New Christmas Books for Kids
Get into the holiday spirit with these new Christmas books for kids! Does your family have a tradition of reading holiday books together as you count down until the big day arrives? Here are wonderful new volumes to add to your collection! These Christmas picture books range from the cute and funny to the thoughtful and poignant.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I received complimentary copies of some of the books below for review purposes; however, all opinions are my own.
New Christmas Books for Kids
Enjoy these new Christmas books for kids!
I love books that re-tell the Nativity story from a different point of view, allowing readers to look at the well-known story with fresh eyes. Such is the lovely board book from beloved author/illustrator Tomie de Paola, which imagines what the birds of Bethlehem might have had to say about the wonders they saw on that special night. What would they tell of the young couple turned away from the inn, or the angel that appeared to the shepherds? What did they make of the special star that appeared in the night sky? A unique version of the Nativity story that will charm even the youngest readers.
Buy The Birds of Bethlehem on Amazon or Bookshop
This newly illustrated edition of the classic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a treasure that will help a new generation appreciate these words, written more than 150 years ago, during the darkest days of the Civil War. It helps us think more deeply about the words that are often bandied about this time of year, about peace on earth and good will towards all. Amid cozy scenes of Christmas cheer, there is also despair. How can we sing of peace on earth when war is raging? Yet this is a poem about hope in the midst of conflict, and conviction that in the end, Good will prevail. A joyful book that helps us to see the good even at a time when there is suffering around us.
Buy I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day on Amazon or Bookshop
A new book from beloved author/illustrator Jan Brett is always an occasion to celebrate! This new picture book, full of her characteristic story within a story illustrations, is loosely based on an Ancient Greek myth. A young boy sets off on a winter hike with his dog, Ariadne, hoping to convince his companion of the usefulness of his new Christmas sweater, lovingly knit by his grandmother. When a snowstorm covers their tracks, it is the unraveled sweater that leads them to safety, as well as lending its lavish ornaments to creating Christmas cheer. A useful sweater indeed! A charming new holiday tale for the whole family to enjoy.
Buy The Christmas Sweater on Amazon or Bookshop
What a joy to see a new installment of this beloved series! Our family loved the first two books (In the Nick of Time and In the Nick of Time Too), so I was thrilled to learn there was a third story starring Nick. My kids loved going on a new adventure with Nick to the city. As a parent, I loved the social emotional learning and how the book teaches “hoping skills,” as Nick learns to turn a bad day around. I had never thought about that concept before, that you can teach kids to have hope and look for the good in the world, even when things seem bad. That is a lesson all of us need to learn!
Buy Hope In the Nick of Time on Amazon or Bookshop
Best friends always agree on everything, right? Kitty and Unicorn are excited to celebrate their first Christmas together, but things don’t go quite as smoothly as they imagined. First, they can’t agree on what their favorite holiday activity is, and then both activities they try turn out to be disasters. Will picking out a tree make them jolly again? A sweet holiday book to teach that best friends don’t have to agree on everything, and when differences do arise, laughter is the best way to smooth things over again.
Buy Holly Jolly Kitty-Corn on Amazon or Bookshop
Cat lovers everywhere will delight in this lighthearted story of a group of silly cats out to create some Christmas mischief one dark night. Along the way the friends discover a treasure hoarding mouse, animal tracks, a special star, and, of course, a Christmas tree in the center of town. But little do they know that someone else has been following them! Can they help a friendly but shy cat find its forever home?
Buy Merry Mittens: A Moontime Cats Christmas Story on Amazon or Bookshop
This gorgeous book is based on the true story of the brief truce that broke out spontaneously between enemies on a bitterly cold Christmas night in 1915. This fictional retelling captures the difficulty of life in the trenches, transformed into wonder and even joy on that remarkable night. Accompanied by beautiful paintings, the text is based on the acclaimed song of the same name by renowned folk singer John McCutcheon.
Buy Christmas in the Trenches on Amazon or Bookshop
This charming book is based on a true story almost too good to believe. A young girl sends a Christmas drawing to her grandmother halfway across the world – with no name (just Ouma, the Afrikaans name for “grandma “), no address, and no stamp. Yet with a bit of Christmas magic and a chain of small acts of kindness, the drawing reaches its intended recipient, proving that kindness can build bridges between people, even all the way around the world.
Buy Christmas Fairies for Ouma: A Magical Holiday Tale of Love and Hope on Amazon or Bookshop
This is a story of disappointment and things not going to plan. It is also a story of community and finding God when you least expect him. When an ice storm hits just before Christmas, Aiden is sad to discover that he will be spending the holiday without electricity and without his grandparents, instead eating canned beans by candlelight. Though there are moments of beauty and joy, as neighbors rally to help each other, Aiden can’t help but feel that this Christmas is just the worst – until it isn’t. As he listens to his mother’s telling of the Nativity story on Christmas Eve, he realizes that even when nothing seems to go right, God is with us, and it is Christmas. And he feels his sparkle return, discovering that no one is ever really alone.
Buy The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t on Amazon or Bookshop
The holidays are a difficult time for many families, dealing with the loss of loved ones. This tender picture book is based on the true story of a family who struggled with how to mark Christmas without their beloved daughter, who had recently passed away. And so they created a Memory Tree, with ornaments to remind them of special moments and all the things that she had loved. Friends and family heard of the tree and began to share their own ornaments, each with a special memory attached. This poignant story illustrates a wonderful way to handle grief during Christmas, through building a beautiful memorial to their loved one. A sensitive topic handled with care by an author known for her books about grief for families.
Buy The Memory Tree: A Holiday Grief Book on Amazon or Bookshop
This fun book is part of a series of holiday books celebrating each state. This California edition hits all the highlights, as elves travel from the Hollywood Bowl to Fisherman’s Wharf to make sure all the children are asleep on Christmas Eve. As a nature lover, I was happy to see the state’s majestic redwoods and beaches included alongside landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Walk of Fame. A fun book to spy favorite California spots – and find new ones to visit!
Buy 12 Little Elves Visit California on Amazon or Bookshop
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