Christmas is a time for classics. It is time for grandpa’s famous eggnog and grandma’s annual pecan pie. It’s time for favorite Christmas carols around the old piano and movie marathons of White Christmas and Holiday Inn.
And it’s also time for our own family’s tradition of pulling out our favorite Christmas picture books and piling on the couch for some Advent-themed reading while the lights on the tree twinkle and shine.
Today I wanted to share some of our favorites. Some are retellings of the biblical story of Jesus’ birth while others are completely fictional, but all are worth reading this Christmas season.
Do you have a favorite Christmas story?
Nativity Stories
Who Was Born This Special Day? By Eve Bunting
The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean
Father and Son: A Nativity Story by Geraldine McCaughrean
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Stable in Bethlehem by Joy N. Hulme
The Little Spider by Sigmund Brouwer
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
Silent Night: It’s Story and Song by Margaret Hodges
Silent Night Illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Legends
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
The Remarkable Christmas of the Cobber’s Sons told by Ruth Sawyer
Brigid’s Cloak by Bryce Milligan
Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey by Robert Byrd
The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Anselm Grün
Fictional Fun
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
The Day Before Christmas by Eve Bunting
A Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
Gifts of the Heart by Patricia Polacco
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Holly Hobbie
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Berry
Corgiville Christmas by Tasha Tudor
The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes
The Foxwood Surprise by Cynthia and Brian Paterson
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
Bear Stays Up For Christmas by Karma Wilson
Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden
Lighthouse Christmas by Toni Buzzeo
Hannah’s Bookmobile Christmas by Sally Derby
The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg
The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert
Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman
Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Oliver Dunrea
Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel
Bear’s First Christmas by Robert Kinerk
Holly Claus: The Christmas Princess by Brittney Ryan
If you are interested in more children’s picture books for each holiday of the year like Valentine’s Day and Easter, sign up to subscribe to my blog and you will receive my ebook, Celebrate! Holiday Picture Books for Children. It is a ten-page resource of picture books for many of the major holidays around the year. Whether you’re a homeschooling family that wants to add books about a holiday’s origins to your curriculum, or you just want a fun book to read, this is the resource for you. You can print it off and throw it into your bag when you go to the library or reference when you’re in search for the perfect book on Amazon.
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Love this list!
One Wintry Night is my favorite. I love reading a section each day of December with the kids. The slow pace allows us to truly enjoy the AMAZING artwork. 🙂
*Found you via Christie Purfoy’s link. Looking forward to reading more and more! I believe I’ve found a kindred spirit.
Thanks, friend.
I just went through your list reserving this year’s stack of great reads! Can’t wait to share them with my kids and the neighborhood kids at our December’s Read Aloud Hour. 🙂 Thanks for equipping me with only the best. 🙂
Danielle, I love this list! We’ve started a Christmas book tradition at our place, but with just a 4- and a 2-year-old, I’m still trying to figure out which books are great and which ones to leave on the shelf, and am therefore appreciative of all recommendations from more seasoned moms. Grateful for your time putting this together.