Brainstorm 326: Festive Reads

With Christmas just about one month away, I thought I would share some festive reading ideas with all of you before I dive into the start of the Top 10s of 2024 next week. If you want more Christmas read ideas, you can also check out Brainstorm 305, Brainstorm 160, and Brainstorm 127. As always, click on the title of a book to see my full review including any content notes/trigger warnings.

All about Christmas by Alison Mitchell

In a nutshell: Factual information about the Christmas story and related topics.

More info: A deep dive into the Bible passages about the Christmas story, historical records that relate, what various terms mean, what is factual and what is more traditional folklore, and where other Christmas-related traditions originated.

Extra thoughts: A fantastic pick for curious middle grade readers around Christmas.

Target readers: Curious Readers, Christian Nonfiction Fans, History Fans, Middle Grade Readers

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

In a nutshell: Mackenzie and Jeremy are pitted against each other in a competition of Christmas spirit for a promotion in their design firm. 

More info: Mackenzie Graham is both thrilled and terrified by the upcoming Christmas season. She loves Christmas and helping find little ways to make the holiday meaningful for others. She's also honored that the boss of her design firm has told her that she's in the running for a promotion. But she's up against Jeremy Fletcher, who is wonderful and whom she has a huge crush on. He's so much more outgoing and charismatic than she is, her anxiety practically cripples her every time she even thinks of giving a presentation to a client. She doesn't really want to beat him and even wonders if she can, but she also needs the promotion to pay her mom's bills at the memory care facility she stays in because of early onset Alzheimer's. Little does she know that Jeremy could also use the promotion to help meet the financial demands of raising his orphaned tween niece and nephew. The boss has said that Mackenzie and Jeremy must demonstrate they are best for the promotion by their Christmas spirit. It's a battle with cookies, trees, and tinsel.

Extra thoughts: A feel good Christmas story with a little more depth than the typical Christmas rom-com.

Target readers: Contemporary Fiction Fans, Christmas Love Story Fans, Clean Romance Fans, Mental Health Story Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Adult Readers (though totally approachable for YA)

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas (Little Blue Truck) by Alice Schertle, ill. by Jill McElmurry

In a nutshell: Little Blue Truck helps deliver Christmas trees around town.

More info: The nutshell says it all.

Extra thoughts: A sweet, simple counting story about Little Blue Truck helping friends at Christmas.

Target readers: Kindness Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Little Blue Truck Fans, Counting Practicers, Picture Book Readers

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona (Strega Nona) by Tomie dePaola

In a nutshell: Strega Nona and Big Anthony work hard to provide a feast for the town, but there’s a twist in the works.

More info: It is Christmas time, and Strega Nona has Big Anthony working extra hard. Bambolona has to help her baker father handle the busy season, and Strega Nona refuses to use magic. She says Christmas has its own magic. There's so much work because every year Strega Nona provides a feast for the whole town. But this year may be a little bit different.

Extra thoughts: This is such a sweet, feel-good Christmas story about a community returning years of blessings to someone who has blessed them. I also like how Strega Nona wishes baby Jesus happy birthday at church. It is a touching scene.

Target readers: Historical Fiction Fans, Fantasy Fans, Italian Setting Fans, Community Story Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Christmas Kindness Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

Scaredy Squirrel Gets Festive (Scaredy’s Nutty Adventures) by Mélanie Watt

In a nutshell: Scaredy Squirrel attempts to craft THE perfect Christmas party, and then the inevitable happens.

More info: Scaredy Squirrel wants to make sure Christmas is perfect. So he starts prepping early, he has all the plans in place, he has the friends invited to the party, but will he be able to handle it if things don't go perfectly?

Extra thoughts: This is Scaredy in full Scaredy mode for Christmas. The decorations are color coordinated to perfection, and when mayhem ensues (as it is sure to do during the holidays), readers get a laugh, and Scaredy has good friends there to help him make it through. Lots of fun.

Target Readers: Graphic Novel Fans, Humor Fans, Animal Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Christmas Party Story Fans, Mental Health Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

Seek and Find: The First Christmas (Seek and Find) by Sarah Parker, ill. by André Parker

In a nutshell: A search and find picture book that retells the Nativity story.

More info: Retells the story of Jesus' birth using text from Luke 1 & 2 paraphrased for children and illustrations featuring numerous items in 1s to 10s on each spread.

Extra thoughts: I appreciated the excellent paraphrasing of the Bible passages for kids, the attention to historical, cultural, and ecosystem details in the illustrations, and that the angels are mighty warriors instead of chubby looking babies. Kids will like the fun illustration style and all the things to find.

Target readers: Bible Story Fans, Search & Find Book Fans, Counting Practicers, Nativity Retelling Fans, Christian Nonfiction Fans, Picture Book Readers

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

In a nutshell: Recently jobless Starr is dreading returning home for Christmas and her sister’s wedding, but God has a surprise blessing in store.

More info: Starr isn't really looking forward to Christmas at home in Washington D.C.. She's just lost her job in NYC and she doesn't want to admit that in front of all her successful siblings. Furthermore, her sister is getting married to Starr's ex, Ash, who Angel started dating about 30 seconds after they broke up. Starr is still a little bitter that Angel never even talked to her about it and Angel is sure to be a bit of a bridezilla. But she didn't expect to fall in love with one of her brother's friends she's known forever, Waylon. It's been a nice surprise. She's also been a huge blessing to Waylon helping out with marketing tips at the Christmas store he inherited from his mother. But is there a future for them with Starr's future job location a huge question mark?

Extra thoughts: This isn't your typical Hallmark Christmas romance book. Yes, it has the cute, clean holiday romance elements, but Shiloh elevates the genre by giving both Starr and Waylon deep, authentic, rich Christian lives that are woven into the story flawlessly. They are each wrestling with big questions about the future, as well as family drama, and prayer, faith, trust, and discerning God's direction are integral parts of the story. They feel like real, authentic, Christ followers, and their discussions provide excellent things to chew on for readers.

Target readers: Christian Fiction Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Christmas Love Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Clean Romance Fans, Thought-Provoking Story Fans, Adult Readers (though totally approachable for YA)