Families who loved M & M and the Santa Secrets by Pat Ross often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is experiencing the sweet but stressful anticipation of finding or making the perfect gift for a best friend. It is an ideal choice for the early elementary years when children are beginning to transition from receiving to the joy of giving. The story follows best friends Mandy and Mimi as they navigate the challenge of shopping for each other in secret. It captures the frantic energy of holiday crowds and the worry that a friend might not like a chosen gift. This chapter book is written with simple language and relatable scenarios, making it approachable for emerging readers. Beyond the holiday theme, it models empathy and loyalty, showing how much children value their peers' happiness. It is a gentle, secular exploration of Christmas that focuses on the bonds of friendship rather than material excess, providing a comforting normalization of the anxiety that can sometimes accompany social expectations.