I love to pick up one new Christmas book for our collection each year… or to put lots of holiday books on hold at the library for December. But I often have trouble settling on exactly which book to select.
Sometimes, you’re looking for a specific kind of Christmas book, but it’s hard to find one because the bookstore or library has them all just categorized as “Christmas.”
Whether you’re looking for a Santa story, a Christmas version of your child’s favorite book, or a sweet story to read together, this list will have you covered with suggestions for exactly the kind of book you want.
Santa Stories
If your kiddo can’t get enough of the big guy in red, check out…
Writing a letter to Santa is fairly simple; you make your case and list your hoped-for gifts. But if you’re a hard-core fan like Ava, a letter to Santa is something entirely different.
A simple New Year’s note to the North Pole about some uneaten cookies kicks off a year-long correspondence between a young girl and the jolly guy in the red suit in this joyful epistolary picture book. This holiday story is perfect for those who believe and those who remember the wonder of the season.
Auntie Claus is just another eccentric New Yorker–or is she? Young Sophie has often wondered about her unusual great-aunt, Auntie Claus. She lives in penthouse 25C at the Bing Cherry Hotel and is so curioso!
After all, Auntie Claus serves Christmas cookies all year long and her tree is always the best-decorated in the city. And then there’s her annual “business trip,” right around the holidays.
This year Sophie is determined to get to the bottom of Auntie Claus’s mysterious ways. Put on your mittens and bundle up for an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. Ho, ho, ho!
Ever wonder what Santa was like as a child? Award-winning author/illustrator Jon Agee brings us the funny, playful answer in this Christmas picture book destined to become a classic.
Little Santa loves the North Pole. The rest of his family? Not so much. So, when they decide to move to Florida, Santa is miserable. Lucky for him, a blizzard foils their plans. The only way out of the house is up the chimney.
Up goes Santa, to look for help, and along the way, he meets a reindeer and a large group of elves, who are more than eager to join in the rescue!
Classic Christmas Books
Want a classic to read to your child? Grab…
Long ago, a brave little girl named Anja wanted to be one of Santa’s elves. So she leaves a note for her family and helps her elderly neighbor prepare for the holiday, then she straps on her skis, and heads out into the snowy landscape.
From a red bird to a polar bear to a reindeer, a menagerie of winter animals help Anja make her way to Santa. A generous trim-size, matte cover, extraordinary photographs, and foiled title make this a special book for the holiday season.
For millions of readers worldwide, this mysterious journey to the North Pole has become a beloved classic. In this 30th anniversary edition, the inimitable artistry of Chris Van Allsburg is revealed in a never-before-seen fashion, with a new jacket design and expanded interior layout. Includes author’s note, downloadable audio read by Liam Neeson, and golden “All Aboard” ornament.
Caldecott Honor and New York Times bestselling artist Susan Jeffers has created a Nutcracker as only she can—with lavish illustrations, magnificent detail, and enchanting holiday scenes on every page. This is the Nutcracker as you’ve never seen it before!
Heartwarming Tales
If you want something sweet to read with your child while cuddling, check out:
Ivy, Holly, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones all have one Christmas wish. Ivy, an orphan, wishes for a real home and sets out in search of the grandmother she’s sure she can find. Holly, a doll, wishes for a child to bring her to life. And the Joneses wish more than anything for a son or daughter to share their holiday.
Can all three wishes come true? This festive tale is perfectly complemented by beloved Barbara Cooney’s luminous illustrations, filled with the warm glow of the Christmas spirit.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
When the widow McDowell and her son Thomas knock at the woodcarver, Jonathan Toomey’s door one winter’s day, they receive a frosty reception.
Jonathan has been hard and cold since the death of his wife and daughter, but as Thomas watches him work, a miracle occurs to warm his sad, chill heart.
Nativity Stories
If you are searching for a religious book, try:
That cold winter’s night,
beneath the star’s light…
…a Little One came for the world.
Audiences from religious and secular worlds alike are familiar with the comforting words from the second chapter of Luke in the King James Bible, most memorably featured in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Just as Linus reminded his community of the real meaning of Christmas, this touching tribute to an ancient text reminds us to focus on family and our fellow man instead of on gifts and indulgences.
Accompanying the timeless, reassuring text is sweet, nostalgic artwork from acclaimed illustrator Lauren Castillo that embraces today’s ever-changing definition of family.
Character Christmas Stories
Does your child already have a favorite literary character and you want a Christmas version of it? How about…
…Not a piglet was stirring. Well, maybe just one.
Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to wait for Santa, make sure Dad sets up the tree, watch Mom make the Christmas dinner, oversee the care with which the stockings are hung, and, of course, OPEN HER PRESENTS! Whew, being helpful during the holidays is exhausting!
Llama Llama holidays.
Jingle music. Lights ablaze.
How long till that special date?
Llama Llama has to wait.
If there’s one thing Llama Llama doesn’t like, it’s waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree . . . but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can’t wait any more! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that “Gifts are nice, but there’s another: The true gift is, we have each other.”
*Post contains affiliate links.
More MPMK Christmas Book Posts
Classic and Soon-to-be-Classic Christmas Reads.
Need help feeding your toddler?
Sign up for our newsletter to get a handy stick-it-your-fridge list of our favorite meals for toddlers and a link to all of the recipes!
Janssen
Latest posts by Janssen (see all)
- Giant Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows - December 3
- Top 10 Parenting Books for Raising Girls - October 22
- Books for the Fourth of July - May 17