It’s that time of year when I start ramping up my Christmas reads, looking for both books for my children to enjoy and myself. Here are nine new recommendations, but please check the links below for others. After all, good Christmas books don’t expire, they can be enjoyed year after year!
Guess Who’s in the Manger by Vicki Howie
This book has all of the the things I love about picture books for little kids: inviting illustrations, animal sounds, and rhyming verse. An owl searches for something to light up his stable, discovering, of course, the Light of the World, baby Jesus.
A Little Camel for Baby Jesus by Maria Gianola
Cute picture book emphasizing offering the smallest gifts to Jesus in love and recognizing Jesus in every person we meet – worthwhile reminders for kids and adults alike.
Molly McBride and the Christmas Pageant: A Story About the Virtue of Obedience by Jean Ann Schnoover-Egolf
What a cute, Christmasy story! Kids can easily relate to Molly’s desire to be the star of the Christmas pageant only to have her hopes dashed when she’s cast as a sheep, of all things. What a disappointment!
What follows is a lesson in obedience and empathy. I love it when the lesson in a children’s story resonates with me as an adult as well – and this one does! Who among us doesn’t have plans (maybe even dreams of grandeur) that are dashed, leaving us sullen and resentful? The author gently guides Molly and the reader to the realization that if we can stop focusing so much on ourselves and simply be obedient – to authority and to God’s plan for us – we may get a glimpse of of His wonderful design.
Sisters of the Last Straw Vol. 5: The Case of the Christmas Tree Capers by Karen Kelly Boyce
What a fun, fast-paced Christmas romp with the delightful Sisters of the Last Straw! The sisters have set up a Christmas tree lot, but someone is swiping their trees. As the sisters try to discover who the culprit is, they must content with their own foibles, a horse named Backwards, and their grumpy neighbor, Mr. Lemon.
Through it all, not only do they provide slapstick humor, but they also show Christmas kindness and generosity to those in need and even grumpy Mr. Lemon. Such a fun series for young readers! This Christmas story is a great addition to the collection.
Gifts: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books authors
[As I’m a contributor to this anthology, I haven not reviewed it. Instead, I’m sharing a review from blogger Emily Davis.]
God bless these talented Catholic authors for putting together short stories that are set in vastly different time periods, yet bring home the significance of humility, forgiveness, and the spirit of Christmas throughout the year. The thing that Catholics all over the world are taught to do is to live like Jesus, and lead with love! If a smile or kind gesture will change a life, I know reading this book will change yours. Yes, Catholic families everywhere will need this in their collections!
The Boys Upstairs by Jane Lebak
You’ll find more depth in The Boys Upstairs than most Christmas books you read. The boys upstairs, a ragtag group of street urchins taken in by Father Jay, create the occasion for Father Jay’s brother, Kevin, a police officer, to re-evaluate his bitterness toward God.
The brothers’ backstory provides depth, and a small cast of secondary characters enrich the story set at Christmas when Kevin brings three children to Father Jay’s rectory doorstep.
The Boys Upstairs is a heartwarming Christmas tale with depth that I heartily recommend.
A Shepherd’s Song by Janice Lane Palko
I’m not sure what I expected from A Shepherd’s Song beyond “Christmas book,” but it wasn’t what I got. What I read was so much better!
I loved so much about this book from the main character, David Shepherd, in all his unloved, screwed-up desperation, to all the Pittsburgh details that made my Yinzer heart happy. The setting coincided nicely with the exact time I spent in college in Pittsburgh, and that was an added bonus.
Characters and circumstances seemed more raw, more real, and less sterile than I often meet in Christian fiction. David, Gloria, et al were well-drawn, and I loved how the author interwove ideas and comparisons from David’s area of expertise: astronomy.
Oh, and the similes! Truly some of the best similes I’ve seen in writing. Not pedantic ones used to pound in every similar detail but well-crafted ones that flow seamlessly.
Once Upon a Dickens Christmas by Michelle Griep
This is a collection of three historical Christmas novellas, reviewed separately here.
A Tale of Two Hearts:
I enjoyed this cozy Dickensian Christmas romance! Uncle Barlow was my favorite because of his good humor and wisdom. The rest of the cast goes about trying to deceive or manipulate him for the most of the book – some for honorable reasons, some not.
The romance between William and Mina was sweet and the lessons learned about honesty and what’s truly important (people over status) were melded naturally into the story.
12 Days at Bleakly Manor:
12 Days at Bleakly Manor is like walking into a live-action game of Clue! I thoroughly enjoyed this novella – the Christmas backdrop, the eccentric (and authentic) characters, the romance between Clara and Ben, and the Dickensian flavor. The thread of suspense and mystery kept me intrigued.
The Lace Shop:
Alternating first-person points of view and present tense (not usually a favorite of mine) drew me right into this historical romance. Bella, widow of an abusive husband almost thrice her age, is sympathetic as she tries to navigate the lace business she has inherited. Thank God her new partner is her former beau, Edmund, who is widowed now as well.
Edmund’s daughter Flora, who has Down Syndrome, is a bright light in this story, and Bella helps Edmund to let go of the fears he has regarding Flora as she revels in the joy the little girl brings.
With a bit of suspense and a generous helping of Christmas generosity, this third tale in the serious is, again, everything you could hope for in a Dickensian Christmas story.
The Christmas List by Hillary Ibarra
The Christmas List is a contemporary novel with the feel of a historical. Minimal modern intrusions and a timeless dilemma: where to come by extra Christmas cash to celebrate the holiday with a nice meal and presents for the children.
While the family seems almost idyllic, the father brings a bit of realism to the story as he frets about how he’ll provide for his family and whether it’s his poor decisions that have put him in this position in the first place.
As you might expect, a little Christmas miracle ensures everything turns out all right.
If you’re looking for a heart-warming family tale this Christmas, one that is more about immersing you in the feel of the season (kind of like your favorite Christmas sweater) over an intricate or page-turning plot, this novella will fit the bill. Along the way, the author demonstrates use of some lovely imagery that adds to the enjoyment.
For more Christmas reading recommendations see:
- This Year’s 4- and 5-Star Christmas Reads for Adults (12/29/2018)
- 7 Catholic Books For Christmas Including 2 You Should Get NOW, Before Advent (11/15/2018)
- Christmas Reading Recommendations (12/19/2017)
- Under the Catholic Child’s Christmas Tree: A Book-Giving Guide (12/7/2017)
- Catholic Christmas Book-Giving Guide: Ten Picks for Your Holiday Shopping (12/5/2017)
- #5Faves: Christmas Romance Novellas (and More) (12/16/2015)
- Check out my Christmas shelf on Goodreads with the my full reviews of the books above and many more.
A Christmas snippet from my latest novel, All in Good Time:
Melanie ~ A wadded ball of red and gold wrapping paper whizzed by Melanie’s head, landing on the floor amid more wrapping paper, toy packaging, and Styrofoam peanuts. Smiling, she grabbed her brand-new “Savage Mom” mug filled with hot cocoa from the end table and ambled to the living room picture window, dodging a pair of binoculars, an art set, and a pink princess gown puddled on the floor.
Behind her, Matthew and Kevin created incessant popping sounds with their new Trouble board game. Penny hummed from inside a giant cardboard box, where she played with her set of Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Morning sun shone, casting a beam on the Christmas tree. A clump of silver tinsel glimmered, drawing her eye to a sparkly lighthouse ornament she and David had bought on a weekend getaway to Lake Erie as newlyweds. Such happy, carefree days!
Steam from Melanie’s hot chocolate rose, its rich, minty aroma tickling her nose and making her belly growl. She sighed and leaned against the window sill. In a minute, she’d start making the gingerbread waffles she’d promised the kids for Christmas morning.
Brian ~ Brian yanked his grandmother’s afghan higher, tucking it under his chin. Even though he’d bumped the thermostat up a couple of degrees, the cold still teased his nose and toes. With the drapes drawn, he couldn’t tell whether the clouds had cleared this morning. Other than the TV, the only light came from the tree Kate and John had foisted on him.
The four-foot artificial tree sat in the corner, its fiber optic tips glowing in a sequence of colors: red, gold, blue, green. His stomach turned watching it. Brian stood staunchly in the “real tree” camp. He’d tried ignoring the offensive little decoration, but every time Kate stopped over, she turned the tree on. He’d felt bad when she’d had to remove the jacket he’d thrown atop it. He hadn’t intended to hurt her feelings; she’d meant well.
No presents sat under the little tree. He’d had two bags of toys. One went to Patrick and Brady. The other, intended for Matthew, Kevin, and Penny, ended up in a Toys for Tots collection box, along with a piece of his heart.
What were they doing this morning? He imagined the ruckus as they ripped open gifts, their faces gleeful as they pulled little treasures from their stockings and sucked on candy canes.
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