Tinsel: The Girls Who Invented Christmas

Sibeal Pounder's Tinsel: The Girls Who Invented Christmas is a funny festive adventure for 10 year olds about the girl who might have been the real Mrs Claus all along.

What happens

Over a hundred years ago, Blanche Claus lives under a bridge in London. She has ice-white hair and she truly hates Christmas. She spends every Christmas Day counting down the seconds until it's over, as loudly as she possibly can.

Then an old woman gives her a red bauble that's colder than ice. Inside it is a snowy world with a Christmas tree dancing madly in the middle.

That same day she finds Rudy, a skinny old horse with no owner, and meets Rinki. Rinki wears all the lost bits of Christmas she finds on the street (a wrapping-paper skirt, baubles for earrings) so their owners can spot them. They have a mince-pie picnic in the snow. The next day Rinki has vanished.

Five years later, Blanche is working at the docks dressed as a boy, because girls aren't allowed to be carters. A famous explorer hands her a small iron box to deliver. It moves. And two men in black hats are after it... men who turn out to have nothing at all under their hats!

This is such a FUN read. Rudy has a lot of opinions for a horse (she winks, she sulks, she chuckles). Rinki is a total joy, full of big ideas and shouting "JOLLY HOLLY!" at the top of her voice.

There's a real warmth to it too. Blanche has been alone her whole life, and watching her find people who care about her is lovely. Rinki now lives with two dads, an explorer and a dress designer who's making the Queen's Christmas ball gown.

It's also about girls being told what they can't do, and doing it anyway. Up on a snowy rooftop, the two friends wonder what the world would think if it saw girls flying through the sky.

You can probably guess where their chimney plan is heading. Isn't it fun watching them work it out? There's a proper villain too, a nasty neighbour with a cane carved with a thousand eyes.

What to read next

Fancy more from the same author? Sibeal Pounder's Wonka follows young Willy from a tiny narrow boat to a city famous for its chocolate.