12 Children’s Christmas Books to Add to Your Collection

Your family loves the tradition of making sure kids have new books to read for the holidays, but are you stuck on what to get? Here are some festive books to add to your collection in the forms of a friendly bird, vegetables, a middle school dog and a well-known pig.

For Babies & Toddlers

Christmas is Awesome! by Sabrina Moyle

Best for ages: 0-3

A board book with bright, fun and cheerful illustrations by Eunice Moyle will put babies and young crawlers in the holiday spirit. The words on each page are short and help create a festive vocabulary: silent night, being nice and ugly sweaters among them.

Maisy’s Christmas Party by Lucy Cousins

Best for ages: 3-5

Maisy is having a Christmas party and six of her friends reply to the invitation with letters of their own. From games to a joke book to a cookie recipe, kids will learn about letter writing and enjoy the extra activities. 

Vegetables in Holiday Underwear by Jared Chapman

Best for ages: 3-7

Yes, this book is a funny as the name suggests. The pea waits all year long to break out his holiday underwear. And then kids get to learn about adverbs like cozy, scratchy and stretchy.

Little Robin’s Christmas by Jan Fearnley

Best for ages: 2-5

Little Robin has seven warm sweater vests the week before Christmas. But, he finds friends who are cold in the snow and begins to give them away. Kids will learn about the spirit of generosity while finding a friend in Little Robin. 

The Crayons’ Christmas by Drew Daywalt

Best for ages: 3-7

This book isn’t just a book. Sure, it has a lovely story about giving and holiday cheer, but it also has six fun and engaging games for kids to play. From crayon dress-up to a game board, this is a book and a stuck-inside play day in one literary package. 

Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play

Best for ages: 3-7

Peppa and her class put on a Christmas pageant and all of them invite Santa. But he’s late. Will he arrive at all? We dare you not to read it with an English accent. 

For Early Readers

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York by Kim Smith

Best for ages: 4-8

Parents who are fans of the 1992 Home Alone 2 movie will enjoy seeing their kids fall in love with the age-appropriate picture and early reader book. The story remains the same, with Kevin on a plane to New York while the rest of the family heads to Florida. Christmas for Kevin means mayhem. (You can also pick up the original “Home Alone” in book form.) 

Peanut Butter and Santa Claus by Joe McGee

Best for ages: 4-8

Christmas is cancelled because Santa is stuck in a storm. Leave the saving up to an alien, a zombie, a little girl and a whole lot of peanut butter. 

Paint by Sticker Kids: Christmas

Best for ages: 5-9

The Paint by Sticker series is great for kids who love art and can’t get enough stickers. The stickers to finish each picture are provided and there are 10 colorful, holiday-themed images.

For Elementary Schoolers/Tweens

The First Christmas Sweater by Ryan Tubridy

Best for ages: 7-10

A multi-colored sheep with big dreams meets Santa and the adventures really begin. What would you do with rainbow wool? Santa’s wife knows. This chapter book is as funny as it is a fun story of how a sheep saves Christmas. 

Dog Diaries: Happy Howlidays! by James Patterson with Steven Butler

Best for ages: 7-12

Young fans of the Dog Diaries and Max Einstein series will enjoy the holiday edition. With adventure and even a few games and activities at the back, this is a fun winter break book or to take on long rides to spend holidays with family. 

Christmas is Coming! by The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Best for ages: 8-adult

Filled with art, stories from some of history’s top writers, traditional songs and recipes, this is a book that can be passed on in family lore. The pictures are postcard worthy and come from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections. The recipes are tested and enjoyed by chefs at The Met, and the museum commissioned original poems for the book.


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This story originally published Nov. 16, 2018 and has been updated with the most recent information.

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