Holiday Books for Kids

The Advent Storybook, by Antoine Schneider and Maja Dusikova (illustrator)
For Benjamin Bear, Christmas can’t come soon enough. To help him focus on the true meaning of the season, his mother makes him a promise: each night when he opens a door on his advent calendar, she will share with him a new story about another young bear’s long journey to meet a very special newborn child, and all of the friends he encounters along the way. This lovely storybook will make the wait for Christmas that much sweeter.

Sofia the First: Holiday in Enchancia, by Catherine Hapka
The holidays have come to Enchancia, the magical setting for Disney’s popular TV show and children’s books featuring Sofia the First, a young girl on the verge of becoming a real royal princess. When a snowstorm traps her father miles from home, Sofia sets off to rescue him. The book offers the valuable lesson that holidays are more about spending time with those you love than worrying about what toys you’ll receive.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Deluxe Edition, by Dr. Seuss
Here’s your chance to share a timeless classic with a whole new generation of little Whos. This deluxe edition of Dr. Seuss’s most beloved story features a clothbound slipcase in grinchy green and a bookplate awaiting an inscription to that special child in your life.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond (illustrator)
In the latest entry in this bestselling series, the Mouse (of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie fame), who turns a simple outing to see a Christmas movie into an endless string of demands: a snowman, a tree, decorations, caroling… We need a good stiff eggnog just thinking about it.

Llama Llama Holiday Drama, by Anna Dewdney
If you’ve read any of the previous books in the wonderful Llama Llama series, it will come as no surprise to you that the little camelid isn’t exactly going to be a model of patience as he waits for Christmas to come. The trappings of the season get him more and more worked up, until Mama Llama gently reminds him, in fun-to-read rhyme, that there’s more to the holidays than presents.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary Edition, by Tim Burton
The beloved stop-motion film about a disenchanted Pumpkin King taking over for Santa Claus turned 20 last year, and is well on its way to becoming a seasonal institution. But did you know the story really started a decade earlier with an illustrated poem Tim Burton worked up in his downtime as a Disney animator? All the familiar story beats are there, along with the delightfully twisted designs that could have only come from Burton’s skewed imagination. Even if the movie had never been made, it’s easy to imagine this book standing the test of time.

The Nutcracker, by Susan Jeffers
For some families, attending a performance of the Nutcracker ballet is on the holiday “must” list, but this spare, beautifully illustrated book is the next best thing. Directly inspired by the stage version, and featuring minimal text and richly rendered artwork, Jeffers’ book will become a perennial favorite in its own right. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas, by Charles M. Schulz
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit from the Peanuts gang. Relive the magic of the movie in storybook form with this faithful adaptation, which includes Charlie Brown’s sad little tree, Snoopy’s crass consumerism, and Linus’s reminder of what it all really means.

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas, by Eric Litwin and James Dean (illustrator)
When Santa gets sick on Christmas Eve, it falls to Pete the Cat to save the day. If you’ve read any of the previous books in the popular series, you know this is probably an ill-advised plan, but the clumsy cat does his best to set things right in this story of holiday hijinx.

The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
Van Allsburg’s beloved story of a young boy’s magical trip to the North Pole is another treasured holiday tale, and this deluxe edition, including a CD recording performed by Liam Neeson and a keepsake ornament, is a lovely gift that will last through the years.

The Night Before Christmas, by Charles Santore
For nearly 200 years, “The Night Before Christmas” has been an indelible part of the holiday landscape, written on the hearts of every kid who lies awake straining to hear Santa’s sleigh bells. This handsome oversized edition, featuring lavish artwork from award-winning illustrator Charles Santore, is a wonderful way to share the magic with future generations.

Santa Clause is Coming to My House, by Steve Smallman and Robert Dunn (illustrator)
In their extensive Santa Clause is Coming to… series, Smallman and Dunn depict Santa’s visits to cities across the U.S., featuring all your favorite familiar hometown landmarks, from Arkansas, to Illinois, to New York, to Wisconsin. With over 90 unique locations to choose from, chances are good Santa is headed your way soon.
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