Best captivating books to gift tweens & teenagers this Christmas
Christmas is right around the corner and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the tween or teen in your life, then you’ve come to the right place! Books make unforgettable presents as they bring excitement, inspiration, and the chance to explore new worlds.
Whether the bookworm in your life is a fan of epic fantasies, gripping mysteries or heartfelt coming-of-age tales, we’ve found a broad range of books that are sure to capture their imagination and spark their curiosity.
In this handy gift guide, we’ve rounded up the best book ideas for tweens and teens, ensuring your gift will bring a smile to their face on Christmas morning.
Evil Duck and the Feather of Fortune by Chris Judge (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €12.99
Twins Flo and Eddie are staying with their grandad while their mum travels for work. Nosing around in Grandad’s attic, they find a villainous-looking duck frozen inside a special, temperature-controlled chamber. Eddie accidentally presses the DEFROST button – and releases super-villain Evil Duck! It turns out that Grandad, AKA Fearless Frank, is a retired superhero duck who captured his nemesis Evil Duck many moons ago, saving society from his sinister schemes. But now Evil Duck has escaped, and Grandad is too old to recapture him alone, Eddie and Flo are going to have to help him track the super-villain down – before he gets back to his evil ways! Buy in all good bookshops or here
Haunted Ireland: An Atlas of Ghost Stories From Every County by Kieran Fanning, Illustrated by Mark Hill (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €24.99
Join master storyteller Kieran Fanning on a visit to every county in Ireland through 32 spooky stories. From well-known hauntings like The Ghost of Loftus Hall and The White Lady of Kinsale, to lesser-known sightings like The Black Pig of Kiltrustan and Father Hegarty’s Phantom Horse, there’s a story and a site to discover wherever you are in Ireland! This beautifully presented gift book features a map of all the story locations so you can carry out your very own ghost tour – or stay safely at home poring over the stunning illustrations by Dublin artist, Mark Hill. Buy in all good bookshops or here
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney (Published by Puffin) – RRP £14.99
In Hot Mess, book 19 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series Greg Heffley is in for a particularly awkward summer with his whole family. The pressure is building for Greg, who discovers that when you mix heaps of family, a tiny beach house, and sweltering heat, it's a recipe for disaster. Speaking of recipes- the secret ingredients behind Gramma's famous meatballs have been closely guarded for years. Can Greg unpack all of his family's mysteries before their vacation is over? Or will he just stir the pot? This sidesplittingly relatable story is the funniest Wimpy Kid book yet! Available to buy in all good bookshops and here
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (Published by Electric Monkey) – RRP £14.99
18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness. Rachel is gone, presumed dead. The case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. But then Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.. Buy in all good bookshops and here
The Friendship Fairies Go to Paris by Lucy Kennedy (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €13.99
The Friendship Fairies – sisters Emme, Holly and Jess – are off to Paris with their parents, exchanging homes with a French family for a month. The girls are having a brilliant time exploring the city, until disaster strikes and they have to track down their host family’s precious pet octopus, who someone seems to have let out accidentally… They chase the octopus all over Paris – through the streets, the Louvre and even up the Eiffel Tower – following a trail of puddle prints. The Friendship Fairies better track him down soon, or they’ll be in BIG trouble when the French family gets home! Buy in all good bookshops or here
Raised by Wolves: Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Published by Quercus) – RRP £9.99
Bryn has the usual worries: a new boyfriend, a new school and a new home. But she has one major concern that her friends don’t have: she is an alpha – a human girl in charge of her own werewolf pack. When Bryn and her closest friends, Dev and Lake, broke from the werewolf Callum’s pack, it had felt right. Together with Chase, Bryn’s new love, they had rescued some newly made female werewolves from a dangerous master and established their own pack, with Bryn as leader. Yet Bryn has always resented the rules of this life – the constant bowing to authority and submission to the alpha. And she is determined to live differently, to be a better leader. Then one night, a badly beaten werewolf shows up on her territory. He desperately needs help. But taking him in could violate the rules, and no one knows better than Bryn the costs of challenging them. Buy in all good bookshops or here
Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar (Published by Hodder Children’s Books in Paperback) – RRP €8.99
Meghna and Rani used to be friends. Now they’re bitter rivals. Or are they? When Meghna fails to make it to the final round of a competition but her boyfriend Zak and her rival Rani do, she thinks things can’t get much worse. Until she discovers Zak has been cheating on her. With Rani. Soon she realises Rani is also a victim and they team up to expose Zak as a cheater in front of all the judges he is so eager to please. And as the two girls grow closer, they begin to question their feelings for one another and why they ever became enemies in the first place… Rivals team up to get revenge on the boy who wronged them both in this new sapphic YA enemies-to-lovers novel by award-winning author Adiba Jaigirdar. Available to buy in all good bookshops nationwide.
Milly McCarthy and the Christmas Calamity by Leona Forde Illustrated by Karen Harte (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €9.99
It’s coming up to Christmas and Milly’s class is prepping for their end-of-term performance. This year they’ve decided on a festive concert, so they can each showcase their favourite talent. Milly can’t wait to take part – though she never anticipated quite such a starring role… and really, it was totally NOT her fault that she literally brought the house down… Buy in all good bookshops or here
The Spiritstone Saga: Tariq and the Temple of Beasts by Sarwat Chadda (Published by Orchard books) – RRP £7.99
Tariq and his friends Livia and Artos have set sail to New Ethrial on a quest to find the Crocodile’s Tear, a Spiritstone stolen centuries ago. Deep in the forest, Tariq encounters an old enemy and makes a powerful new friend – Imex, a shapeshifting seer. Imex takes Tariq to the Temple of Beasts, where he learns how to become different animals – from a panther to an eagle. Tariq’s friends are worried – could Imex be using Tariq to reunite the long-lost Spiritstones and satisfy her own thirst for power? Buy in all good bookshops or here
First Term at Fernside by Sheena Wilkinson – RRP €9.99 (Published by O’Brien Press)
A thrilling new boarding school adventure from award-winning children’s author Sheena Wilkinson. It’s a new term at Fernside boarding school, and Robin can’t wait for fun, games and maybe even winning the coveted Form Shield. But for new girl Linnet, there are just too many new faces and strict rules. Daring rescues, secret missions and adventures galore! Available to buy in all good bookshops and here
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross (Published by Magpie) – RRP £9.99
Eighteen-year-old Iris dreams that one day her writing will make a difference. A war between gods is raging, and she’s landed a prestigious job at the Oath Gazette. But at home, she’s barely holding it together. Her brother is missing on the frontline. Her mother is lost in a haze of addiction. And each night Iris pours her heart out in letters to her brother. Letters that will never be answered. Or so she thinks… Her letters have made their way into the hands of the last person Iris trusts: Roman Kitt, her cold, unforgiving rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes back, they forge a magical connection that will seal their fate forever. Buy in all good bookshops or here
Spy Fox and Agent Feathers by Dermot O’Leary, Illustrated by Claire Powell (Published by Hodder Children's Books) – RRP £12.99
Charles Redfearn is one of Britain’s very best spies. He’s dashing, he’s clever . . . but he can’t stop chasing chickens. He is a fox, after all. When his French cousin goes missing in action, along with some vital war plans, Charles is forced to pair up with Gertrude Featherhorn – chicken and master code-breaker – to have any chance of a successful rescue. But will he be able to control his appetite? Featuring the cunning French Resistance, a daring castle break-in and a race against time to stop plans falling into the wrong hands, Charles and Gertrude’s mission is going to be even more important than they could have imagined! Buy in all good bookshops or here
Fixing Mum and Dad by Sinéad Moriarty (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €13.99
Quinn is furious when her mum announces they are moving in with Grandad because her doctor dad is away working abroad again. New school, new town, new everything. She manages to make one good friend, Charlie, the goalie on her football team, who loves books as much as she does. But there’s a lot to deal with: Mum and Dad arguing over FaceTime, her little brother crying because he misses their dad, kids in school making nasty comments, and her football coach taking Mum out for a drink to chat about ‘old times’. Quinn wishes life could go back to normal, before her dad felt that he had to go to help in war zones, before Mum was stressed all the time, before they had to live in Grandad's small house and go to a new school. But her biggest worry is that Mum and Dad are going to break up and life will never be the same again… Buy in all good bookshops or here
Midnight Treasure by Piers Torday (Published by Quercus) – RRP £14.99
Tibor is a werwolf, adopted by his guardian, a powerful vampir. He and his friend Roza are on the deadliest of quests, and one that will test their very immortality. And they’re not the only ones hunting for the Midnight Treasure. Battling with bears, wrestling with vampirs and racing against the clock, Tibor and Roza must decide who to trust. And whether they will dare reveal the secrets … of the Midnight Treasure. Buy in all good bookshops or here
The Friendship Fairies Save Christmas by Lucy Kennedy Illustrated by Phillip Cullen (Published by Gill Books) – RRP €9.99
There’s much excitement in the Dixon household as the Friendship Fairies’ dad has bought his own bakery – and he’s planning on opening it just in time for Christmas! The girls are busy helping him get ready, and enjoying sampling the wares as they go. But when a little elf from nearby Red Forest comes seeking their help, they down tools and jump into action, for in the magical forest, disaster looms. The elves are normally busy helping Santa prepare for Christmas, making toys and sweets for all his special deliveries. But this year, their machines have broken down, and everything has ground to a halt… Can Emme, Holly and Jess – with some assistance from Dad – help save the (Christmas) day? Buy in all good bookshops or here
Don't Let The Forest In by CG Drews (Published by Hodder Children's Books) – RRP £9.99
On the first day back at boarding school, Andrew can’t wait to find refuge in the twisted fairy tales that he writes for Thomas – the boy with hair like autumn leaves. But Thomas’ parents have vanished, and he has blood on his sleeve. Stranger still, Thomas won’t talk to Andrew, even though he’s always loved sketching the monstrous creatures from Andrew’s stories. Desperate to discover the truth, Andrew follows Thomas into the forest and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster – his drawings have come to life. To ensure no one else dies, the boys must battle the creatures every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew fears the only way to stop them might be to destroy their creator. Buy in all good bookshops or here
Sally and the Lost Photograph by Judi Curtin – RRP €12.99 (Published by O’Brien Press)
Irish sisters Sally and Bridget are making their way in the exciting, new world of New York. But life is hard for their friend Betty. She’s in trouble with the law and may even lose her home. Bridget is also trying to solve the mystery of an old photograph for Miss Cameron, her wealthy employer. Maybe there’s a way Sally and Bridget can help them both… Available to buy in all good bookshops and here
Super Sleuth by David Walliams – (Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books) RRP £14.99
Dilly loves a good murder. Not a REAL murder. A made-up murder. One you would find in a murder-mystery novel. Sherlock Holmes is her favourite detective. She even named her dog Watson after his faithful companion, and trained him to sniff out clues and follow trails. So far, Dilly and Watson haven’t cracked many cases – beyond lost cats, or missing biscuits that turned out to have been eaten all along. But now the detective duo find themselves on a luxury ocean liner bound for London. A thousand passengers. A thousand miles of ocean around them. It's the perfect place for a murder… Or two. Or three. Or four. Or MORE! Buy in all good bookshops or here
Braids Take A Day by Zainab Boladale – RRP €11.99 (Published by O’Brien Press)
Uncovering secrets is like undoing braids. One at a time… Abidemi can’t wait for summer, her last one at home in Ennistymon before she heads off to college. She’s ready to say goodbye to school, spend some time learning new braids and hairstyles – and see where things go with her friend Jack. But when she meets an intriguing woman from Nigeria, secrets start to unravel. Suddenly Abi’s life and family are changing and she needs to think hard about who she wants to be… Available to buy in all good bookshops and here
Dexter Procter the 10-Year-Old Doctor by Adam Kay, illustrated by Henry Paker (Published by Puffin) – RPP £14.99
It was clear from an early age that Dexter Procter was different. He started speaking at four seconds old. By the age of three, he had 87 A-levels, from Afrikaans to Zoology. And by ten, he was working as a paediatrician at Lilydale General Hospital. Despite a loving but annoying family and a couple of good friends (Rupi and Otto), Dexter’s always struggled to fit in. Add to this a mortal enemy (Dr Drake) and a major problem at his old school (all the teachers struck down with awful diarrhoea) – will Dexter be able to save his job, save the school and find his place in the world? (Spoiler alert: yes!) Buy in all good bookshops or here
The Riddle of the Disappearing Dickens – A Molly Malone & Bram Stoker Adventure by Alan Nolan (Published by O’Brien Press) – RRP €9.99
Young friends Molly and Bram are on a mission in London. Famous writer Charles Dickens has been kidnapped! The pals set out to search the darkest corners of the city. On their travels, they meet all sorts of characters, among them a foul-mouthed fowl and a Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. Can they solve the riddle of the disappearing Dickens before it’s too late? Available to buy in all good bookshops and here