December is the beginning of that wonderfully magical time of year: Christmas. It’s the only month when it just feels right to read any of these Christmas books for kids. Because let’s face it. It feels a bit strange to read about the Grinch, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas any other month of the year. At least in our house 😉 I’ve put together a list of our favorite books we enjoy reading during this special time of the year.
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Here is our list of favourites!
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Dr. Seuss
We all know the Grinch hates hates hates Christmas (but nobody knows quite the reason). It may be his head was not screwed right, it may be his shoes are too tight, or that his heart is just too small. But the Who’s who live in Whoville love Christmas above all. So the Grinch has a wonderfully awful idea and will try to stop Christmas from coming. Will it work? This book is a staple for the holiday season in Dr. Seuss’ whimsical style and rhyme.
2. An Odd Dog Christmas – Rob Biddulph
It’s Christmas Eve, and Odd Dog is worried because she has not been able to find a gift to take to her friend’s Christmas dinner. So she is wandering around, and she follows an arrow that takes her to a magical land with elves, reindeer, and Father Christmas! She learns that toys and gifts are nice, but what is better is gifting something that comes from the heart. This book, launched this year, has been our latest addition to our library. We love Rob Biddulph’s “An Odd Dog Out,” and it is a fantastic sequel. It is also fun because he has hidden within the illustrations five gold rings, four calling birds,… and you know how it goes. Beautiful. Check #DrawWithRob videos on Youtube to learn how to draw the characters from the book!
3. The Princess and the Christmas Rescue – Caryl Hart & Sarah Warburton
Princess Eliza is brainy and bright! She loves making toys and gadgets and keeps herself busy from morning until night. Her parents think it’s not very princessy at all and wish she’d focus on making friends instead. But when Santa falls ill, and the elves are desperate for help, and Eliza knows just how to save the day. With her stem skills and engineering know-how, she makes, wraps, and delivers presents and also makes friends along the way . . . all in time for Christmas Eve! This is one of Caryl Hart’s Princess series books that we love so much because the princesses she creates don’t need rescuing and go beyond what is expected of traditional princesses.
4. Peppa Meets Father Christmas – Peppa Pig
It’s Christmas time, and Peppa and her friends at the playgroup are all excited and practicing for their Christmas play. The next day, Peppa and her family see Father Christmas at the supermarket, and she invites him to come to see the show. But, of course, it’s his busiest time of the year, will he be able to come? It is a lovely book. What I find particularly funny is that Peppa shares the news with her friends that she’s met Father Christmas at the supermarket, and they all say they’ve met Father Christmas in other places as well, like the garden center and the shopping center. How can he be in so many places at once, they ask? It’s because he is magic. I love their innocence.
5. Ten Minutes to Bed – Little Unicorn’s Christmas – Rhiannon Fielding & Chris Chatterton
This is a picture book from the Ten Minutes to Bed series, which we adore. Of course, little Unicorn doesn’t want to go to bed (as usual). But tonight, it is Christmas Eve, and her adventure is much more magical! In this countdown story, we’ll help Santa Claus, and the reindeer deliver gifts and toys all around the world until the countdown is over and Unicorn is fast asleep under moonbeams. The rhythm is soothing, and the illustrations from Chris Chatterton are simply marvelous. If you’d like more books for bedtime, check this post!
6. Bear Stays Up for Christmas – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman
The day before Christmas bear is fast asleep, snoring because he sleeps all winter long. But his friends wake him up, for they do not want the bear to miss Christmas again this year. So they come up with many Christmassy things to do so that bear won’t sleep, and they’ll have fun together too. So will he make it to Christmas? It is a sweet story in rhyme, with beautiful illustrations, about friendship and Christmas time. If you’d like more books about bears, check this post!
7. Pete the Cat Saves Christmas – James Dean & Eric Litwin
‘Twas the day before Christmas, and Santa was ill.
In the cold winter wind, he had caught a bad chill.
Santa must ask someone to step in his shoes as he is unwell. He calls and asks Pete the Cat if he is up for the job. Pete says that although he is small, at Christmas, we give so that he will give it his all. He jumps on the minibus, and he is off to the North Pole. It is a fun rhyming story that little ones will enjoy.
8. The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas – Tom Fletcher & Dougie Poynter
If you want a funny Christmas story involving some poo, this one will be perfect for you. Young Danny was a greedy little boy who asked for many gifts and toys from Santa. So Santa thought he’d give him a gift he might find a bit unpleasant. So he leaves him an enormous dinosaur egg, but when it hatches, he starts eating everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. He eats the tree, the presents, the house, Granny, the stockings, dad, mum, and everything that comes in his way. Then Danny is upset; he realizes he shouldn’t have asked for too much, as he is now left without everything. And the dinosaur, guilty of what he had done, would only do one thing… poop Christmas and all that he had gobbled up.
9. The Jolly Christmas Postman – Allan & Janet Ahlberg
What a beautiful and original book! No wonder it has won awards. This book is a Christmas version of the Jolly Postman, who delivers letters to characters from the fairytale world. There’s a card for Baby Bear, a game appropriately called ‘Beware’ for Red Riding Hood from Mr. Wolf, a get-well jigsaw for hospitalized Humpty Dumpty, and three more surprise gifts. I recommend it for children four years old and older as younger children might break the envelopes and lose the unique things inside.
10. The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker – Katy Flint & Jessica Courtney Tickle
The Story Orchestra series presents the story and music of the beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. Like the other books in the series, it is great to introduce children to the plot and recognize bits of the most famous suites. A Christmas story where we meet Clara and the Nutcracker, live the battle with the Mice King, and after his demise, the Nutcracker turns into the Prince he once was, and together they visit the Land of Sweets and meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. Clara wakes up under the Christmas tree and can’t believe the wonderful dream she’s had… or was it a dream?
11. The Christmas Bear – Lift-the-flap book – Ian Whybrow & Axel Scheffler
“The Christmas Bear” is a fun Christmas board book with flaps for kids. It is Christmas Eve, and when Father Christmas sets off to make all his deliveries, he accidentally leaves poor Bear behind! So how will he make it to Tom’s house in time for Christmas morning? Find out by lifting the flaps and going with him on his journey. It is a book filled with details by the incredible illustrator of “The Gruffalo” Axel Scheffler.
12. There’s an Elf in Your Book – Tom Fletcher & Gregg Abbott
Elf is here to do the Nice List test with you (so Santa will bring presents to you). Elf will ask you to do some nice things to pass the test. But elves are known for being a bit naughty, so do not be tricked into doing something naughty! This Christmas season version comes from “There is a Monster in Your Book” creators. It is a fun interactive book that will also help talk about what things might be nice behaviors and not-so-nice behaviors.
13. Little Blue Truck’s Christmas – Alice Schertle & Jill McElmurry
Every Christmas, Little Blue truck has a delivery job: he must deliver trees to five of his animal friends. It is a lovely story that will help your child count from one to five and back again. It has sturdy cardboard pages and also has twinkling lights in the big tree on the last page that is an ideal gift for your little one for sure.
14. Bizzy Bear: Christmas Helper – Benji Davies
It’s Christmas, and Bizzy is helping out at the North Pole as one of Santa’s elves. He makes toys, packs the sleigh, and helps Santa make his deliveries!. A fun and interactive book for little ones. You have five sliders, a sweet rhyming story, and many things to spot and discover.
15. Snow Bunny’s Christmas Wish – Rebecca Harry
Snow Bunny lived all by herself deep in the wintry forest. It is Christmas Eve, and Snow Bunny decides to ask Santa to make her one wish come true: have a friend. So she writes a letter but misses the post and wants to deliver it herself, and so she and packs for her journey. On the way, she comes across other animals in need of help, and by lending them a hand, she doesn’t realize that she is making her wish come true. It is a beautifully illustrated board book, fantastic for small hands, and with bits of silver foil on each page that might grasp your little one’s attention.
16. The Christmasaurus – Tom Fletcher & Shane Devries
The Christmasaurus wishes he could fly to help pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve across the sky. But flying isn’t easy, and each year Santa has an idea, but it doesn’t work, and they need to wait for the following year. Finally, Santa decides to take him along one special night, and the Christmasaurus fall a chimney; oh no! How will he get back home to the North Pole? It is a loving story about the magic of believing with beautiful illustrations. What I love most is that it pictures a boy in a wheelchair (I haven’t come across many), so I appreciate this embracement of diversity and inclusion—a lovely story for all.
17. Clifford’s Christmas – Rebecca Harry
It’s the Christmas season, and Emily Elizabeth and her dog Clifford love it. While they count down the days to Christmas, Clifford makes a snowman, plays ice hockey, gets a tree, gets kissed under the mistletoe, and finds a big surprise in his stocking. What can it be? It is a sweet story about friendship and preparing for the holiday. You can tell it is an American book, as, on the second page, they mark the beginning of the Christmas season at the end of the Thanksgiving parade. If you’d like to check out more dog books you can check this post here!
18. The Snowman – Raymond Briggs
A Christmas-time wordless classic story of a young boy whose snowman comes to life and embarks on an unforgettable heart-warming adventure on Christmas Eve. SPOILER – The snowman melts in the end, so it finishes with a sad note, but it is a lovely Christmas quiet book. It has also been animated into a 26min short movie (also wordless) and only accompanied by music. You can find it on Amazon Prime.
19. I Spy Christmas – Jean Marzollo & Walter Wick
“I Spy Christmas” is a beautiful Christmas-themed book, filled with riddles of objects you must find in the amazingly detailed photographs that you find in each spread. It is a beautiful photographic game that will entertain children (and children at heart), no matter their age. Find objects in baubles, biscuits, sweets, toys, and so much more—a fun book to share and play with together. It is a classic, I had it as a child and loved it, and my children are enjoying it as well.
20. The Night Before Christmas – The Classic Edition – Clement C. Moore & Charles Santore
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
This enchanting classical poem has enchanted many generations in a beautiful board book edition that has become a #1 New York Times Bestseller.
Our favorite Christmas books for kids selection
I hope you will have enjoyed our Christmas book selection. These are the books that we have at home or have read through the years that have stuck with us. The ones that when I pull out the bookshelf bring back memories of Christmas trees, the smell of vanilla cookies baking, and jingle songs.
I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as we have. And please, share with us your favorites and family traditions.
Merry Christmas!
