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It’s not long until Christmas and we’ve got a fantastic selection of festive books for you, perfect for presents and stocking fillers for the children and teens in your life.

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Picture books

Grandpa Christmas by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Jim Field (Egmont)

 Every Christmas, Mia and her family read out a letter her Grandpa wrote to her when she was little. It’s a warm, heartfelt wish that she grows up in a better world, one where the environment is looked after the way it should be. This is a powerful message from renowned author Michael Morpurgo and bestselling illustrator Jim Field.

 

Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne (Lincon Children’s Books)

The song lyrics from the 200 year old carol Silent Night are brought to life in this picture book with vibrant illustrations by Lara Hawthorne. This beautiful book is perfect for reading on the run up to Christmas as you prepare for carols or to celebrate the nativity.

Last Stop on the Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illustrated by Karl James Mountford (Little Tiger Press)

Mia’s upset when her card won’t reach her dad in time for Christmas, but with the help of mysterious post box and a magical reindeer, Mia embarks on an unforgettable journey that might just help stop her missing him quite so much. With stunning illustrations, peek through pages and hidden flaps this is a gorgeous book, perfect for the festive season.

 

5-8 years

Hampstead the Hamster by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Tony Ross (Andersen Press)

 More than anything else in the whole wide world, Leo wants a hamster for Christmas. So he’s delighted when he gets one on Christmas morning and names it Hampstead, but it soon proves trickier to keep a hamster happy than he’d thought. There are illustrations throughout by Tony Ross who also illustrated the Horrid Henry series.

Snow In The Garden: A First Book of Christmas by Shirley Hughes (Walker Books)

This collection of festive poems, stories and crafts is illustrated throughout with Shirley Hughes’s classic style. Perfect for reading on the run up to Christmas, it would make a beautiful gift.

 

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, illustrated by Rob Biddulph (Egmont)

It’s not every year you get flown to the North Pole to meet Santa, but Stanley Lambchop isn’t sightseeing, he’s got a job to do. Santa is fed up and doesn’t feel like delivering any more presents – it’s up to Stanley to persuade him to change his mind and save Christmas. This hilarious adventure now has new illustrations by award winning Rob Biddulph.

8-12 years

The Dog That Saved Christmas by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Mike Byrne (Barington Stoke)

 Jake finds everything about Christmas hard – the bright lights, the noise and all the disruption when his routine changes. But when Jake forms a special bond with a lost dog on the street, he adopts her. With his new dog around, there’s a chance this Christmas will be one the whole family will finally enjoy. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant of dyslexic readers.

Royal Rabbits of London: The Great Diamond Chase by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore, illustrated by Kate Hindley (Simon and Schuster)

When the biggest diamond in the world is stolen from Buckingham Palace, it’s up to Shylo and the brave Royal Rabbits of London to find the jewel and solve the case. Packed with fun, adventure and beautiful illustrations, this is the third title in the Royal Rabbits of London series.

The 1,000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Alfie Monk is like any other teenage boy, except he’s 1,000 years old. But when everything he know and loves is destroyed in a fire, Alfie decides to find friendship, acceptance and a different way to live, which means finding a way he’ll eventually die. This is a one of a kind story written with wit and humour.

Young Adult

Someday by David Levithan (Electric Monkey)

For A, every day means waking up in a new body, in a new life. A always thought he was the only one like this, but he was wrong. Someday is the third title in this powerful series of stories about A and Rhiannon by New York Times bestselling author David Levithan.

Girls Can’t Hit by T. S. Easton (Hot Key Books)

 When Fleur turns up at her local boxing club to prove a point, she doesn’t expect to like it enough to go back the next week, determined to improve, but she does. Despite the fact her parents, friends and boyfriend don’t understand her new hobby, she sticks at it until she finally makes it into the ring. This is a funny, feminist story about sticking to your guns and knowing when to fight.

 

 A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan)

A brave girl named Makepeace defends herself nightly from ghosts looking for somewhere to hide, that is until a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a split second. Now there’s a wild spirit inside of Makepeace, but could this ghost be her only defence against the darkness and fear faced by the country? Set against the backdrop of the English Civil War, this is another captivating story by the award-winning author of The Lie Tree.

 

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Mini Travellers Children’s Book Ideas for December 2018