Christmas Classics to Read Before You Watch

The Smeds and the Smoos

The Smeds and the Smoos will air on BBC One this Christmas.

Soar into space with this glorious love story of alien folk, from the creators of The Gruffalo and Stick Man. The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue). So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove. But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories. There’s even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate!

A Boy Called Christmas

You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.

If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. (Because this book is FULL of impossible things.)

Are you still reading? Good. Then let us begin…

Let It Snow

It’s Christmas Eve and the worst blizzard for fifty years has blanketed Gracetown. But as well as snowflakes, love is in the air – and appearing in the most unexpected ways . . .

Who’d have thought a freezing hike from a stranded train would end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger? Or that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow could lead to romance with an old friend? Or that the path to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks?

Touching, hilarious and filled with festive cheer, the magic of the holiday season shines on these three interconnected tales of love, romance and breathtaking kisses. The perfect book for a cold winter’s night for any fan of The Fault in Their Stars, The Sun is Also a Star and Eleanor and Park.

Little Women

This Scholastic Classic edition of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring book is beautifully packaged for children today.

Curl up with this timeless classic, and your new best friends – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, the four March sisters whose lives will bring tears to your eyes and warmth to your heart, and whose stories will stay with you forever.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

“The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason…”

With a heart two sizes too small, the Grinch is the meanest creature you’ll ever meet. He hates Christmas and the whole festive season. But when he hatches a dastardly plot to steal Christmas, he’s in for a big surprise!

With hilarious rhymes and beautiful illustrations, this timeless Christmas classics has become a favourite for good reason and teaches readers the true meaning of Christmas.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

When Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Susan step through a hidden wardrobe door, they walk into a winter world of beauty and menace. It’s a place of dazzling snow and fabulous creatures: centaurs, fauns, nymphs and talking animals. But as the children marvel at Narnia’s wonders, they are caught up in a terrifying battle for survival…

Open the enchanted wardrobe door and lose yourself in the magic of Narnia with this handsome edition of C. S. Lewis’s spellbinding fantasy classic.

The Snowman

Spend Christmas with everyone’s favourite Snowman! This special edition comes with a sparkly glitter cover, and introduction by Raymond Briggs.

One winter’s night, a snowman comes to life and an unforgettable adventure begins. Raymond Briggs’ classic is a true piece of Christmas magic – narrated entirely through pictures, it captures the wonder and innocence of childhood and is recognised throughout the world. The Snowman is the perfect festive read for ALL the family!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle.

Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

A Christmas Carol

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly and mean-spirited old man. He treats family, coworkers, and strangers alike with distaste. But on Christmas Eve he receives a visit from the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley.

Marley warns Scrooge that unless he learns to be less greedy and self-serving that Scrooge will be condemned to wander Earth weighed down with heavy chains, as Marley has been. Marley tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him. As Scrooge travels through his past, present and future life, he begins to learn the true meaning of Christmas.

The Polar Express

Discover The Polar Express, a true Christmas classic full of magic and festive cheer!

All aboard the Polar Express to the North Pole! Follow one boy’s journey to receive a very special gift from Santa himself: a bell that only true believers in Father Christmas can hear ring. Discover the beloved Christmas classic that inspired the blockbuster family favourite movie starring Tom Hanks.