by Karen Gallagher
A wonderful way to share the Christmas spirit with a child is to read special Christmas books together. You may even start a tradition of giving your children new Christmas books every year in advance of the holiday, so that you can enjoy these books in the days or weeks before the celebration.
There are many terrific Christmas books for children, and new titles are published every year. It can be overwhelming to try and find the really good ones, so here is a list of ten recommended Christmas books to get you started:
(1) Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree: Told in perfectly rhyming verse, this is a charming story about a wealthy man whose Christmas tree was a tad too tall for his soaring ceiling. And so begins the journey of the treetop as it spreads Christmas joy down the line.
(2) The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy: A lonely puppy named Petey is in search of a boy to take care of him. Just when he was about to give up, Petey finds the perfect home and an abundance of love just in time for Christmas.
(3) A Wish to be a Christmas Tree: After years of being passed over, a large pine tree comes to the sad realization that he will never be a Christmas tree. His forest friends show him that he plays an even more important role all year long by providing shelter and protection. In the end, they thank the pine by turning him into a beautiful Christmas tree with berries, icicles and other decorations of nature.
(4) Olive, the Other Reindeer: In a silly, lighthearted story, a dog named Olive misunderstands the lyrics to the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." When he hears the line "All of the other reindeer...," Olive comes to the false realization that he is a reindeer, not a dog. So off he goes to help Santa deliver presents, and despite his inability to fly, Olive's canine talents come in handy.
(5) Snowmen at Christmas: Snowmen come to life at night after the children are asleep and engage in their own Christmas activities, like visiting with Santa and Christmas caroling. The illustrations are so magical that readers yearn to jump in and join the snowmen in their frolicking.
(6) Bear Stays Up For Christmas: Bear's friends wake him from hibernation so that he can participate in the Christmas festivities. Long after everyone else has fallen asleep, Bear continues baking, wrapping, and decorating. And along the way, he learns that giving is the best present of all.
(7) Santa's Reindeer: For inquiring minds, this wonderfully illustrated book explains everything a child would want to know about reindeer. Every question is answered, such as how they land so quietly in the roof and what they do the rest of the year. This beautiful book is a keeper for the coffee table at Christmastime.
(8) Auntie Claus: Sophie is very curious about her Auntie Claus who serves Christmas cookies throughout the year and takes mysterious annual trips right before Christmas. So she decides once and for all to figure out what is going on, and finds herself on the adventure of a lifetime.
(9) Olivia Helps With Christmas: The beloved Olivia is so busy watching everyone else prepare for Christmas. She is especially tied up waiting for Santa so that she can open her presents. In a richly illustrated Christmas book, Olivia is true to her endearing and comical form.
(10) The Mouse Before Christmas: In this luminously illustrated Christmas book, an excited little mouse gathers cookies for Santa and sits up to wait for his arrival. When the jolly man arrives, mouse peaks into his sack of toys, accidentally falls in, and takes a wild ride on Santa's sleigh.
Start growing a collection of beautiful, humorous, and touching Christmas books that you can enjoy with your children for years to come. The time you spend together enjoying these special stories will be an invaluable part of this special holiday season.
Karen Gallagher has a BA from Bucknell University and an MBA from Rider University. She is the founder and owner of The Lollipop Book Club, a company specializing in the gift of high quality books for children.
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