Whether it’s putting up the tree, moving around a little stuffed elf all over your house or the crazy amounts of holiday shopping, the first few weeks of December are always a fun time of year. And for those of you with children at home, Christmas also provides a great opportunity to dust off some of the favorite holiday books that are only worked into the mix one time of the a year.
So with the holiday season fast-approaching, we thought it’d be a good idea to take a look at some of the best Christmas books for kids.
New Release
Construction Site on Christmas Night, Sherri Duskey Rinker
Released in October, Sherri Duskey Rinker’s Construction Site on Christmas Night is a popular, new book for the holiday season that’s sure to delight your pre-school or elementary aged child.
The story features a hard-at-work construction crew as they each do their part in building a new fire-station in the city. Rinker’s fun illustrations and rhyming story structure make this an engaging holiday addition to your bookshelf and highlight the important message of hard-work and generosity.
Something Funny
Santa’s Underwear, Marty Figley
If you’re looking for a light-hearted read this Christmas, look no further than Marty Figley’s Santa’s Underwear. The story starts with Santa getting prepared for his big night when he quickly realizes that his pair of Christmas underwear are nowhere to be found! The comedic story shows Santa trying on his other many different pairs of underwear, although ultimately realizing that nothing is quite like his missing Christmas pair. Thankfully, before Santa calls of Christmas, his team of reindeer are able to save the day.
For a fun, story-time read that’s likely to get a chuckle from your pre-school or elementary aged child, look no further than Santa’s Underwear!
Religious-Themed
God Gave Us Christmas, Lisa Tawn Bergren
A heart-warming story from Lisa Tawn Bergren, God Gave Us Christmas tells the story of a polar bear cub as he learns how Christmas came to be and how God is at work all around them. The book tackles questions like “Is God more important than Santa” and sets out to teach young children the true meaning of Christmas.
For those parents looking to explain the importance of Christmas in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand, we definitely recommend adding this book to your collection.
Familiar Characters
Santa Bruce, Ryan T. Higgins
In Santa Bruce, author Ryan T. Higgins brings back his popular Bruce character in this fun, Christmas-themed story. Like in his previous works in this series, Bruce becomes the victim of mistaken identity once again and is put in the position of reluctantly playing the role of Santa Claus for all of the forest’s girls and boys. With the help of his friends from prior stories, Bruce is able to spread Christmas cheer throughout the forest, even as he grumbles about it along the way.
This is a great read that features a lot of witty, comedic dialogue between characters, making it a great selection for children and adults. If you’re a fan of the other books in the Bruce series, you certainly wont be disappointed by this holiday installment.
Classic
The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg
Chances are, many of you are already well aware of Chris Van Allsburg’s classic, The Polar Express. If you’re not, this a must-own story that needs to make its way into your holiday story time mix immediately. Rewarded the Caldecott Medal in 1986, The Polar Express is highlighted by its brilliant illustrations and engaging story of a young boy who boards a train to the North Pole and receives the first gift of Christmas from Santa, a bell from one of his reindeer’s harnesses. Although the boy loses the bell on his way back home, he awakens on Christmas to find that Santa has left it for him under his tree. His belief in the magic of Christmas allows him to hear the beautiful sounds of the bell, even as others around him cannot.
This sweet story has been featured in top book lists by groups like the National Education Association and is routinely a top seller during the holiday season.
We hope you enjoy these recommendations to your holiday reading! Make sure to leave a comment about some of your Christmas favorites as well!