What holiday book would you read on Christmas Eve? The Christmas Carol, right? There are quite a few versions of this Dickens’ classic, as you might imagine. Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Match Girl is another holiday classic. Though beautifully illustrated in a kid-appealing fashion, the book contains some heavy themes. So read it first before you read it to your children. You wouldn’t want to cause those visions of sugar plums to turn sour. One classic that will appeal to all audiences is O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi.
If you care for more modern fiction, you might want to sample one or two of these titles:
- The Midnight Clear , an anthology that includes stories by Patricia Haley, Tia McCollors, Stacy Hawkins Adams, Kendra Norman-Bellamy, and many others*
- Christmas Jars, Jason Wright
So instead of renting Elf or The Santa Clause again, read a book (or do both). Books with a Christmas theme abound. We’d love to hear your suggestions for great Christmas reads.
*These titles are written by African American authors
**These titles have been adapted for the screen.