Christmas is one of our family’s favourite holidays. Sometimes we even listen to holiday music during the summer months. While our family celebrates Christmas, we have friends who celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. We even have friends who celebrate two or more of these winter holidays. I want my 6-year-old and 10-year-old to learn about all kinds of holidays, so we keep a diverse selection of holiday books on our shelves.
No matter which holidays your family celebrates this winter, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best holiday books around. You’ll recognise some classics, and I hope the new-to-you books will become staples in your winter reading.
The Nutcracker
Geraldine McCaughrean'sThe Nutcracker brings the classic ballet to life. Watch the Sugar Plum Fairy and Marie dance as you turn its pages.
Photo: Chronicle Books
The Night Before Christmas
You can’t go wrong with this classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore. Thanks to vivid imagery in The Night Before Christmas, I’ll always think about Santa’s rosy cheeks and a belly that jiggled like a bowl full of jelly.
Photo: Applesauce Press
A Christmas Carol
Introduce your children to Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim with a picture book version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Illustrations by Brett Helquist brings this classic story to life.
Photo Balzer + Bray
An Invisible Thread Christmas Story
In An Invisible Thread Christmas Story by Laura Schroff & Alex Tresniowski, readers will learn that holidays are about more than receiving presents. Based on a true story, Schroff retells how she befriended a young boy on the street and their first Christmas together.
Photo: Little Simon Book
Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein
Rachel Rosenstein wants to celebrate Christmas,but her Jewish family is aghast. In Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein by Amanda Peet and Andrea Troyer, Rachel learns about Christmas traditions but also realises the importance of her family’s customs and celebrations.
Photo: Doubleday Books
Hanukkah Haiku
Simple but beautiful haikus celebrate each night of the Festival of Lights in Hanukkah Haiku by Harriet Ziefert. Kids will enjoy not only the poetry but Karla Gudeon’s illustrations that seem to leap off the page.
Photo: Blue Apple Books
Hanukkah Moon
Feliz Januca! Isobel is unsure what to expect at her Aunt Luisa’s celebrations in Hanukkah Moon by Deborah Da Costa. Celebrate Hanukkah Latino-style with Isobel as she decorates dreidel cookies and break open a dreidel pinata.
Photo: Kar-Ben Publishing
Hooray for Hanukkah
View a family’s celebration from the menorah’s point of view in Hooray for Hanukkah by Fran Manushkin. The story focuses on how the menorah feels to glow with more light each night.
Photo: Random House
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Learn the original story of the famous reindeer in Robert L. May’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Written in verse, this version contains new illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo.
Photo: Little Simon
Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah
Even though his mother reminds him that spiders don’t spend dreidels, they spin webs; Sammy still wants to celebrate Hanukkah. Learn all about the festival of lights from a spider’s eye-view in Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah by Sylvia A. Rouss.
Photo: Kar-Ben Publishing
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
What happens when the worst kids in the world are in charge of their church’s annual Christmas pageant? Hilarious antics ensue in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson with the most unusual show anyone has ever seen.
Photo: Harper Collins
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by
Ever wonder about Santa’s childhood? Discover the gift giver’s adventures in an enchanted forest in a new edition of Frank L. Baum’s The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus accompanied by Mary Cowles Clark’s hand drawn illustrations.
Photo: Penguin Classics
The Sound of Kwanzaa
Celebrate the rhythms of Kwanzaa in The Sound of Kwanzaa by Dimitrea Tokunbo. The lively verses and colourful illustrations will guide young readers through all seven principles of the holiday.
Photo: Scholastic
The Story of Kwanzaa
Author Donna Washington explains the history leading up to Kwanzaa and its principles in The Story of Kwanzaa. This picture book is a good primer to learn about the past and present of the festival.
Photo: Trophy Picture Books
Together for Kwanzaa
Kayla loves Kwanzaa and her family’s festivities, but a heavy snowstorm might keep her brother away. In Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford and Shelly Hehenberger, Kayla finds a way to be with her brother for this winter holiday.
Photo: Pictureback
Too Many Tamales
In Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, Maria is excited to help make Christmas corn tamales for their family celebration. She tries on her mother’s diamond ring, but panics when she loses while kneading the masa for the tamales. Kids will enjoy this heartwarming holiday story about family treasures.
Photo: Puffin Books
Velveteen Rabbit
Margery Williams' classic tale The Velveteen Rabbit demonstrates the power of love. Given as a Christmas gift, the Velveteen Rabbit hopes for the day that his Boy will give him the love that he needs.
Photo: Doubleday Books
Moishe’s Miracle
In Moishe’s Miracle by Laura Krauss Melmed, generous Moishe is given a magical frying pan that will produce all the latkes he wishes. Havoc ensues when his selfish wife tries to use the frying pan.
Photo: Chronicle Books
The Toymaker’s Apprentice
Inspired by the classic The Nutcracker story, Sherri L. Smith’s In The Toymaker’s Apprentice offers adventure, magical urses and talking squirrels that will captivate middle grade and young adult readers.
Photo: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
The Carpenter’s Gift
Written in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel tells the story of an eight-year-old boy and his father who gift a tree to the construction works building the Rockefeller Center. In turn the workers surprise the two with a huge present. This story about giving to those in needs will inpsire your kids to help others.
Photo: Random House
Grace at Christmas
Mary Hoffman, author of Princess Grace, returns with another story about Grace, who is not happy about sharing her favourite holiday with another girl. Like the other books in Hoffman’s Grace series, Grace at Christmas eloquently teaches kids about community and helping others.
Photo: Dial Press
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama
Blended faith families will relate to Sadie in Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko. Her family celebrates the holidays with Santas, menorahs, and latkes.
Photo: Knopf Books for Young Readers
The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming
Leave it to Lemony Snickett, author of Series of Unfortunate Events, to write a clever story about an irate latke who wants to clear up misconceptions about Hanukkah. The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming is sure to entertain both kids and grown-ups.
Photo: McSweeney's Books
How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?
What’s funnier than dinos misbehaving? Kids can learn from the dino’s mistakes during the Festival of Lights in How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen.
Photo: Blue Sky Press
My First Kwanzaa
Karen Katz provides a perfect combination of whimsical illustrations and rhythmic verses in My First Kwanzaa, an introduction to Kwanzaa for the preschool set. The book also has a pronunciation guide, as well as explanations about important elements of the celebration.
Photo: Square Fish Books
Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story
Author Angela Shelf Medearis introduces us to an original folktale to introduce kids to the Kwanzaa’s seven principles as seven brothers attempt to fulfill their father’s wish. Daniel Minter’s colour illustrations bring the tale to life in Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story.
Photo: Albert Whitman & Company
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
My first introduction to this Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas was on television, but I prefer reading the clever rhymes out loud with my kids. It’s a perfect reminder that materialistic gifts are not the most important thing about Christmas.
Photo: Random House Books for Young Readers
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
Now that this irresistible mouse from Laura Numeroff has gotten his cookie, he’s ready to go to the movies. What kind of holiday mischief will happen If You Take a Mouse to the Movies?
Photo: HarperCollins
Llama Llama Holiday Drama
Our favourite Llama Llama is back and impatient for the big day so he can open his presents in Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney. It's the perfect book for preschoolers who are too excited to wait until Christmas day.
Photo: Viking Children's Books
The Legend of the Poinsettia
Beloved children’s book author Tomie dePaola answers a question my kids ask every holiday season: How did the poinsettia become a Christmas flower? Discover the story behind the flower of the Holy Night in this Mexican folktale The Legend of the Poinsettia.
Photo: Puffin Books
The Polar Express
I say any book that encourages kids to believe in the magic of Christmas is a keeper! What child wouldn’t enjoy a magical trip on Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express to visit Santa at the North Pole?
Photo: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
More Holiday Fun:
Genius Holiday Party Themes You Haven’t Seen Before
The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes
DIY Pottery Barn-Inspired Holiday Bag for Under $10
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