As an elementary teacher I am guilty of mostly two things - keeping EVERYTHING, and owning far too many children’s books. And now that we have a little one, I find myself updating her book shelf constantly to fit the season (I know: how very teacher-y of me). The one thing our daughter will never be able to say to us in this house is, “I have nothing to read.”
Since December and all things holidays are now in full swing, you better believe that the shelf has not been exempt from getting a holiday makeover. Although there are literally oodles of lovely Christmas books out there, here is my top 10 list of Christmas-themed books (in no particular order):
10. All I Want for Christmas is You (Mariah Carey) - there are a whole bunch of song-turned-story children’s books out there, and when you love the song you can’t help but also love the book! This one stars an adorable little girl (who looks like a young Mariah), who is hoping and wishing for a little pup for Christmas. This is mildly reminiscent of my childhood except for the fact that unlike Mariah, I never got a cute puppy in a box (isn’t that every child’s ultimate dream?!). Nevertheless, it’s a cute book - but try reading it without singing the words…
9. My Pen Pal, Santa (Melissa Stanton) - if you’ve ever wondered what Santa gets up to the other 364 days of the year, this is the story for you! It is written entirely in letters sent back and forth between a little girl and Saint Nick himself. Letter writing is a lost art form that I find truly endearing. I suppose emails do a good job of filling the void but there is still something so special about writing a letter to a loved one… and getting one back!
8. When Santa Was a Baby (Linda Bailey + Genevieve Godbout) - one word: adorable. This story tells us about Santa’s childhood and how he came to be the jolly guy we all adore. Kids love this one; they really enjoy the ‘sneak peek’ into Santa’s early years!
7. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree (Robert Barry) - there are so many lovely themes to pick up in this one: sharing, being resourceful, community, ripple effect, and of course, Christmas joy! The repetitive nature of this story makes it a fun one for kids - they love guessing what’s going to happen next (and being right about it!).
6. Home Alone (original story by John Hughes, illustrated by Kim Smith) - do I even have to write a blurb for this one? If you were around in the 90s, chances are you have a nostalgic, love-love relationship with Home Alone (but only the first two in the franchise, obvi). For me, this is the quintessential Christmas movie and now I can enjoy it in book format. Not to mention that the illustrations are SPOT ON. I love everything about this!
5. Red & Lulu (Matt Tavares) - a new one for 2017. The illustrations are stunning and the story is sweet. As my husband put it, "it's a bit touch and go" in some parts! Meaning our eyes welled and our hearts were caught in our throats a few times. You'll see what I mean when you read it. I love that this story takes place in New York City - it becomes a fun game of spot the landmark, and there's a neat little nugget of trivia about the Rockefeller Centre at the end of the book.
4. The Polar Express (Chris Van Allsburg) - a classic! A lovely story about the power of believing. I think the true theme of this book is lost on the really little ones - for them, Santa is reality! But nevertheless, it's a wonderful Christmas tale... and it has special significance for hubby's family so it'll always be a yearly repeat in our home. If you're reading this one in the classroom, it's fun to bring a special bell into the class as a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas.
3. Pick a Pine Tree (Patricia Toht) - I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but how can you not, with this one? Impossible. (Side note, I judge books by their covers ALL the time.) I knew as soon as I saw the cover, that a) had to have it and b) would love it. This is a story about all the loveliness that goes along with picking and trimming a tree—written in verse, and illustrated beautifully.
2. Olivia Helps with Christmas (Ian Falconer) - Olivia happens to be one of my favourite children’s book characters. She is totally sassy and under-cover funny. I also enjoy her mom, who is always very CCC (calm, cool, + collected). Anyway, as the title suggests, in this instalment of the Olivia series she helps with Christmas… try not giggling as she tries to untangle the lights. So sweet.
1. How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (Dr. Seuss) - ok, I know I said “in no particular order” but the truth is this one really is number one, in my eyes. I absolutely love this Christmas story. I love that the Whos are like super into Christmas, I love how sweet and innocent Cindy-Lou Who is and that even though she’s so young she makes a big impact, I love that the Grinch is mega grumpy but learns a great lesson (and grows his heart), but most of all I love the message in this book: “‘Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!’” (Seuss, 1957). Seuss nailed it with this one!
Do you love a Christmas book that I didn't mention? Please pass along the title, I'd love to give it a read! :)
