Christmas Books Your Kids Will Love
Check a few items off your list with these Christmas books your kids will love! The list below includes board books and picture books as well as chapter books. Whether you are looking for humor, wonder, or a good adventure, there is something for everyone!
Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of the books below for review purposes; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Christmas Books Your Kids Will Love
Below are some of our favorite new holiday books for children. We hope you’ll find Christmas books your kids will love in this list!
This lovely interactive book is a perfect way to help little ones experience the magic of the holiday season. They alternately blink, clap, and tap the pages to help decorate the Christmas tree. I love that it even normalizes breaking an ornament, because accidents happen! A sweet book that lets children enjoy trimming the tree over and over again.
Buy Decorate the Tree on Amazon or Bookshop
Where’s the Snowman? is a festive board book with lots for little hands to do! Each page spread features a large flap to lift. I love that the flaps are made of felt, giving an additional sensory element. Little ones search for a Christmas tree angel, a gingerbread cookie, and so on, before lifting the final flap to see themselves in the mirror.
Buy Where’s the Snowman? on Amazon or Bookshop
This adorable board book takes young readers on an adventure through the woods and town in search of the perfect present. Don’t be scared of the noisy carolers or hungry reindeer! Includes a QR code to hear the story read aloud.
Buy We’re Going on a Present Hunt on Amazon or Bookshop
Little Reindeer is gathering treasures from around the forest to decorate a special Christmas tree! A sweet animal story brought to life with a blend of photos and drawings. Sure to be a favorite with little ones.
Buy Merry Christmas, Little Reindeer on Amazon or Bookshop
An enthusiastic puppy, excited for the start of winter, soon becomes confused at all of the ways it is celebrated by humans. Why are there so many colored lights, and what about the strange, unmoving deer that don’t return your friendly greeting? Young readers will enjoy this quirky book that is sure to make them look with fresh eyes at our “weird” holiday traditions.
Buy Is This Winter? on Amazon or Bookshop
Dinosaur lovers will delight in this collection of Christmas rhymes that have been given a dinosaur makeover! From “Deck the Dino Halls” to “We Wish You a Roar-Some Christmas!” young readers will enjoy reading this board book, with its adorable dinosaur illustrations, over and over again.
Buy Dinosaur, Dinosaur, It’s Christmas on Amazon or Bookshop
Christmas Ahoy! offers a fun twist on the traditional Christmas parade. These parade floats really do float – in the harbor! Young readers will count along as boats showcase a Christmas-themed displays, like FOUR surfboard Christmas “trees.” (My favorite are the dancers on the Sugar Plum Ferry!) But the grand finale is late. Where are Santa and the reindeer? Traveling in style, as it turns out! Soon all see that this year the reindeer are getting a rest, while Santa’s yacht is pulled by ten flying fish! Includes more information at the back on the different boats featured in the book.
Buy Christmas Ahoy! on Amazon or Bookshop
Ever wonder how Santa actually gets into your house? The new book How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? has plenty of ideas! From the dynamic team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen comes a fun look at all the different ways Santa might get down the chimney. My favorite is the idea that Santa flattens himself to slide under the door, as well as all the tricks Santa must know to keep the dogs from barking. A fun read that will surely inspire kids to come up with their own solutions to this perennial question.
Buy How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? on Amazon or Bookshop
Christmas is wonderful, but sometimes it can also be a little bit scary, especially when trying a tradition for the first time. When Cucuy (the monster that lives in Ramón’s bedroom, feels nervous about his first Christmas, Ramón is right there with him, helping him understand what is happening and reassuring him every step of the way. A lovely book about friendship and finding courage to try new things, it also introduces children to beloved Latin American Christmas traditions, especially Las Posadas. Sprinkled with Spanish throughout, it is a gentle story about discovering the magic of Christmas by welcoming new friends into your community.
Buy It’s Navidad, El Cucuy! on Amazon or Bookshop
Fans of There’s a Bear on My Chair and There’s a Mouse in My House will be pleased to see Bear and Mouse paired up again in a Christmas book. In We Disagree About This Tree, Bear and Mouse can’t seem to agree about how to decorate their Christmas tree. Each thinks the other’s way is absolutely wrong – too much tinsel, or too many lights, or the wrong angel on top. Can anything help them regain the Christmas spirit and discover what is most important? This lovely rhyming picture book is a wonderfully silly way reinforce the idea of compromise, especially around the holidays.
Buy We Disagree About This Tree on Amazon or Bookshop
Red Truck roars to the rescue in this colorful board book, sure to delight young readers, especially those fascinated by vehicles, as my son was! One snowy Christmas Eve, a mother leaving her job at the hospital needs help from Red Truck when her car gets stuck in a snow drift. This hero helper needs some help! As it turns out, Red Truck needs a little help too, but in the end, the car is freed, and the mother joins her children at home. A lovely tribute to all of the helpers who make sure families are together for the holidays.
Buy Merry Christmas, Red Truck on Amazon or Bookshop
This interactive board book pays tribute to the glorious snowmen who help make this season so special. They may even grant your wish! Little ones will love the rhyming text and the snow scenes full of adorable animal characters – and a delightfully squishy snowman whose round belly is the centerpiece of every cut-out page spread!
Buy Wish Upon a Snowman on Amazon or Bookshop
One Stormy Christmas A winter storm promises to keep friends apart on Christmas, but the woodland creatures work together to make sure everyone can come together for a holiday feast. This is a sweet story that celebrates teamwork and persistence, as the friends overcome obstacles to free friends trapped by the storm. The uplifting message and beautiful illustrations of woodland creatures give this story the feel of an old-time holiday classic.
Buy One Stormy Christmas on Amazon or Bookshop
I’ve been a fan of this series for a long time, so I was excited to see a new edition available this holiday season. Snowmen’s Twelve Nights of Christmas is a delightful take on the classic Christmas song. It exhibits all of the exuberance and humor of the other books in the series, with rhyming text and lots of wonderful details to pore over in every illustration. The action in the book is driven by a very enthusiastic snow dog, who chases more and more creatures up a tree! A fun book for all ages.
Buy Snowmen’s Twelve Nights of Christmas on Amazon or Bookshop
What happens when an exhausted Santa Claus falls asleep at the Three Bears’ cottage? Fairy Tale team to the rescue! Featuring all your fairy tale favorites, like Little Red Riding Hood and the Gingerbread Man, this story encourages problem solving as each adventurer uses their unique talents to help the team overcome obstacles to deliver the last of the presents.
Buy Santa Claus and the Three Bears on Amazon or Bookshop
Little Tomte can’t wait for Christmas to arrive, but everything he attempts to feel more festive only makes him feel more lonely. He doesn’t even have the right ingredients to make his favorite treats! Through persistence and help from friends, Little Tomte finally finds a way to help his Christmas wish come true, after all.
Buy Little Tomte’s Christmas Wish on Amazon or Bookshop
The Tomtes’ Christmas Porridge, now in a new edition, is based on an old Swedish tradition of leaving out porridge on Christmas Eve as a thank you to the tomtes, the gnome-like creatures who help a family out all year long. But what happens when a family forgets to put out the Christmas porridge? Bestselling Swedish illustrator Sven Nordqvist lets us know that it depends on whether the Mama or Papa Tomte finds out first! The last time their family forget, Papa Tomte made trouble for them all year. Luckily, this time Mama Tomte, who can see into the future, realizes the family will forget and so has time to hatch a plan to get Papa his Christmas porridge after all. Can she and the children take a serving of porridge from the family’s table without being seen by the humans (or Papa)? A funny take on a beloved tradition, as well as a reminder of all that mamas do behind the scenes to make households run smoothly!
Buy The Tomtes’ Christmas Porridge on Amazon or Bookshop
Ever have a Christmas where nothing seems to go to plan? One little girl’s parents are definitely *not* feeling the holiday spirit, and things only get worse when their Christmas turkey is stolen from the hallway! As the family hunts for the culprit (and their turkey), their neighbors rally around them to make sure they aren’t hungry on Christmas day. A book that reminds us what is really important on Christmas and gives us permission to have spaghetti for Christmas, because sometimes that’s just how it goes!
Buy One Christmas In Our Building on Amazon or Bookshop
Poo in the Zoo: Merry Poop-mas is the perfect book for kids fascinated by poop – in other words, all of my kids! It’s Christmas Eve, but the zoo worker is rushing around to clean up all of the frozen animal poop that has accumulated! Luckily his animal friends help him have a little snowy fun along the way, until he finishes his work and they can all warm up inside. But when one of Santa’s reindeer gets sick, can one of the zoo animals take his place? And did you ever wonder what happened to all of that reindeer poop released in the sky? If so, this is the book for you! A seriously silly book for the scatological at heart.
Buy Poo In the Zoo: Merry Poop-Mas on Amazon or Bookshop
Sitting at home alone while her sisters attend the ball, Cinderella is hoping for a visit from a fairy godmother. Instead, it is Santa hurtling down the chimney! When he complains of his hurt back, Cinderella is happy to help. Together they travel all around the world delivering presents. A grateful Santa offers to take Cinderella to the ball (still in progress), but thanks to their journey, Cinderella realizes that what she really wants is adventure. So she packs her bags and begins her travels, though she always makes sure to help Santa out every Christmas Eve! A fun twist on the traditional story, helping young readers think abou what they *really* want as their own fairy tale ending.
Buy Santarella on Amazon or Bookshop
The Christmas Doll is a beautiful book based on a true story, about a very special doll restored by the Repair Shop, a real life workshop in England dedicated to restoring family treasures. This particular doll had a special meaning for its owner, who received it as a gift during World War II. Like so many children, she was evacuated from London to the countryside during the war. Her host family, knowing that she was missing her family in London, gave her the doll as a special gift on Christmas on that first year away from home. The girl stayed with the family for the rest of the war and came to care for them very deeply. In the many years that followed, the doll was treasured as a reminder of their kindness. Can the Repair Shop restore the doll so it can be cherished by another generation?
Buy The Christmas Doll on Amazon or Bookshop
Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas is the totally relatable story about a young reindeer who simply cannot wait another minute until Christmas! He sets off one night on an adventure of his own, sure he can return before anyone notices. While he enjoys seeing the holiday festivities in a nearby town, he later discovers his trick for finding his way home (following the North Star) doesn’t work when it is snowing! With help from a kind boy, Dasher makes it home just in time to help pull Santa’s sleigh. A charming story accompanied by gorgeous illustrations.
Buy Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas on Amazon or Bookshop
Get ready for the holidays with these classic Christmas carols! Richly illustrated with adorable scenes of a mouse family making their own preparations, this unique book not only includes the lyrics and piano music, simply press the page to hear the music! I also loved the fun facts about the history of each carol! This interactive book will quickly become a family favorite.
Buy The Christmas Songbook on Amazon or Bookshop
I adore the Anna Hibiscus series, early chapter books about a young girl living in Nigeria. In this Christmas adventure, Anna Hibiscus leaves her family in Africa for the first time to fly to Canada to visit her mother’s mother. This book captures perfectly what it is like to experience a new culture for the first time. Children who grew up in North America will love getting to see their culture through new eyes as Anna Hibiscus experiences things like snow and sledding for the first time. One of the biggest challenges she faces? Learning to accept that dogs (seen as dirty and dangerous in Nigeria) come inside and even sleep on your bed in Canada! In addition, Anna must deal with issues like homesickness and the thoughtlessness of neighborhood children. Through it all, Anna Hibiscus maintains her determination and optimism, as well as a healthy dose of curiosity about the world around her. The story comes full circle when Anna Hibiscus flies back home and is able to reassure a nervous Canadian girl on her way to visit Nigeria for the first time.
Buy Merry Christmas, Anna Hibiscus! on Amazon or Bookshop
I’ve been a fan of the Charlie and Lola picture books for a long time, so it was a treat to read Lauren Child’s chapter book Clarice Bean: Think Like an Elf, featuring another of Child’s beloved characters. Clarice Bean is determined to spread Christmas cheer, even though the holidays are not going as planned this year. Often when she tries to help, she ends up making more of a mess. And worst of all, most of the family’s friends and loved ones are traveling for the holiday, so they can’t be all together. In the end, Clarice learns that sometimes when things don’t work out, it’s because something even better is to come. And often, your wishes really do come true, just not in the way that you expected. This book was an utter delight to read. It is filled with humor and heart, with a lovingly realistic portrait of a family and of a young girl whose earnest campaign to maintain the Christmas spirit from floating away yields unexpected rewards.
Buy Clarice Bean: Think Like an Elf on Amazon or Bookshop
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