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Home » Activities » 12 Absolute Must-Read Children’s Books for the Holiday Season

12 Absolute Must-Read Children’s Books for the Holiday Season

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure .

Giving a child the space, time, and opportunity to discover reading on his own will achieve that life long love of stories and story telling. Making books and book reading meaningful is part of creating an environment that will ultimately grow life long lovers of reading.

Holiday Books for Children

Are you wondering how you can raise a rock star reader? Learn ideas on how to create an environment for your little readers including my picks for must read children’s books for the holiday season.

Children's Books for the Holidays

We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. ~ Dr. Maria Montessori

My talented friends, Allison and Amy, wrote an amazing book called Raising a Rock Star Reader that I can’t stop referencing since day I received it. This book is filled with 75 accessible tips for parents to help guide their children to becoming lifelong lovers of reading.

Inspired by this book, I wrote this post including  few of my own tips for raising a rock star reader and my top must read children’s books for the holiday season.

children's books for the holiday season

5 Tips for Raising a Rock Star Reader

  • Make it meaningful by having a “go to” set of three or five books to read at bedtime, especially
  • Less is more as mentioned above…don’t clutter your child’s bookshelves. Choose a few books an stick to them for tradition and
  • Read out loud even when your child is reading on his own
  • Listen to books in theme, in the car, in a tent, you name it…
  • Oral storytelling is a lost art. Children are born story tellers. We should do all we can to nurture that art.

12 Absolute Must Read Children’s Books for the Holiday Season

One Morning in Maine

One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey

This book is a classic that only brings warmth to a home and to hearts. I fell in love with this book as a young child.

The Night Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Charles Santore

Memories are built upon this tale. I can still hear my aunt’s voice reading this story to us, the excitement of Christmas morning bubbling in my belly.

A Chair for My Mother

A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams

A lovely story about a young girl, her mother, and her grandmother. The author draws upon her childhood during the depression. The story she tells is raw and sweet delivering a heart felt life lesson.

Gratitude Soup

Gratitude Soup by Olivia Rosewood

One of my favorite newer reads. This book is magical and will warm your heart. The main character, a young girl, makes a gratitude soup and learns quickly that gratitude is exponential.

Greek Myths Book for Kids

d’Aulaire’s book of Greek myths by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

My husband introduced my sons to Greek Myths and they were hooked on them. This book is perfect for young children telling the story in an engaging, yet simply way.

Frog and Toad Are Friends

Frog & Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel

Such warm and fond memories of listening to these stories on road trips and on our commute. I enjoy Arnold Lobel’s warm voice telling the tale of these two friends, sharing a unique friendship and every day antics.

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Toot & Puddle – I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Hollie Hobbie

What can I say? I am a sucker for these two soul mates. Hollie Hobbie does a fantastic job of taking the reader through many adventures of travel and friendship. Great examples for kids!

Pete & Pickles Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed

Would you think differently of me if I told you I weep when I read this story to my boys. Such a sweet, raw, endearing, honest story of two unlikely friends.

The Polar Express

Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Maybe the perfect holiday movie to share with your kids. Full of suspense and excitement, this story is sure to warm your hearts and get you ready for the holiday season!

Bear Stays Up

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

I find this whole series adorable, especially this Christmas story. A story of unlikely friends caring immensely for one another, the author does a terrific job at making the reader see the love these friends have for one another.

The Mitten

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Oh, I love this story! Such a sweet tale that draws the young and old into the journey of a lost mitten providing loads of love and warmth to forest animals.

Zen Shorts

Zen Shorts by Jon Muth

This book is my go to for birthday presents and special gifts. Such beautiful stories delivering important life messages to our little spirits.

Related Read: Personalized Children’s Book: Perfect Christmas Gift

Tagged With: Christmas, Holidays, Reading and Writing, Winter

About Marnie Craycroft

Marnie hails from Maine where she spent summers buried in sand and winters buried in snow. She is the daughter of a nearly four decade veteran of the public school systems. Teaching has always been a part of her life. She founded Carrots Are Orange in 2010.

Carrots Are Orange is a Montessori learning and living website for parents and teachers.

Marnie graduated from Wesleyan University in 1999 with a BA in Economics. She spent nearly a decade working in investment management. In 2006, she earned her MA in business from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.

Marnie moved to the west coast in 1999 and currently lives in Boulder with her husband and three sons. She is Montessori trained. Her work has been featured on Apartment Therapy, Buzzfeed, PBS Kids, BabyCenter, the Melissa & Doug blog, Huffington Post, and WhattoExpect.com. Besides writing, passions include running (usually after her three sons), photography, and outdoor adventures.

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