Books make excellent Christmas gifts. If money is tight a library card unlocks thousands of gifts for your family. There are some books kids love to read over and over again; those become part of their cherished reading library, but having a fresh supply of stories at your public library is priceless. My sons and I spent many happy hours at libraries around the country looking for books and videos. They enjoyed countless story times and special programs. Many library programs are free, and others require a nominal fee. These programs can make great gifts. Kids get to have fun, meet new friends, and learn something new in a safe and nurturing environment.
If you gift a library book to a child, that gift can morph into many more throughout the year, as they return and check out other books.
They also get the satisfaction of knowing that beloved book can be read and enjoyed by hundreds of other kids instead of sitting on their bookshelf at home waiting to be reread. Also encourage your kids to go through their collection of books and donate some to a local shelter or charity.
We’ve selected an eclectic holiday mix for kids and YA to enjoy. Happy Holidays!
B is For Burgers by Golden Books – Learn the ABCs with the gang from Bob’s Burgers. (Available 1/6/26 – preorder now) For ages 2-5
Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer -While she waits for Santa, Olivia, the adorable pig, makes it her mission to make sure dad and mom get everything ready for Christmas.
I’m Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book by Olivia Jeffers – Bridget is looking forward to spending her birthday with her friends, but they all seem too busy to remember her special day. Will her friends come through, or will Bridget have the loneliest birthday ever? For ages 3 and up
Kindness is my Superpower by Alicia Ortega – Peaceful rhymes and colorful illustrations teach kids that making mistakes and apologizing when they are wrong are a natural part of growing up and learning to be kind. For ages 3-6
Iris and Luna by Aurora Quirón – Iris and Luna are learning how to be keeper of magical baby animals at the Abracadabra School of Magic. The girls who are as different as night and day must learn to work together to solve a mystery concerning a baby unicorn. For ages 5-8
Finding Bear by Hannah Grace – After rescuing a bear and returning it to its home on Bear Island, April heads home, but can’t stop thinking about her new friend, Bear. When she gets home, there’s news about a bear getting injured on Bear Island. She persuades her father to accompany her back to the island. Will she arrive in time? For ages 8 and up
The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas by Matt Lucas – A musical novel – Leo loves Christmas, but this will be his first Christmas without his mother. How can he make Christmas as wonderful as she did? When everything goes wrong, he wishes Christmas away. When he wakes up the next day, it’s over. Can he get it back and learn it’s okay to miss the ones we love? For ages 8-12
Trapped by James Ponti – Young Florian Bates has a specific set of skills the FBI often needs. Along with his friend Margaret, Florian often assists his FBI supervisor Marcus Rivers on challenging cases. When Rivers is framed for murder while hunting a Russian spy, Florian and Margaret are his only hope to help find the real killer. For ages 8-12
Dork Diaries 1- Tales From a Not so Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell – To deal with the drama of her new life and new school, Nikki Maxwell starts her first diary. What could possibly go wrong? For ages 9 and up
A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook: Celebrating the Holiday with Family, Community, and Tradition by Jessica B. Harris – Proverbs, ceremonies, family projects, inspirational biographies, blessings, and delicious recipes for celebrating Kwanzaa. For all ages
Eight Dates and Nights: A Hanukkah Romance by Betsy Aldredge – Hannah Levin dislikes horses and tinsel in equal measure, unfortunately she’s snowed in at her grandmother’s home in a small Texas town with no way to get home to New York to celebrate Hanukkah with her friends. When she meets the only other Jewish teen in town can his over the top celebration plans for the Festival of Lights save Hanukkah? For ages 12-17
The Frozen Christmas and The Wishing Star by Hyei Lee – While searching for their missing parents, Emma, Lucas, and Mia follow a trail of glowing reindeer tracks to a mysterious glass orb. One touch and they are thrust into a frozen world and the nightmarish Christmas world of Santa Nick and his sister Yuel. Can they rescue their parents and restore the Wishing Star in time to save Christmas? For ages 13-18