8 brilliant chapter book combinations for kids aged 5 to 14 this Christmas

 

We’re firm believers that a well-chosen book is an excellent gift for any occasion. But there’s something particularly special about gifting books at Christmas. Perhaps it’s the fact that you can just imagine the recipient snuggling up to enjoy their new book during the cold winter months that follow the festivities?

Books are also gifts that go on giving enjoyment well beyond the day that they’re unwrapped. Sometimes they can sit on a shelf for a while but, when the time is right, a child will be able to dive right in and enjoy the wonderful story that you’ve shared.

Have we convinced you that books make a great gift for kids? Hopefully!

 

How to choose chapter books for children to give as gifts

But the next question is – “Which book to choose?” And that is where it’s easy to come unstuck. There are so, so many books to choose from when you walk into a bookshop or browse your favourite online retailer. The choice can be overwhelming and it’s all too easy to stick to the classics you remember from your own childhood or the bestsellers and celebrity-penned titles that dominate the shelves and tables.

Every year we read hundreds of children’s books in order to select the very best of the bunch for our subscription boxes. We always read with our child subscribers in mind and work hard to find unusual or undiscovered titles that they may not have come across easily. Families tell us that through our boxes they’ve discovered new favourites that they would never have picked up in a bookshop or library.

 

Parrot Street’s book recommendations for kids

We’ve taken a look back at the books we’ve selected for subscribers and for our bookshop over the last few years and chosen the following combinations that we think would make a fantastic gift bundle. We’ve included titles for a range of ages and focused on spotlighting books that you may not find front and centre in your local bookshop.

 

 

Full colour, highly-illustrated first chapter books for early readers

Huxley and Flapjack: Wild West Escape features an irrepressible koala with BIG ideas, and his penguin best friend. Rocket Boy is a gentle and uplifting story about the power of imagination.  Finally, Buzz Sausage Wolf is hilariously silly adventure about a small dog with big questions!

 

Longer illustrated chapter books for more confident readers

Though still illustrated these titles are a little longer and would make a particularly great combination for readers aged 7 and up. The Appletree Animal Agency: Collie Chaos is a wonderfully wintery animal adventure. Beastopia is a fun fantasy adventure from the author of the bestselling Alien in a Jam Factory series. Peanut, Butter & Crackers: Christmas Surprise! is a funny and heartwarming full-colour graphic novel.

 

Fantasy books for readers aged 8 to 12

The fantasy worlds created by the authors of these three books are all very different but equally enjoyable to explore. The Spick and the Span is a rollicking adventure with quirky characters and plenty of humour. The Odyssey of Phoebe Quilliam blends Greek mythology with moving family drama and a huge dose of adventure. The Museum of Lost Umbrellas is the first in a new series and transports readers to a land where houses grant wishes and alleys are portals!

 

Thought-provoking, real world stories for older primary school-aged readers

Again, these three titles are very different but complementary. Running My Own Race is a coming-of-age story about finding and sticking to your own path. Role Model is the story of a teenage girl who becomes the unwilling "role model" for autistic youth after her mother becomes prime minister. The Wrong Shoes is a powerful exploration of child poverty, packed with empathy.

  

Fantastic adventures for nature lovers with environmental themes

Swanfall is a thrilling, wintery adventure inspired by Irish folklore. The Wood Where Magic Grows is an enchanting story with a sprinkling of magic and important environmental messages. Finding Bear is an irresistible Arctic adventure packed with empathy and characters you'll be rooting for.

 

Fantasy books that will transport tween and teen readers

In these three books the fantasy world that the authors have created will prompt older readers to think about how they differ from our own and question their assumptions. 

Nettle is a heart-wrenching tale set in a foreboding faery kingdom which featured in our Macaw box in August 2025. The Restaurant at the Edge of the World is a full-colour graphic novel with a fantastical cooking competition at its heart. The Uninvited was chosen for our Macaw boxes in October 2025 and combines fantastically imaginative elements with thought-provoking questions around the treatment of refugees.

 

 

Books for tweens and teens with strong female leads

These books are wildly different but all feature female lead characters learning to navigate their world and growing in confidence.

Ride North is a quirky and moving adventure following a grief-stricken girl and her pony on a trek across New Zealand's North Island. I Dare You is an unforgettable contemporary drama with two girls' friendship at its heart. Wildlands is a gripping adventure about survival set in the near future.

All three books were chosen for our Macaw subscribers and can be purchased with their accompanying activity packs.

Use BUNDLE at checkout to save 10% on the total when buying any three book & activity pack sets. 

Contemporary stories with nuanced male leads for tween and teen readers aged 12+

Older readers will be rooting for the lead characters as they face seemingly impossible challenges with grit and ingenuity in these three books. 

Diet Soda Club by Chaz Hayden is a thought-provoking read about responsibility, friendship and family. Stealing Happy blends humour with heartbreak in a story about a family reaching crisis point and one boy stepping up to make things right. My Name is Samim is a wry story about struggles, hope and friendship.

All 3 books come with activity packs and you can use BUNDLE to save 10% when buying three sets.