The best Christmas books for kids list: 25 of our very favorite read-aloud stories for a cozy family Christmas. (Free PDF download)
Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
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25 magical Christmas books for kids
Here is the quick list of all the books with their Amazon links. Scroll down to read more and see age recommendations for each one!
Also, be sure to check out the Ultimate Christmas Planner for Moms:
A Simple Christmas on the Farm
by Phyllis Alsdurf
Ages 4-8
This book is a great real-aloud about a girl whose family decides to celebrate a simple, homemade Christmas with friends and family on their farm. We also love the Thanksgiving book in this series, Thanksgiving in the Woods.
Bear Stays Up For Christmas
by Karma Wilson
Ages 2-5
Does your family love the Bear books? If so, definitely add this one to your Christmas book list. It’s just as cute as all the others we know and love.
The Polar Express
by Chris Van Allsburg
Ages 4+
This book is really fun to read to your child in their Christmas pajamas. Bonus: After you read the story, you can watch the movie together!
Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook
based on the story by John Hughes
Ages 3-8
I think older kids (and adults) would love this story, too. Especially if you love the Home Alone movies. There’s also a book for the sequel that is just as delightful.
Snowmen at Christmas
by Caralyn Buehner
Ages 1-6
This is a magical tale about how the snowmen celebrate Christmas in the middle of the night when you can’t see them! This one got my kids talking. They kept coming back to it days after we read the story, wondering whether it was really true.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
by Barbara Robinson
Ages 7+
This is a short chapter book, and one of my absolute favorite family read-alouds for Christmas. It’s about a family of the worst kids ever, and what happens when they decide they want to be a part of the small town’s church nativity play one year. It’s an incredibly heartwarming story, and you can watch the movie as a family after you read it!
Too Many Tamales
by Gary Soto
Ages 3-8
This is my 7 year old’s favorite Christmas book. Maria is making tamales when she decides to try on her mom’s diamond ring… and loses it inside one of the tamales! It’s up to the cousins to eat until they find it. This story is sweet and heartwarming, plus a little goofy at the same time.
The Twelve Hours of Christmas
by Jenn Bailey
Ages 4-8
This is a short, fun read. It’s a modern take on the classic song, filled with relatable Christmas experiences, like cousins arriving, uncles telling jokes, and family photo attempts.
Santa Mouse
by Michael Brown
Ages 1-6
This sweet classic tells the story of a kind little mouse who became Santa’s helper. After reading this story, you can start a fun tradition with your family of leaving a piece of cheese out with Santa’s milk and cookies for Santa Mouse!
Cranberry Christmas
by Wende and Harry Devlin
Ages 5-10
Cranberry Thanksgiving is one of our all-time favorite Thanksgiving read-alouds, so of course we love reading its sequel at Christmas! This is a longer picture book, so great for older kids. The quirky, big-hearted characters make this book a winner.
The Carpenter’s Gift
by David Rubel
Ages 6-12
I think this is the first Christmas picture book to ever make me choke up while I was reading it. What a fantastic story! It’s a little longer, so perfect for older kids, and it gives a lot of history about the Rockefeller Center Tree, so it would be fun to read right before or after the tree lighting.
A Homemade Together Christmas
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Ages 4-8
When a cute family of pigs decides to make homemade gifts instead of buying gifts for each other, little Luca has some trouble thinking of ideas. Spoiler alert: He comes up with a great idea at the end. 😉 And it’s a gift that your kids could make as well!
The Night Before the Nutcracker
by John Robert Allman
Ages 3-7
What a great story about all the things that go into a performance of the Nutcracker. This book is perfect to read before going to see a show, or watching The Nutcracker on TV.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
by Robert Barry
Ages 3-7
This is a funny story about what happens to the tops of Christmas trees that are too tall and need to be cut off. My kids love the goofiness of it!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
by Dr. Seuss
Ages 3+
This one is a classic. (Although my kids thought it was a little scary at first.) As a bonus, you can watch the movie after you read the story.
Pick a Pine Tree
by Patricia Toht
Ages 2-6
This one is pretty short and sweet- the perfect book to snuggle up and read right after decorating your Christmas tree for the season.
Santa’s Underwear
by Marty Rhodes Figley
Ages 3-6
It’s pretty much a guarantee that my kids will love any book with the word underwear in the title! They’re all giggles and smiles while they listen to this silly story.
Christmas Day in the Morning
by Pearl S. Buck
Ages 5-12
If you’re looking for a moving, heartfelt Christmas story, this is it! The text is a little bit longer, making it perfect for older readers.
How to Catch a Reindeer
by Alice Walstead
Ages 3-6
There are lots of books in their series, and they’re all cute and funny. We also love How to Catch an Elf!
The Legend of the Poinsettia
by Tomie dePaola
Ages 5-9
This book tells the story of a little girl who is helping her mother weave the blanket for Baby Jesus in the yearly Christmas procession in her village. But when her mother gets sick, Lucida needs to find another gift to bring. I remember reading this story as a little girl, and I love reading it to my own kids now.
A Very Mercy Christmas
by Kate DiCamillo
Ages 4-7
If your kids love the Mercy Watson books, then this Christmas story is sure to be a huge hit. They’re a little goofy, which my kids love, and the pictures are fantastic.
Weird But True! Christmas: 300 Festive Facts to Light Up the Holidays
by National Geographic Kids
Ages 6-10
My kids love the National Geographic Weird but True books, and this one is all about Christmas!
The Nutcracker
based on the New York City Ballet
Ages 3-8
This is a great retelling of the classic Nutcracker story. Perfect for someone who is about to see a performance!
Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury
by Jan Brett
Ages 3-8
We love all of Jan Brett’s beautifully illustrated stories! She has lots of Christmas stories, and it’s hard to pick a favorite, so why not grab this treasury? It includes favorites like The Mitten, The Hat, and The Wild Christmas Reindeer. (We also love Gingerbread Baby, and Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett.)
Sounding Joy
by Ellie Holcomb
Ages 2-5
We love that this sweet book also has a song that goes along with it! (You can listen here.)
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale
by Martin Waddell
Ages 2-4
This tells the story of Jesus’s birth, from the perspective of the kind animals in the stable. It’s unique, and the perfect length to hold the attention of preschoolers.
The Candymaker’s Gift
by David and Helen Haidle
Ages 6-10
We love this story about a candy maker who wants to create a candy that will tell children everywhere about Jesus.
Christmas Farm
by Mary Lyn Ray
Ages 4-7
I think this book sort of has Little House vibes: It tells the story of a Christmas tree farm, and the people who work to grow it. It’s a cozy, unhurried story, and I think it’s delightful!
Sneezy the Snowman
by Maureen Wright
Ages 3-6
This is a fun story about a snowman who keeps melting! It’s goofy, and your preschooler will love the bright, colorful illustrations.
Santa Duck
by David Milgrim
Ages 2-6
Kids will love this silly story about a duck who puts on a Santa hat… and suddenly all of the other animals start telling him what they want for Christmas!
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