Our Favorite Christmas Books for Kids

Snuggling up with beautiful Christmas picture books can help the whole family get in the holiday spirit. This list of favorite Christmas books includes a multitude of options including books about other winter holidays. Leading up to Christmas, add these books to your reading list.

Best Christmas Books for Young Children

For your toddler, try these enchanting Christmas books for kids. The majority here are available as board books, meaning you can give them to your little one with confidence. No torn pages here! Enjoy these throughout the holiday season and save your favorite for Christmas Eve.

1. Merry Christmas, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton

Written by toddler book queen, Sandra Boynton, this fun Christmas book will quickly become a favorite. This book adds to an existing series about Little Pookie, an adorable pig. Spend Christmas Eve with Pookie as she bakes cookies, decorates the house, and sings some carols. Featuring lots of rhyme and repetition, this book will have your little one "reading" along with you in no time.

Highlights:

• Available in a board book format
• Ideal for toddlers
• 18 pages of fun and rhyming

 2. Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

In this animal, forest animals help a hibernating bear stay up for Christmas and enjoy the holiday. This heartwarming story helps teach the gift of giving while also spreading holiday cheer. Bear Stays Up for Christmas is part of a series, so you can find more Bear stories to enjoy throughout the year.

Highlights:

• Available in a board book format
• Ideal for toddlers and preschoolers
• 34 pages of Christmas fun with forest animals

 3. The Mitten by Jan Brett

While not necessarily a Christmas book, this charming winter story leads readers on a snowy adventure that starts with a grandmother's gift. In a winter wonderland, you'll meet many forest animals who all test out a white mitten a young boy loses in the snow. This classic story is full of delight and a hilarious ending that is sure to make your little one laugh. 

Highlights:

• Available in a board book format
• Ideal for toddlers and preschoolers
• 34 pages of beautiful illustrations and imaginative fun

4. The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet

Introduce your little one to this Christmas tradition through this wonderful book written by the New York City Ballet. This favorite holiday tale features whimsical illustrations that capture the magic of Christmas on the page.

Highlights:

• Available in a board book format
• Ideal for preschoolers through age 8
• 38 pages of whimsical illustrations that perfectly capture this classic Christmas ballet

5. I Spy Christmas: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo

Search for hidden pictures in captivating and festive Christmas photos. Young children love finding hidden objects. This series has been a favorite with my three children, especially from ages three to six. Perfect for holiday travel, your little one will love looking at these enchanting photos to find Santa, snowmen, silver bells, and more.

Highlights:

• Hardcover format
• Ideal for children ages 3 to 8
• 40 pages of festive photographs with hidden pictures

Best Christmas Stories for Elementary-Aged Children

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and cuddle up with these Christmas books for kids including a chapter book that awakens their imagination.

1. The Legend of Old Befana: An Italian Christmas Story by Tomie dePaola

From the award-winning author and illustrator of favorite books such as Strega Nona, this story tells the tale of Old Befana. dePaola's retelling of this folk tale is a delightful Christmas story steeped in wonder. Step into the small Italian village and learn how this "cranky old lady" discovers the Christmas spirit.

Highlights:

• Hardcover or paperback formats
• Ideal for children ages 4 to 10
• 32 pages of enchanting illustrations

2. The Polar Express: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids by Chris Van Allsburg

Take a Christmas Eve train ride with a young boy hoping to make a wish. This Caldecott Medal Winner is a must-have during the holiday season. Entertainment Weekly dubbed this book "The best book about Santa."

Highlights:

• Hardcover format
• Ideal for children ages 2 to 12
• 32 pages of magic and wonder

3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Share this iconic Christmas story with your family as a read-aloud over several days. Originally written in 1843, this Dickens story is still relevant for readers today.

Highlights:

• Paperback or hardcover formats
• Ideal for children 7 and up
• 96 pages, including many full-color illustrations

4. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

Learn a lesson in sustainability while spreading holiday cheer in this heartwarming story. Filled with rhyming and fantastical illustrations, your child will request this story again and again.

Highlights:

• Hardcover format
• Ideal for children ages 3 to 8
• 32 pages of holiday cheer

Best Children's Holiday Books

Celebrate Kwanzaa and Hanukkah with these wonderful holiday books. Whether you're teaching your child your own family's traditions or learning about those of others, these holiday books are sure to delight.

1. Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis

This award-winning book explores the seven principles of Kwanzaa through a tale about a family living in an African village. The linoleum block illustrations draw children in and depict the story in brilliant colors.

Highlights:

• Paperback format
• Ideal for children ages 5 to 10
• 40 pages of bright, striking illustrations

2. The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler

This beautiful book is a perfect introduction to Hanukkah for little ones, but can also inspire deeper discussions with older children. Also, the book provides follow-up activities such as a recipe for latkes and instructions for playing the dreidel game.

Highlights:

• Board book or paperback format
• Ideal for toddlers and children through age 7
• 24 pages of holiday cheer

Celebrate the Holidays with these Christmas Books for Kids

Reading these Christmas books can bring magic to the season. Plus, they will inspire discussions about the true meaning of the holidays we celebrate this time of year. Which one will you read?

Looking for more great books? Try these Montessori-approved reads.