Please could you recommend some christmassy books to read in the nine to twelve or teen age range. We have lots of picture books in the house that are Christmassy but I would like something for older kids. Any suggestions? - Alexandra, aged 12
Asked to think of a Christmassy book and my thoughts turn first to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where, thanks to the White Witch, there is no Christmas - just perpetual winter. But as the White Witch's powers fade, sleigh bells are heard. Father Christmas arrives with presents – useful tools, not paltry toys – for all. He also sets up the Beavers' well.
The March sisters in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women look as if they won't be getting much of a Christmas, "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
Those poor March girls! Mother has proposed that they should have no presents as it is going to be a hard winter for all and especially for the men in the army. Being virtuous suits some but others rail against it. Luckily, it all turns out a lot better than they had feared; there is excitement and festivity to keep them cheerful.
Or there's the enormous excitement of Christmas for Laura and Mary in Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Little House on the Prairie. On receiving a pair of mittens and a peppermint stick both girls are "so happy they could hardly speak".
Things get a lot more lavish in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Harry chooses to spend his first Christmas at Hogwarts. J K Rowling's descriptions of food are legendary and her Christmas dinner is a triumphant feast. But there is more to Christmas than just food for Harry; from Dumbledore he receives his father's invisibility cloak. More dubiously, there are also the Mrs Weasley's famously unbecoming jumpers which appear as presents for all.
And there are plenty more including some excellent collections of stories such as The Faber Book of Christmas, The Oxford Book of Christmas Stories, Robert Westall's Christmas Spirit or Neil Philip's Christmas Fairy Tales all of which have the great merit of showing Christmas in its multiple aspects. For classics, of course, there's A Christmas Carol and Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales.
Which christmassy books would you recommend? Share your favourites by emaling suggestions to childrens.books@theguardian.com
Your top christmas suggestions
From Jonanne, aged 35 and three quarters:
I have to admit that it's a while since I was a kid, but my love for children's books has stayed with me into my 30s.
Christmas favourites of mine - both as a child and now - include:
The Box Of Delights by John Masefield: deliciously atmospheric tale of magic and mythology set in 1920s England at Christmas, complete with a fabulously creepy villain in the form of Abner Brown and a wise old mentor in the form of Punch and Judy man Cole Hawlings. Full of snow, delicious Christmas treats and seasonal magic, this is definitely a Christmas classic. The wolves are running...
The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken: on the subject of wolves, this historic adventure story set in an alternate history is a brilliantly exciting read with plenty of snowy landscapes and wintry atmosphere, perfect for a cosy afternoon on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate. Again, great villains and feisty child adventurers made this a firm favourite of mine and is still popular today.
The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M Boston: a little boy goes to spend the Christmas holidays with his elderly aunt in her crumbling old mansion, Green Knowe, and finds that Green Knowe hides lots of spooky secrets. The ghosts are friendly in this story and again, it's a lovely cosy read full of atmosphere and charm.
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder: a good one for ages 12 and up, this the story of a particularly tough, severe prairie winter in 19th century America, where the Ingalls family, cut off entirely by the endless snow, find ingenious ways of surviving. The hardships they suffer are extreme - the winter lasts seven whole months with constant snow and ice - but the closeness of the family, the degree to which they pull together and the way they take pleasure in small and simple things is a real eye-opener for us today.
Also, one that is a picture book but will still amuse older kids in the 9+ age bracket (it's told in comic strip form with brilliant illustrations) is Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas. This Father Christmas is grumpy, solitary character who lives alone with his dog, cat and reindeer and enjoys his piece and quiet. All he really wants to do is put his feet up with a bottle of brandy and he moans constantly about the pressures of the festive season - yet he's still completely loveable and very funny.
