Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Christmas, new family, fantasy, belonging.
Children’s book title: Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish.
Children’s author: Cariad Lloyd.
Children’s illustrator: Ma Pe.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Hodder Children’s Books.
ISBN: 9781444971491.
Recommended for children aged: 9+.
First published: Paperback October 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: reading during the festive season, looking at how Christmas was celebrated in the early 18th century.
Trigger warning: the loss of a parent.
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Our review:
Lydia Marmalade had a very happy life with her mum, Catherine, and sausage dog, Colin, in the small village of Hopperton. Now, though, her mother is dead and, as December 1812 begins, she and Colin, who is hidden in blankets, are headed towards Peppomberley, which she discovers is a very grand and extremely large manor house.
By the end of her first day living with Lady Partridge, who is apparently a distant relative, Lydia has met the lovely cook, the friendly stable boy, and the grumpy butler, as well as broken the rule about dogs; she was told not to bring Colin. If that isn’t enough, she has also trapped Bel, a winter sprite, in the human world by making an impossible wish on St Nicholas’ Day, which the sprite has to fulfil before it can return home.
Lydia is determined to discover why her mother asked Lady Partridge to take her in when they apparently hardly knew each other. She also needs to learn how to be a lady with very little help, or she will be sent to the workhouse even though it’s Christmas. As well as all this, Lydia is missing her mother and feeling very alone in the place she is supposed to now call home. Will she be able to solve all her problems, release Bel from her responsibilities, and know she isn’t about to be sent away, all before the end of the festivities?
Our verdict:
This is, first and foremost, a lovely festive read with a main protagonist who is both likeable and relatable, as well as having a knack for causing trouble unintentionally wherever she happens to be. Added to this is the subject of grief, which is handled sympathetically and in a way which should be easily understood by readers aged 9 and above.
Both the beginning and especially the end of this story are beautifully done. Although the feelings Lydia and Lady Partridge experience at the loss of Catherine are emotional, they add an extra, very special layer to this lovely book.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Lydia’s only friend when she arrives at Peppomberley is her dog, Colin, whom she was supposed to leave behind. Eventually, he was allowed to live in the kitchens. Would this be allowed today? If not, why not?
- Lady Partridge is very strict, but her butler is even worse. How do you think Lydia and Ronalds will get on now that she is staying permanently?
- Peppomberley is a very large house, and a lot of the rooms were closed up. What could it have become in the 21st century other than a family home?
- How different do you think Lydia’s new life would have been if it had happened now?
- Bel lost her powers gradually, and the longer she remained with Lydia, the worse it became. Compare this with Lydia’s worries about forgetting her mother’s voice and everything special about her because she was in a new place. What things are the same for both of them?
- Lydia is delighted to make friends with Marianne, but things don’t go smoothly. How much easier will their friendship be with them both living under the same roof?
- At the end of the book, the author includes information for those who have lost a family member and explains why it was important to her. What do you think about this?
Many thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for the review copy.
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