Christmas Books for Kids

[DisneyToddlers]

Hi,

I would love suggestions for Christmas Books for kids. Our favorite is How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss. Does anyone have any ideas for funny books similar to that? What about heartwarming stories?

Last year we started the tradition of wrapping 24 Christmas books (a lot of which we had already) and having the kids open one to read each night. It was awesome and they loved it! I would like to add some new books into the rotation. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

How old are the kids?

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We used to do this when my kids were younger, here's some of the ones we read, some are more winter than Christmas:

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
The Gingerbread Man
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Christmas Story
5 Little Penguins Slipping on the Ice
Arthur's Perfect Christmas
Snowmen at Night
The Polar Express
Bear Stays Up For Christmas

 

[Tommys Mommy]

Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
Are You Grumpy, Santa? by Gregg & Evan Spiridellis
A New, Improved Santa by Patricia Rae Wolff
I See Santa Everywhere by Glenn McCoy

 

[MNdisneymom]

For younger kids...The Animals Christmas Eve (I don't remember the author--but I know it's a little golden book). It's the story of the animals in the stable on Christmas Eve. They did it in Sunday School when my DS was little.

For everybody....any of the Jan Brett books. The Christmas Treasury has about 5 books. If you were going to pick one or two of them to get separately , I would choose either the Night Before Christmas or the 12 Days of Christmas. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I've been reading them to my son since before he was born...

Another good one, depending on your feelings about the santa thing, is Saint Nicholas: the real story of the christmas legend by Julie Stiegemeyer. It's nicely illustrated, and told very simply.


One for slightly older kids (5+)....The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Robinson. Chapter book, very few pics. "Bad" family of kids takes over the church christmas pageant, things happen...

For even older kids (8-10+) or adults , but it's a fun read...The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn. It's a novel that starts with the premise that the original St. Nicholas (from biblical times) has magically lived for thousands of years and has sort of collected different historic and mythological figures to be part of his "crew" of helpers. (Among them Genghis Kahn and Arthur of Camelot.) A fun look at Christmas from a different perspective, a very quick read. I might have to read it to my DS this year...

Can't think of any more, this gives me a good excuse to dig in my stash....

 

[TxAnn]

Hi,
Last year we started the tradition of wrapping 24 Christmas books (a lot of which we had already) and having the kids open one to read each night. It was awesome and they loved it!

We have done this same thing since my oldest was 2. He is now 11. This is one of my favorite traditions of Christmas. My oldest laughs each year as we open the Teletubby Christmas book that was his favorite as a toddler. My 9 year old gets embarrassed about his Wiggles book, but it's funny how he still likes to have it read "for his little brother and sister"! I hope our family never outgrows this tradition.

Here's a few of our favorites:
Moosletoe by Margie Palatini
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Harold at the North Pole by Crockett Johnson
Wake Up Santa Claus by Marcus Pfister

edited to try and correct quote but it didn't work so I give up!

 

[dzorn]

http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Wings-Th...6917/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1289008183&sr=8-4


http://www.amazon.com/Willowbys-Chr...1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289008282&sr=1-1-fkmr0

The second is from when I was a child.

Denise in MI

 

[DisneyToddlers]

How old are the kids?

Ooops, sorry- Kids are about to turn 4 and 6, but we definitely read books of all levels. They especially love the funny ones.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I am away right now, but will look into them all when I get home. Please keep them coming. Thanks!!!!

 

[msmama]

Love that idea! But do you buy 24 new books each year? Or mix them up with old books? How many new ones do you get each year?

My 2 year old has an I SPY Christmas book that he loves. We read that one all year round.

Haven't read it yet but heard about Llama Llama Holiday Drama.

 

[TxAnn]

Love that idea! But do you buy 24 new books each year? Or mix them up with old books? How many new ones do you get each year?

Not the OP, but we follow the same tradition. We started 9 years ago and we use pretty much the same 24 books year after year though there have been a few changes as the kids find new favorites (I'm looking for a Disney Christmas book to swap out this year!). One thing the kids love is that our "Twas the Night Before Christmas" book is wrapped in gold paper each year. They know that book has to be saved for the last book to open on Christmas Eve.

 

[dzorn]

http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Bugs-Bright-Early-Books/dp/0679979131/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_6

The girls also like this one, not necessarily Christmas but winter.

Denise in MI

 

[JackJack08]

We always liked "Olive the Other Reindeer"!

 

[walkdmc]

Mr. Willoby's Christmas Tree - it was my favorite as a kid and now it's my kids' favorite.

 

[Wenny]

Elf on the Shelf is our favorite. We pull it out on TDay evening.

The story itself is about an elf that watches over children during the day and flies back to the North Pole at night to report back to Santa whether they are naughty or nice. The book comes in keepsake box with an elf that your child names and registers online (if you wish).

The elf is mischievous and tends to land somewhere different in the house each morning when he comes back. The kids have to find him every morning when they wake. It's fun coming up with new spots to "hide" him each night.

After Christmas, he flies back to the North Pole until the next year.

Google it to learn more. It's such a fun tradition.

 

[Wenny]

Last year we started the tradition of wrapping 24 Christmas books (a lot of which we had already) and having the kids open one to read each night. It was awesome and they loved it! I would like to add some new books into the rotation. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!

This is such a great idea! I must do this...

 

[DisneyToddlers]

Love that idea! But do you buy 24 new books each year? Or mix them up with old books? How many new ones do you get each year?

My 2 year old has an I SPY Christmas book that he loves. We read that one all year round.

Haven't read it yet but heard about Llama Llama Holiday Drama.

We only started last year, but no, we won't get 24 new books each year. I'll add about 6-7 new ones this year, I think. Then I won't use some of the ones that are a little too young for the kids. If you don't have 24, you can do it for less days or throw in winter books, too.

 

[DisneyToddlers]

One thing the kids love is that our "Twas the Night Before Christmas" book is wrapped in gold paper each year. They know that book has to be saved for the last book to open on Christmas Eve.

Great idea!!! Last year I just kept trying to steer them away from picking that book until Christmas Eve-LOL!!!!!

 

[DisneyToddlers]

Elf on the Shelf is our favorite. We pull it out on TDay evening.

The story itself is about an elf that watches over children during the day and flies back to the North Pole at night to report back to Santa whether they are naughty or nice. The book comes in keepsake box with an elf that your child names and registers online (if you wish).

The elf is mischievous and tends to land somewhere different in the house each morning when he comes back. The kids have to find him every morning when they wake. It's fun coming up with new spots to "hide" him each night.

After Christmas, he flies back to the North Pole until the next year.

Google it to learn more. It's such a fun tradition.

Yes, we have an elf also. His name is Epcot-my older daughter named him that because when he arrived two years ago we had recently returned from Disney! It is such a fun tradition, also, and I've been looking at the Elf on the Shelf thread for fun ideas.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

here's ours from christmas past,

siegried's silent night, by brad & toby bluth.

carl's christmas, by alexandra day.

stories of santa, "up on the roof top", + jooly old saint nicholas"
by hallmark

calvin & hobbes christmas adventures, by waterson.

dick & jane christmas stories.

and because my family is from sothern france, "the legend of
la befana." * we have a family friend who is also an accomplished
artist, & she created a doll based on the story. her mentor is
now designing for disney. [ which i think is pretty neat.]

la befana [ the olde lady], as the female counterpart to st. nicholas, la
befana is a well known figure in italy, france, & other european countries.

 

[txcatholic]

We love the Cajun Night Before Christmas, and Christina Rose.

The latter is a newer book but wonderful story about the first Christmas and Guardian Angels.

kubbooks.com