Episode 14: Middle Grade Books to Read at Christmas

Happy Holidays from Two Lit Mamas! The holidays may not be the same this year but don’t cancel Christmas like Margie did in 2008! Instead, the mamas encourage you to start a new tradition of sharing and gifting books. Choose from the mama’s Middle Grade recommendations that will make you laugh and give you a fright while bringing your family closer together.  In a farewell to 2020, the mamas snuggle in with festive stories that are perfect for reading aloud by the fire.  Greenglass House by Kate MilfordIt’s almost Christmas and 12-year-old Milo is ready for a quiet winter break with his parents in the family’s inn, Greenglass House, which is normally guest free at that time of year. But as guest after guest begins to arrive out of nowhere, Milo realizes this Christmas break might be better spent trying to untangle the web of mystery surrounding Greenglass House and the unusual guests within. Christmas Dinner of Souls by Ross MontgomeryEleven-year-old Lewis finds himself in a little jam after breaking a window but he’s hopeful that after completing his penance by serving Christmas Eve dinner at Soul’s College all will be fine. But the evening takes a creepy turn when the room fills with monsters and Lewis’ new hope is to make it out alive.Top Elf by Caleb Zane Huett. Ollie and his BFF Celia are elves and they are very good at their jobs. But when Santa decides that the long-held method of family lineage determining who should be Santa, is unfair, everything changes. Suddenly Ollie and Celia, as well as every other elf or human in the land are now in competition to become the next Santa. A Boy Called Christmas by Matt HaigNikolas lives a hard-knock life in the woods of Finland, but he knows he’s loved and that gets him by until his father goes missing. Nikolas then travels to the North Pole to find him. Along the way, Nikolas meets a cast of characters including a cranky reindeer, a troublemaking troll, and a village of elves who have troubles of their own. Nikolas may be the only one who can fix things for them and himself. The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt HaigAmelia has a special relationship with Father Christmas or so she thought. When her Christmas wish is ignored, she ends up in a workhouse where the adults are cruel, and the food is gruel. Soon Amelia stops believing in the magic of Christmas all together just when Father Christmas is counting on her to save the day. The two must save each other before magic can return to the world.   Episode Links:Young Hoosier Book AwardsTwo Lit Mamas Blog