The holiday season is full of iconic films. From old black-and-white Hollywood favorites to ‘90s cult classics to animated treasures, there’s bound to be a movie that always makes it into your winter watch rotation. But when the credits fade to black, do you ever wish you could keep that energy going? Luckily, you can! Read on for a list of books that encapsulate the true nature of beloved Christmas movies.
It’s a Wonderful Life — Under the Whispering Door by T. J. Klune
As it turns out, Wallace is dead. After all, the reaper showed up at Wallace’s funeral and whisked his soul away to the afterlife. Now, he finds himself in a quaint tea shop called Charon’s Crossing, full of hot tea, fresh scones, and other wayward souls. The proprietor, Hugo, kindly offers to help Wallace cross over to the other side, but Wallace can’t shake the feeling that he’s not quite done with life. When Wallace is offered a week to return to the land of the living, he takes it and discovers that only in death does he finally understand what it takes to be alive.
The Frank Capra classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, is the perfect movie for reevaluating life. George Bailey worries that his life is nowhere near as accomplished and exciting as he’s always wished, but when he’s given the chance to glimpse an alternative existence, he learns to appreciate what he has. This is akin to Wallace’s journey in Under the Whispering Door. While he may initially be rougher around the edges than the kind-hearted George, Wallace’s second chance at life proves to be just as transformative.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Dasher and the Polar Bear by Matt Tavares
Basking in the magical glory of the northern lights, Dasher the reindeer meets a kind polar bear named George. When Dasher shows off her flying abilities, George is astounded and reveals his own dream of taking to the skies. Always in the habit of caring for others, Dasher vows to do everything in her power to help George achieve his heart’s desire. And if Christmas magic isn’t enough to win the day, perhaps their new friendship will prove to be a greater gift than either imagined.
If you love the story of unexpected friendship in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll love the burgeoning connection in Dasher and the Polar Bear. With an enchanting winter setting and a heartwarming lesson, these two pair together as perfectly as peppermint and cocoa.
While You Were Sleeping — Dream On by Angie Hockman
Cass just woke up in the hospital after surviving a car accident. Surrounding her is everyone she loves: family, friends, and… wait. Where’s her boyfriend? As it turns out, Cass’s perfect man with warm brown eyes and a charming demeanor was an invention of her comatose consciousness. Yet, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s really out there, and when she runs into a man named Devin a year later who matches every feature of her imagined boyfriend to a T, Cass thinks it must be kismet. As the two become romantically involved, Devin’s protective younger brother enters the picture, and soon, Cass starts to wonder if blindly trusting her dreams was really the way to go.
Just like Cass’s vision of Devin, Dream On seems cosmically perfect for fans of While You Were Sleeping. Complete with a love triangle between brothers and the drama of a comatose fantasy, Cass’s romantic exploits are just as exciting to follow as Lucy’s holiday mix-up.
Holiday Affair (1949) — Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne
Single mom Holly usually loves Christmas, but this year, she’s just waiting for the season to be over. With a wedding on her ex’s side of the family looming in the near future, Holly impulsively lies that she has a boyfriend to bring to the event. Oops. Enter Ryan, who, between unexpectedly caring for his niece and avoiding his estranged father, is in desperate need of an escape. In order to solve both of their problems, Holly and Ryan make a deal: Ryan will accompany Holly to the wedding, and she will help give his niece a Christmas to remember.
Holiday Affair might be a lesser-known Christmas movie, but the love story between single mother Connie and department store clerk Steve is as sweet as homemade gingerbread. If you’re a fan of tales of second love and blended families, then Snow Kissed is the perfect companion book for you.
Elf — Leo the Elf Saves Christmas by Bradley Doxon
Leo loves three things: winter sweets, building toys, and celebrating Christmas. So when Santa tells Leo that Christmas Spirit is declining, Leo takes it upon himself to save the holiday. His chaotic journey leads him first to the human world, where he meets a young girl named Ava. Now with Ava by his side, Leo feels ready to take on the Sorrow King, a dark wizard intent on destroying Christmas.
Leo’s story of an elf leaving the North Pole bubble and venturing into far-off lands is reminiscent of Buddy’s journey in the modern classic, Elf. Though Leo the Elf Saves Christmas may have a touch more mysticism, both stories offer an entertaining tale of unexpected connections and holiday magic.
The Shop Around the Corner — The Christmas Letters by Jenny Proctor
It seems like Tess is fated to end up in blunders. First, she got stuck in the bathroom stall of a historic building and had to call the paramedics to get her out. Then, the paramedic in question was unbelievably attractive and completely and totally uninterested in her. Enter Andrew, a paramedic who recently started exchanging letters with an unknown pen pal. Andrew feels drawn to the person behind the letters, yet the more they speak, the more she seems like Tess, a woman he already rejected. But that’s impossible… right?
Everyone loves a good pen pal romance, but none is more iconic than the one that started it all: The Shop Around the Corner. This enemies-to-lovers holiday classic reminds us that sometimes, who we are on the surface is nothing compared to who we are in private. If this underlying tension is just your style, then The Christmas Letters is the ideal holiday book for you.
Home Alone — Joe All Alone by Joanna Nadin
Joe’s mom may have just abandoned him for a holiday in Spain, but solitude is just what this 13-year-old wanted. Free from the weight of his mother and her bothersome boyfriend, Dean, Joe goes wild exploring his neighborhood, even connecting with another wayward teen named Asha. At first, Joe thinks that nothing could be more perfect than a life without supervision. But when food and money run low, the local thugs close in, and his mother is nowhere to be found, Joe wonders if his isolation is really as exciting as he once thought.
Who didn’t get a little envious of Kevin’s unsupervised lifestyle in Home Alone — apart from the burglars, of course. Endless TV and gargantuan ice cream sundaes are the ultimate childhood fantasy, but Joe’s story in Joe All Alone reminds us that having a dependable presence in our lives is far greater than unchecked indulgence.
Miracle on 34th Street — A City Full of Santas by Joanna Ho, Illustrated by Thai My Phuong
If there’s one thing this little girl wants for Christmas, it’s to finally meet the real Santa Claus. She knows exactly what he should be like, down to his jolly laughter and signature peppermint fragrance, so how hard could it be to find him? But when her mother takes her on a special trip to the city, the girl finds a whole flock of Santas roaming the streets. Will she find the right Kris Kringle before the holiday comes to a close?
Whether you’re a 1947 purist or a fan of the 1994 remake, Miracle on 34th Street has remained a staple of the holiday season for decades. Though the young Susan in Miracle on 34th Street is initially skeptical of Santa’s existence, whereas the protagonist in A City Full of Santas has never doubted it, both girls find themselves on an unexpectedly holly jolly journey among the chaotic city lights.
The Holiday — Far and Away by Amy Poeppel
When Lucy’s community in Dallas turns against her family, and Greta is forced to temporarily abandon her lovely flat in Berlin, the two are thrown together by a mutual connection and agree to swap homes. Lucy hopes that her children, particularly her down-on-his-luck son, Jack, can forget the chaos in America and take advantage of this European experience. And her German isn’t really that bad… is it? Meanwhile, Greta swelters in the oppressive Texas heat, drifting further away from her older husband and dreaming more and more of her attractive neighbor back home. At least Lucy’s parents are around to provide Greta with the kind of family support she’s never had before.
Far and Away may remind you of the house exchange at the heart of the fan-favorite Nancy Meyers movie, The Holiday. Though Lucy and Greta may swap lives during the summer rather than the winter, their story is still just as tender and fun as the one that Iris and Amanda share on screen. If you want to hear more about Far and Away, check out our exclusive book review!
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town — How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Jon Klassen
It’s a question most children have asked at one point: How in the world does Santa fit down the chimney? Better yet, what if you don’t have a chimney? Mac Barnett’s relatable humor and Jon Klassen’s colorful drawings reach deep into childhood curiosity and produce a plethora of hilarious speculative answers to this long-debated query.
Just like the Rankin/Bass stop motion special, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? seeks to uncover the truth behind Santa’s legend. Both are full of childlike conspiratorial humor and plenty of doses of holiday heart.
Whether these books take place in a winter wonderland or not, they are the ideal written companions to these on-screen characters and stories. With your favorite winter beverage and treat by your side, your holiday-themed TBR just got a whole lot more festive!
Are you a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies? Check out this book list.
For more books full of holiday spirit, check out our Children’s Holiday Recs shelf on Bookshop.
