By Mel Taylor-Bessent (author) , Selom Sunu (illustrator) Part of the The Christmas Carrolls series
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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‘A Christmas book about kindness and cheer to make even Scrooge’s heart melt’ Dame Jacqueline Wilson on The Christmas Carrolls Funny festive middle grade about the world's most Christmassy family from the founder of Authorfy, perfect for 8+ fans of Matt Haig, Ben Miller, Sibeal Pounder’s Tinsel, and the Nativity! films The Christmas-crazy Carrolls are back – and this time, they have an ice-skating baby penguin!
There’s a new family in town determined to steal the Carrolls’ tinselly crown. Can Holly and her family win the Christmas Chronicle’s competition for the Most Festive Family? Or will they discover that there is more to life than perfect Christmas decorations, a personal toboggan run, and more pressies than you can shake a candy cane at?
A Christmas book about kindness and cheer to make even Scrooge’s heart melt’ Dame Jacqueline Wilson
"As warm and cosy as drinking hot chocolate in your favourite Christmas jumper. A festive feast of fun." Maz Evans, bestselling author of Who Let the Gods Out
‘Funny and loveable story’– Woman & Home
‘This will put a smile on your face and a lump in your throat’ – Daily Mail
‘Saturated with festive fun’– Irish Times
‘Hilariously silly, this super-seasonal debut will have readers chuckling’ – Metro
'Fizzing with energy and festive cheer, The Christmas Carrolls is a heart-warming must-read for the Christmas period. Mel’s writing sparkles like the star on top of a Christmas Tree.' Jennifer Bell, author of The Uncommoners trilogy
“The Christmas Carrolls is just fabulous! I laughed solidly throughout the whole thing. It’s gloriously festive, brilliantly funny and utterly endearing, too. Holly’s inventions made me chuckle, as did Mr Bleurgh, while Holly and Archie’s friendship was a joy to read. Also, Mel wrote one of the most beautiful descriptions of Christmas Eve I’ve ever read. The story is warm and wonderful and I loved it.” Abi Elphinstone, author of The Unmapped Chronicles series
“Well known in the children’s book world as the creator of Authorfy, Taylor-Bessent makes her debut with the story of the world’s most Christmassy family. Full of festive giggles and a message about what really matters.” – Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
‘It’s a very impressive debut effort from Taylor-Bessent’ – Financial Times
Founder of the hugely successful Authorfy and Little Star Writing, Mel Taylor-Bessent has made her career connecting readers to their favourite authors and encouraging children to write for pleasure. After gaining a Creative Writing degree, Mel launched her first business at the age of 22 and ran creative writing workshops for thousands of children aged 6-12. As a result, she also arranged hundreds of author events and witnessed first-hand the positive impact these interactions had on her students. In 2017, she decided to replicate this via online 'Author Masterclasses' on a website she created called Authorfy.com .
Since then, Authorfy has gone on to win numerous awards, partner with the likes of World Book Day and BookTrust, and is used in classrooms all over the world.
Mel is the best-selling author of The Christmas Carrolls and Race to Imagination Island series and has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. In 2025, Mel was shortlisted for the Ruth Rendell Award in 2025 for her work championing literacy in the UK.
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‘A Christmas book about kindness and cheer to make even Scrooge’s heart melt’ Dame Jacqueline Wilson on The Christmas Carrolls Funny festive middle grade about the world's most Christmassy family from the founder of Authorfy, perfect for 8+ fans of Matt Haig, Ben Miller, Sibeal Pounder’s Tinsel, and the Nativity! films The Christmas-crazy Carrolls are back – and this time, they have an ice-skating baby penguin! There’s a new family in town determined to steal the Carrolls’ tinselly crown.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Christmas Competition and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
The Christmas Competition features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Recommendations, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Festive Fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Christmas Competition was written by Mel Taylor-Bessent and published by Farshore an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Christmas Competition has 343 pages
Yes it is part of The Christmas Carrolls series
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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