered.
Bitter from the past and still holding a grudge, Tessa is in no mood to give her mother a second chance. The holiday season may be a time of reconciliation with family, but Tessa believes her mother will never change. Why get close when she’s just going to leave again? Tessa realizes there is only one way to save this Christmas: avoid her mother as much as possible.
With the best intentions in mind, Tessa chooses to not tell her mother about Weston’s disability. But when they meet face-to-face, Tessa is mortified and ashamed by her mother’s insensitive remarks. Weston begins to think he is the real cause of Tessa’s shame. His old demons resurrect to haunt him with doubts: What if, one day, Tessa stops loving him because of his disability?
Determined to prove his love for her, Weston makes it his mission to be the best boyfriend ever and works to reunite Tessa with her mother. Meanwhile, Tessa plots elaborate ways to avoid “mother-daughter time” at all costs. One scheme leads to another, until Tessa finds herself tangled in a web of deceit – and, worst of all, lying to Weston.
When the secrets between them force Tessa and Weston to face their greatest fears, they must confront the inescapable question: Is true love worth the risk of heartbreak? Is it ever too late to forgive and start over?”
Blame it on the Mistletoe
Beth Barrod
Publisher’s Description: “Elle is a social medial star with the #DreamLife…or so it seems. Determined to shake up her content and gain new followers, she’s on a mission: can she find a British fan to swap with for Christmas?
Holly loves everything about Christmas. But after a mortifying mistletoe disaster with her ex, her perfect plans unravel like a bad Christmas sweater. Can Holly save the holidays when she switches places with her favorite social media influencer?
Elle gets more than she bargained for when she meets the cute boy from across the street. And Holly wasn’t expecting Elle to have a handsome twin brother. This holiday is full of surprises.”
All I Want for Christmas
Wendy Loggia
Publisher’s Description: “Bailey Briggs is counting down the days to Christmas: she lives for holiday music, baking cookies, going on snowy sleigh rides, and wearing her light-up reindeer ears to work at Winslow’s bookstore. But all she really wants this year is the one thing she doesn’t have: someone special to kiss under the mistletoe. And she’s 100 percent certain that that someone isn’t Jacob Marley–athlete, player, and of questionable taste in girlfriends–and that Charlie, the mysterious stranger with the British accent, is the romantic lead of her dreams. Is she right?”
Christmas Stories: 7 Original Short Stories
Kevin Moore
Publisher’s Description: “Celebrate the season of miracles with this collection of short stories about the lives of ordinary people and the lessons they learn during an extraordinary time of year.
You’ll meet a young boy who reevaluates his perceptions after he’s forced to spend Christmas with his stern grandfather, an attorney who seemingly has everything but really has very little; a burned-out homecoming queen who grows weary of her own excuses for failure; and many other memorable characters. As Moore’s protagonists face adversity and sadness, they learn important lessons, gain hope, and experience powerful transformations.”
The Christmas Clash
Suzanne Park
Publisher’s Description: “Chloe Kwon can’t stand Peter Li. It’s always been that way. Their families don’t get along either: their parents operate rival restaurants in the Riverwood Mall food court―Korean food for the Kwons and Chinese food for the Lis. Now it’s the holiday season and Chloe’s the photographer at the mall’s Santa’s Village, and Peter works at the virtual reality North Pole experience right across the atrium. It’s all Chloe can do to avoid Peter’s smug, incredibly photogenic face.
But it turns out the mall is about to be sold to a developer and demolished for condos. Eviction notices are being handed out right before Christmas. Their parents don’t know what to do, and soon Chloe and Peter realize that the two of them need to join efforts to try to save the mall. Just when it seems like they can put aside their differences and work closely (very closely) together, they discover that the Kwon and Li feud goes far deeper than either of them realize…”
I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas
Tiffany Schmidt
Publisher’s Description: “Noelle Partridge is known for three things: being the best ballet dancer, babysitter, and person with the most Christmas spirit in her small town. But lately she’s bored by the lessons at her dance school, and her friends and father are more bah humbug than deck the halls. So when her favorite babysitting clients ask her to accompany them on a ski trip over winter break, she packs her bags for the slopes. It helps that they’re offering double her rate–she’ll need the money for Beacon, an elite ballet academy that has granted her an audition.
Noelle is ready to have fa la la la fun, until Wyatt, the older half-brother of her babysitting charges, decides to surprise his family for the holiday. He’s one of the best dancers at Beacon, and makes Noelle’s head spin faster than pirouettes. Unfortunately, she also manages to step on his toes–spoiling his surprise and complicating his secret plans. After a few missteps, Noelle and Wyatt begin to thaw toward each other and bond over the big decisions looming in each of their lives. With enough Christmas magic, Noelle might just start the New Year with lots of babysitting cash in her pocket and a chance with the pas de deux partner of her dreams.”
My New Crush Gave to Me
Shani Petroff
Publisher’s Description: “Charlotte “Charlie” Donovan knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: Teo Ortiz. He’s a star athlete, a National Honor Society member, and the most popular guy in school. Plus he contributes to the school paper, where Charlie is a co-editor. Basically, he’s exactly the type of guy Charlie’s looking for. The only problem is―he barely knows she exists.
But Charlie has a plan: rig the paper’s Secret Santa and win his heart with the perfect gift. The catch? She has no idea what to get him. Enter J.D. Ortiz–Teo’s cousin, and possibly the most annoying person on the planet. He’s easygoing, laid back, disorganized, and spontaneous―the exact opposite
of Charlie (and Teo). But he knows what Teo wants, so she’s stuck with him.
Yet, the more time Charlie spends with J.D., the more she starts to wonder: Does she really know what, or rather who, she wants for Christmas?”
Talk Santa To Me
Linda Urban
Publisher’s Description: “Francie was born in a stable. Really. Granted, it was the deluxe model with the light-up star on the roof, one of the many Christmas items for sale at her family’s Hollydale Holiday Shop. Their holiday gift empire also includes the Santa School, which was founded by Francie’s beloved grandpa, who recently passed away.
Francie’s always loved working in the shop, but lately Aunt Carole has been changing everything with her ideas for too-slick, Hollywood-inspired Santas and horrible holiday-themed employee uniforms. Aunt Carole’s vision will ruin all the charm and nostalgia Francie loves about her family’s business…unless she does something about it.
But this winter is about more than preserving the magic of Christmas. Francie is saving up for a car and angling to kiss the cute boy who works at the tree lot next door—hopefully it will be good enough to wipe her fiasco of a first kiss from her memory.
As the weather outside gets more and more frightful, can Francie pull off the holiday of her dreams?”
Together at Midnight
Jennifer Castle
Publisher’s Description: “What does it really mean to be kind . . . and why does it sometimes feel like the hardest thing in the world to do?
High school senior Kendall, who just returned from a life-changing semester in Europe, and Max, who is drifting his way through a gap year before college, struggle with these questions when they witness a tragic accident in New York City during the holiday season.
Racked with guilt, the two accept a dare to perform random acts of kindness to strangers. The challenge pulls these two teens, who have a history together from back home, closer and closer as they explore a vibrant city filled with other people’s stories and secrets.
Kendall and Max can’t deny their growing bond, even though they both have other romantic entanglements and uncertain futures. As the clock counts down on New Year’s Eve, will they find themselves together at midnight?”
Kiss Me in New York
Catherine Rider
Publisher’s Description: “It’s Christmas Eve at JFK in NYC. Charlotte is a British student, waiting for a flight home after the worst semester of her life. Anthony is a native New Yorker, surprising his girlfriend at the airport after three months apart. Charlotte has just been dumped, and Anthony is about to be dumped, right in the middle of the holiday crowd.
Charlotte’s flight is canceled when a blizzard blows in, and Anthony can’t bear to go home. So, they set out into the city together, clutching a book Charlotte picks up in the airport gift shop: Get Over Your Ex in Ten Easy Steps. For this one night, they’ll focus on healing their broken hearts … together. Step by step, the two struggle to put the past behind them.
But the snow is so enchanting, and the holiday lights are so beguiling, that soon their shared misery gives way to something else. Soon, they’re not only over their exes — they’re falling for each other. Then a subway ride splits them up by mistake. Will they reunite before Charlotte’s flight leaves New York forever?”
Looking for more books for teens?
She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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Thank you for taking the time to do this!!
You are so welcome!
I’m so excited to read this one. It’s wonderful!!