RIYL+Winter

Children's Christmas Books with potential Teen Appeal:

X Abbott, Tony Kringle A tale of fantasy and mystery, of goblins, elves, and flying reindeer, but above all, it is the story of how a boy from the humblest beginnings fulfills his destiny. 324p

X Dickens, C. Christmas Carol A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future.

X Henry, O. Gift of the Magi A husband and wife sacrifice treasured possessions in order to buy each other Christmas presents. 23p

X Laird, E. Secret Friends Although the other girls at middle school make fun of Rafaella and she avoids her when they are around, Lucy gradually gets to know her and her "foreign" family and is devastated when she learns the result of all the teasing Rafaella has endured. 71p

X Lupica, M. Miracle on 49th Street The last thing basketball superstar Josh Cameron thinks he wants or needs is a 12-year-old daughter he never knew about. Following her mother's death, Molly Parker tracks down and confronts her father Josh. 246p

X Overton, J. The Thirteen Days of Chrismas A young girl's suitor sends her a different and unusual present every day of the Christmas season and inspires the well-known song. 154 p

X Paterson, K. A Midnight Clear : Stories for the Christmas Season A midnight clear -- Merit badges -- Watchman, tell us of the night -- A stubborn sweetness -- No room at the inn - Poor little innocent lamb -- In the desert, a highway -- Star lady --Amazing grace -- Exultate jubilate -- The handmaid of the Lord-- My name is Joseph. 212 p

X Peck, R. A Season of Gifts Relates the surprising gifts bestowed on twelve-year-old Bob Barnhart and his family, who have recently moved to a small Illinois town in 1958, by their larger-than-life neighbor, Mrs. Dowdel. 164 p.

X Ryan, P. Becoming Naomi Leon Naomi's life with her Gram and her little brother is happy until their mother reappears after seven years of being gone. A trip to Mexico at Christmas helps set things right. 246p

X Snicket, L. The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming A potato latke runs screaming from an undecorated house during the Christmas holiday season after being dunked in hot oil, and becomes increasingly frustrated that no one seems to understand he is a symbol of Hanukah. 43 p.

X Snicket, L. The Lump of Coal A walking, talking Lump of coal that aspires to be an artist, experiences its own holiday miracle after offering its services to a drugstore Santa and being placed in the stocking of Jasper, a young malcontent who shares the Lump's artisticvision. (unpaged)

Teen Books:

YA Cabot, M. Princess Present ( Princess Diaries ) Every year, Princess Mia spends the holidays in Genovia with Grandmère. This year, she's looking forward to the most perfect Christmas ever. 85p

YA Cooney, C. What Child is This? When seventeen-year-old Matt tries to find a family for an eight-year-old foster child, his attempt backfires and both of them need a Christmas miracle. 150 p

YA Golden, C. Head Games Home from college on break for the holidays, Jenna Blake is horrified to discover that a childhood friend has murdered his entire famly -- and he's not the only one. 248p

YA Von Ziegesar, C. All I Want is Everything ( Gossip Girl ) It's Christmastime, and Blair and Serena are best friends again and up to their old tricks, partying hard and breaking hearts from Park Avenue to the Caribbean. 213p

Grown-up books that may work:

Bledsoe, J. Angel Doll Inspired by her favorite book, the classic The Littlest Angel, Sandy who has survived polio with a wasted leg and precarious health, hopes for an angel doll for Christmas. 125 p

Carlson, M. Gift of Christmas Present* After the death of her mother, a college student discovers she was adopted. When she goes in search of her biological family, she finds a shocking lineage. 204p

Evans, R. The Christmas Box A Christmas classic for our times--the heartwarming story of the depth of a parent's love and the true meaning of Christmas. 125p

Grisham, J. Skipping Christmas Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That's just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they'll skip the holiday altogether. 177p (they made a movie out of this one I think it was called " Christmas with the Kranks "?)

Morgan, K. Christkindl's Gift* While Christian charity moves Anna Hannack's father-in-law to bring home a wounded stranger, the young widow keeps her distance. But, could this rugged Scotsman actually be the gift Anna's children have asked of the Christ child this Christmas? 171p

Noble, D. Come, My Little Angel * A young girl writes and produces a play to help fund a church in a backwoods town in the high Sierras. 136p


 * Christian

Posted to YALSABK 12/2/2010