Seasonal reading can be a real comfort, so I’ve compiled a list of recommendations for YA holiday books to help ease into the spirit of the season. Picture it: cozy blankets, a warm beverage, and a perfect holiday book to set the tone. There’s nothing quite like it! From festive tales of family, friendship, and romance to heartwarming stories of overcoming adversity, these books are sure to please. Find something you, your students, or someone you love will enjoy this holiday season from the list below.
Note: With all of my book lists, I do my best to try to include something for everyone. This particular genre is the least diverse to date. There are very few holiday stories that don’t include Christmas and the cast of characters is also very similar across novels. (I even phoned a friend for help trying to locate some variety!) I hope that the next time I compile a list like this, I’ll have more options to add, but for now, these are the best titles given what I was able to locate at the time.
#1: Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
This sweet and sentimental series of short stories is also now a Netflix movie and is a standard among YA holiday books. I’ve used the trailer in place of a book trailer with success. Students seem to always be interested in this one.
“An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train, setting off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.”
#2: The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo
The Holiday Switch is as Hallmark as the holidays get. It has the perfect setting for a holiday read. The enemies to lovers angle is a lot of fun. Overall, an enchanting holiday read.
“Lila Santos is ready for her last winter break of high school. The snow in her small town of Holly, New York, is plentiful, the mood is as cozy as a fuzzy Christmas sweater, and she’s earning extra cash working at the local inn—AKA the setting of the greatest film of all time, Holiday by the Lake—while moonlighting as an anonymous book blogger.
But her perfect holiday plans crash to a halt when her boss’s frustratingly cute nephew, Teddy Rivera, becomes her coworker. Lila is type A; Teddy is type “Anything but Lila’s Way,” and the two of them can’t stop butting heads over tangled icicle lights and messy gift shop merch. But when they accidentally switch phones one afternoon, they realize they’ve both been hiding things from each other. Will their secrets—and an unexpected snowstorm—bring these rivals together?”
#3: So, This is Christmas by Tracy Andreen
The cast of characters in this book are charming. I especially loved the families of the main characters. Christmas, Oklahoma was an especially memorable setting. I also absolutely loved Arthur. I found myself smiling as I read quite a bit. A+ adorable.
“When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.”
#4: White Out by Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
You can’t get much better than this line up of authors and I was especially excited to see them dip their toes in YA holiday books. This one is brand new this year and I know students are going to love it!
“As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen, in spite of the storm?
No one is prepared for this whiteout. But then, we can’t always prepare for the magical moments that change everything.”
#5: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan
Another fun Netflix convert. This book is charming and has everything- holiday magic, romance, humor, and a fun plot. This is another fun one to use on Book Trailer Tuesday using the Netflix trailer. Students overwhelmingly approve.
“16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.
What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?”
#6: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins
This is another book of short stories with an all-star line up of authors. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the short stories include a lot of diversity and different holidays represented. Definitely worth checking out!
“If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers (Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de La Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins, Laini Tayler and Kiersten White), edited by the international bestselling Stephanie Perkins.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa, there’s something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.”
#7: Blame it on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod
This one is brand new to the YA holiday books lineup this year and the buzz is real. Super sweet story that kind of reminds me of The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. It’s warm, lighthearted, and sure to get you into the holiday spirit.
“Elle is a social medial star with the #DreamLife…or so it seems. Determined to shake up her content and gain new followers, she’s on a mission: can she find a British fan to swap with for Christmas?
Holly loves everything about Christmas. But after a mortifying mistletoe disaster with her ex, her perfect plans unravel like a bad Christmas sweater. Can Holly save the holidays when she switches places with favorite social media influencer?
Elle gets more than she bargained for when she meets the cute boy from across the street. And Holly wasn’t expecting Elle to have a handsome twin brother. This holiday is full of surprises.”
#8: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman
This is the new release this year I was most excited about. It’s one of the few holiday books on the list that doesn’t center around Christmas. It’s Hanukkah’s turn for this one. There are also excellent bookish vibes here, and who doesn’t love that?
“Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.
When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.
Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.
But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…”
#9: Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey
What’s better than a cozy mystery to round out your collection of YA holiday books? Not much! Enjoy this sappy sweet holiday read with a side of mystery.
“1817. The happy chaos of the Yuletide season has descended upon the country estate of Shackleford Park in full force, but lady’s maid Kate Darby barely has the time to notice. Between her household duties, caring for her ailing mother, and saving up money to someday own a dress shop, her hands are quite full. Matt Harlow is also rather busy. He’s performing double-duty, acting as valet for both of the Steeple brothers, two of the estate’s holiday guests.
Falling in love would be a disaster for either of them. But staving off their feelings for each other becomes the least of their problems when a devious counterfeiting scheme reaches the gates of Shackleford Park, and Kate and Matt are unwittingly swept up in the intrigue.”
#10: Midnight in Everwood by M. A. Kuzniar
Part historical fiction, part fantasy, fully fun. This is a darker retelling of the Nutcracker. Recommended for grades 9 and up.
“Nottingham, 1906. Marietta Stelle longs to be a ballerina but as Christmas draws nearer, her dancing days are numbered. At the wishes of her family, she will be obligated to marry and take up her place in society in the New Year. But when a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, purchases a neighbouring townhouse, it heralds the arrival of magic and wonder in her life. Although Drosselmeier’s magic is darker than Marietta could have imagined…
When he constructs an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance, Marietta discovers it carries a magic all of its own. As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself walking through a land of snow-topped fir trees leading to a frozen sugar palace silent with secrets and must find a way to return home.”
Need More YA Recs?
Grab my list of teacher-curated, student-approved YA books for your curriculum, classroom library, or bedside table.
Which YA holiday books will you be reading this year? Sound off in the comments below or follow me on Instagram or Facebook to join the conversation!
Happy reading!
