Overview: Looking for Christmas books for preschoolers which will grab their attention and help them learn the meaning of the season. You can’t go wrong here!
As Christmas approaches, one wonderful way to create lasting memories is to cuddle up on the couch and read books with your kiddos! Make the experience even more special by starting a fire in the fireplace, serving hot cocoa, and playing quiet Christmas music in the background.
And if you really want to take the experience over the top, try baking some delicious Christmas cookies beforehand to fill the house with delightful smells as well.
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1 – Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant & Diane Goode
Bringing immediacy to a nostalgic story, Rylant describes a snowy Christmas in a rural setting. From the tree (“It was the prettiest thing we had”) to the decorations retrieved from the closet (“Each ornament reminded me of my whole life”), this gentle, first-person narrative shimmers with affection. The text is well-matched with Goode’s humorous pen-and-ink and watercolor pictures. Though the illustrations present an idealized happy, busy, country house with snowy, woodsy exteriors and an integrated church and family groupings, the intensely personal text anchors the presentation and gives it credibility. A selection that holds up and keeps interest after repeated readings. – School Library Journal
2 – Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien
Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas.
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how all the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining-room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house!
Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humor to the stories. No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by the inventiveness and ‘authenticity’ of Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas.
3 – The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado
In this timeless bestseller, readers experience the tender love God has for those who feel alone and different. Joshua was a lamb with a crippled leg who felt left out because he couldn’t run and play like the other lambs. But God had a very special plan for Joshua’s life, as He does for all who feel alone. Readers can expect a gentle tug on their hearts as the little lamb’s prayers are answered in an amazing way.
4 – Christmas, 1776 by Brian Benjamin
Written in rhyming verse that is a joy to read aloud, Christmas, 1776 follows George Washington and his continental army as they struggle for freedom and independence against the powerful British army. The vivid illustrations heighten the drama as the Americans plot a surprise counterattack after being pushed out of New York City and all the way to the far side of the Delaware river. George Washington decides to lead them on a daring raid across the river on Christmas night…
By introducing your child to one of America’s early and dramatic victories, you’ll get them hooked on American history from a young age. Share this wonderful story with them and watch as their curiosity and interest in their country’s history grows.
5 – The Christmas Star by Marcus Pfister
Follow the shining star as it guides shepherds, kings, and all the animals of the forest to the stable where the Holy Child lies. By the author of Rainbow Fish.
6 – Nativity Flap Book by Sam Taplin
Help your child discover the magic of the very first Christmas by lifting the big flaps in this simple story of the Nativity.
7 – The Animals’ Christmas by Carol Helen Ward
As the bear and lion stand guard at the stable door, a charming cast of animals present their own unique gifts to the newborn Christ child, in a tender holiday book based on a medieval French carol.
8 – The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore
The Illustrator brought this classic Christmas poem wonderfully to life with gorgeous artwork and stunning pops. Peek inside a cozy house, all ready for Christmas, marvel at Santa and his reindeer, flying across the sky and revel in the magic of Christmas.
9 – The Donkey’s Christmas Song by Nancy Tafuri
A very special baby is born in a stable under a star, surrounded by friendly farmyard animals. The donkey wants to be the first to welcome the baby, but he is too shy. So the doves welcome him with their “Coo-coo,” the cow with her “Moo-moo,” and all the other animals in turn. Then, the baby welcomes the shy donkey with his own sweet smile. The donkey brays – “Hee-aw!” – and the baby laughs with joy! Then all snuggle around the baby and settle into sleep. This warm presentation of the first Christmas celebrates the wonder of a baby’s birth and welcomes all into the spirit of holiday joy.
10 – How to Catch Santa Claus by Alice Walstead
What present is Santa leaving under the tree? Lift the flaps and find out. With surprises on every page, this charming board book is the perfect introduction to the magic of Christmas!
11 – Candy Cane Christmas by Helen Haidle
Candy Cane Christmas invites children to know that candy canes remind us who Jesus is, why He was born, and what He did for us on the cross.
12 – The Twinkly, Twinkly Christmas Tree by Sam Taplin
This beautifully illustrated board book has lots of electric lights inside it for little children to discover. Mouse has no Christmas lights, so she sets out with her friend, Mole, to find some in the snowy forest. As the story unfolds and more friends join the adventure, there are more and more lights until Mouse finds a stunning Christmas tree at the end.
13 – Christmas in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Christmas has come to the Big Woods of Wisconsin! Laura and her family are excited to celebrate. When Laura’s cousins, aunt, and uncle arrive, they spend their time together eating sweets, playing in the snow, and reading. Their holiday celebrations are full of simple joys. The warm paintings by Renée Graef are inspired by Garth Williams’ classic illustrations and lovingly bring the Ingalls family to life.
14 – First Sticker Book Nativity by Felicity Brooks
Follow one of the most famous stories ever told with this interactive sticker book. There are dozens of different stickers to help complete the colorful scenes in this exciting sticker book.
15 – It’s Christmastime! by Bernd Penners
It’s Christmastime! Moose, Bear, Squirrel, Mouse, and Fox can’t wait! But they could use some help getting ready. The 15 reusable and repositionable stickers let young readers decorate and play over and over again, in any way they like.
To freshen stickers after heavy use, run under cold water and let air dry.
→ Related Content: 79 Must Have Read Aloud Books that Boys (and Girls) Love!
16 – The First Christmas Tree by Helen Haidle
This masterpiece of story and art tells the legend from long ago of the very first Christmas Tree. It is a story that is sure to delight children of all ages and bring joy and meaning to every Christmas season.
17 – Christmas Mad Libs by Roger Price
Christmas Fun Mad Libs will fill your holidays with NOUN and joy! With 21 “fill-in-the-blank” stories about Christmas vacation, visiting Santa in the North Pole, and playful reindeer, Christmas Fun Mad Libs will add hearty Santa-style laughs to your holiday! Play alone, in a group, or in Santa’s Workshop! They are also a fun way to practice grammar.
18 – Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Bear’s friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas! So they wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs. Bear stays up—by discovering that giving is one of the best Christmas presents of all!
19 – Advent Coloring and Activity Book
Included in this Advent coloring book are 30 pages to help explain the purpose of Advent to boys and girls.
- What is Advent?
- When does Advent begin and how long does it last?
- What is an Advent calendar?
- What is an Advent wreath and how do we use it?
20 – Peek Inside the Nativity by Anna Milbourne
With prettily cut holes in the pages, this is a book to treasure every Christmas. Every scene in the Nativity, from the angel talking to Mary and the journey on the donkey to Bethlehem, to the scene in the stable with baby Jesus in the manger, is entrancing – there are cut-out stars and peek holes, through which to spy doves in the rafters of the stable or innkeepers through the windows of their inns. With lots to talk about, this lovely edition will engage small children in the original Bible story and the true meaning of Christmas.
21 – The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
One dark November night a stranger rides into a small prairie town. Who is he? Why has he come? The townspeople wish he were a doctor, a dressmaker, or a trader. But the children have the greatest wish of all, a deep, quiet, secret wish. Then a young girl named Lucy befriends the newcomer. When he reveals his identity and shares with her the legend of the candy cane, she discovers the fulfillment of her wishes and the answer to her town’s dreams. Now, will she share what she has learned?
22 – Wombat Divine by Mem Fox
Wombat loves everything about Christmas–especially the Nativity play. He’s wanted to be in it for as long as he can remember. At last he’s old enough to try out. But at the auditions, the first part goes to someone else. So does the next. And the next . . . Will there be a part left for Wombat?
23 – Leah’s Star by Margaret Bateson-Hill
A beautiful, fresh new telling of the Nativity story through the eyes of the innkeeper’s young daughter, Leah, brings a wonderful humanity to this familiar tale.
24 – A Child Was Born: A First Nativity by Grace Maccarone
Enhanced with watercolor illustrations, a read-aloud tale provides readers with the true story of how Christmas came to be with the birth of Jesus in the manger so many years ago.
25 – 1001 Things to Spot at Christmas by Alex Frith
This jolly puzzle-book is stuffed full of Christmas things to find and count. Join Santa Claus and his busy team during the most magical holiday of the year.
26 – The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Pat Matuszak
Have you ever wondered how the evergreen tree first became a symbol of Christmas? This wonderful story about a family quite like yours is filled with beautiful illustrations that add a deep warmth and richness to the meaning behind one of our best-loved traditions—decorating the Christmas tree.
27 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Grow your heart three sizes and get in on all of the Grinch excitement with the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas—the ultimate Dr. Seuss Christmas classic that no holiday season is complete without!
28 – The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole. Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish. For millions of readers worldwide, this mysterious journey to the North Pole has become a beloved classic.
29 – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.
30 – A Christmas Carol (young reader’s edition) by Charles Dickens
Remarkable, sumptuous artwork by top children’s illustrator Christian Birmingham enhances this faithful abridgement of the Dickens classic.
What are your favorite books to read around Christmas? I’d love to hear what your family enjoys reading year after year. Please leave a comment below.