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5 Picture Books for the Holidays….That Don’t Mention Christmas
In our home, the holidays are a mix of Hanukah, Christmas, and Winter Solstice. We don’t attend church or synagogue, so it’s not about faith over here. The focus is on fun, family… and the snow, if we make it to the mountains of northern California this year. In other words, we keep it light. If you’re looking for picture books to this celebrate this time of year in that vein, here’s a round-up of suggestions.
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The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
My daughters and I LOVE this classic! Readers wake up with Peter as he finds out it snowed overnight: beautiful soft, crisp, new snow! We follow Peter as he puts on his snowsuit and ventures outside to explore, make tracks, pack snowballs, and hit a tree with a stick so hard that snow plops down on his head. I’m also a huge fan of Keats’ collage illustrations.
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The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs
Here’s another well-loved classic in our home about a magic snow adventure. Because there are no words on the page, it’s so wonderful to hear how kids make up the story as they “read” the illustrations of a kid who befriends a snowman one night, and the duo heads up to see the world together.
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The Mitten, by Jan Brett
One more classic about the winter, this story was adapted from a Ukrainian folktale. When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he doesn’t notice that it’s gone, and the mitten soon becomes a refuge for the animals in the woods. Readers follow as a mole, a rabbit, a badger and more come across the mitten in this fun, sweet story.
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Me & Dog, by Gene Weingarten, Eric Shansby (Illustrator)
This story could be an interesting choice for agnostic families who are looking for a unique reflection on faith not seen in picture books. A kid named Sid loves his dog Murphy, but Sid notices that his dog does much more than adore him back. The dog worships his master! This sweet story in rhyming verse touches on faith, prayers, and belief in a fun, light way.
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The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer, Jesse Reisch (Illustrator)
This picture book takes a historical look at the shortest day of the year, including the transition from autumn to winter and an understanding of how the Earth tilts away from the sun. Readers travel to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, Incan, and Europe to learn how people honor the Winter Solstice all over the world. The book also includes science activities and more ideas to celebrate the day.