Best Christmas Books for 13 Year Olds (2026): 5 Picks Compared

A 13 year old at Christmas needs a book that fits their reading level, so this list of best christmas books for 13 year olds compares five titles by what each listing states. It is for parents and gift buyers, and each pick says who it suits and who should skip it.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Let It Snow by Green	9.7/10	Buy
2	Doodle Devotions by Taylor	9.5/10	Buy
3	Tinsel by Pounder	9.5/10	Buy
4	Try Not to Laugh by Howling Moon	9.3/10	Buy
5	Christmas Fun Mad Libs by Price	9.2/10	Buy

1

Let It Snow by Green

John Green·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Three linked holiday romances set in a Christmas Eve snowstorm, for a 13 year old who likes romance at Christmas.

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Pros

• Reading age 12 to 17 and grade 7 to 12 are both stated and cover 13
• Three linked stories by three named authors
• The Christmas Eve snowstorm keeps the book on theme

Cons

• Romance is the main theme and the description mentions kisses, so preview it for a younger teen
• At 352 pages it is a long read for a reader who wants something short
• Published 2008, the second-oldest of the five picks

2

Doodle Devotions by Taylor

Nancy Taylor·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Sixty faith-based devotions with room for doodles and notes, for a teen girl who likes to write in her books.

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Pros

• Reading age of 13 years and up and grade level 3 to 12 are both stated
• Sixty devotions over 12 weeks, five per week
• Black-and-white pages are set up for doodling and notes, the listing says

Cons

• Not a Christmas book: the listing mentions only a birthday gift
• Written for girls, so it suits a 13 year old boy less directly
• Topics include purity, modesty and mean girls, which some families will want to talk through

3

Tinsel by Pounder

Sibéal Pounder·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A funny Christmas story about Blanche Claus and her best friend Rinki, for a reader who likes holiday comedy.

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Pros

• Christmas is the whole plot, so it fits a holiday gift search directly
• 320 pages, a full novel-length read
• The description says a bonus story is included

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated, so check the level with a sample page
• The description is mostly praise quotes, so the plot details are thin
• The comic Santa retelling is light in tone, which may feel young to some teens

4

Try Not to Laugh by Howling Moon

Howling Moon Books·9.3/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A joke game for one or more players, for a 13 year old who wants a quick stocking stuffer.

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Pros

• Played as a game with one or more people, with rules in the listing
• The description says the jokes are clean and written for teens
• 83 pages, short enough for car trips, as the description says

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated; the description says For Teens 13 years old
• A joke and game book, not a story, so the reading time is short
• Written for the 13 year old age in the title, so an older teen may want another pick

5

Christmas Fun Mad Libs by Price

Roger Price·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A fill-in-the-blank word game with 21 Christmas stories, suited to a family game night more than solo reading.

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Pros

• 21 fill-in-the-blank stories, the count the description gives
• 48 pages, a quick game for a holiday evening
• Plays alone or in a group, the description says

Cons

• Grade level 3 to 7 and a customer-marked reading age of 7+ sit below most 13 year olds
• A word game with blanks to fill, not a story to read through
• Published 1985, the oldest of the five picks

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More picks to compare

• The Seed of Faith by PetronelliFaith-based Christmas story, 74 pages; listing gives reading age 8 to 18.Check on Amazon
• Girl Who Ruined Christmas by CallaghanMiddle-grade Christmas novel, 152 pages; listing gives reading age 8 to 13.Check on Amazon
• Christmas Stories by BennettSixteen holiday stories for teen girls; customer-listed reading age 11 to 16.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a 13 year old reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. Three of the five picks list one, and two list neither. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best christmas books for 13 year olds

Start with the listed reading level

A holiday theme does not show whether a book is too easy or too hard. Check the grade level, and note when Amazon marks the reading age as from customers. For more choices by level, browse middle grade books.

Choose a story, a game or a devotional

Tinsel gives a longer read, Doodle Devotions is a devotional journal, and Try Not to Laugh and Christmas Fun Mad Libs are short games. Another list for this age is Best Children’s Books for 13 Year Olds.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age and grade level on the listing, and whether the reading age is marked as from customers.
• Read the description for mature themes, such as the romance in Let It Snow or the purity and modesty topics in Doodle Devotions.
• Confirm the page count, since the picks run from 48 pages to 352 pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What reading level suits a 13 year old?

Let It Snow lists a reading age of 12 to 17 years and grade level 7 to 12, which covers 13. Doodle Devotions lists 13 years and up.

Is there a Christmas book for a 13 year old boy?

Try Not to Laugh is a joke game for teen boys and girls at 13, and its listing states no reading age or grade. Tinsel is a funny Christmas story with 320 pages.

Does Let It Snow have romance?

Yes, romance is the main theme, and the description mentions kisses. Preview it first if your teen is not ready for romance.

Still deciding? Our top pickLet It Snow by Green

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Related lists

See every Young Adult list and all Kids and Teens lists.

More lists: teen Christmas books, Christmas books for teen boys and Christmas books for teen girls.