The Best Christmas Books For Kids

The Best Christmas Books For Kids

(Adults Too!)

The Night Before Christmas - The Polar Express - Santa Calls

Santa Mouse and the Rat Deer - Shhh! - Hurry, Santa!

Father Christmas - The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale

The Night Before Christmas

written by Clement C. Moore

illustrated by Jan Brett

original copyright (illustrations) 1998

recommended age level - all ages

Hard Cover

Whose tiny faces are peeking out from Santa's golden sleigh? Yikes! It's two of Santa's elves who are Christmas Eve stowaways. Beloved illustrator Jan Brett's version of The Night Before Christmas lets these two mischievous elves add their rambunctious spirit to this familiar 1823 rhyming story. Here, Santa and his reindeer land on the snowy roof of a Victorian mansion in New England. While Santa delivers the toys inside, the elves and the reindeer frolic around the lawn, as a pig (earmarked for a girl named Jan) and a few alphabet blocks spill out of sacks into the snow. Santa swiftly reins in the mischief-makers and "away they all flew like the down on a thistle." Brett's richly illustrated borders are lavishly decorated with antique toys, ornaments, and sweet treats, all surrounded with twisting golden ribbons. They also give us a window on the mansion's inhabitants, including the children watching Santa's departure in awe. A sugarplum of a Christmas story, just right for a reading before "a long winter's nap.

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The Polar Express

written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg

recommended age level - 4-8

Hard Cover

One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. The Polar Express rings with vitality and wonder.

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Santa Calls

written and illustrated by William Joyce

recommended age level - 4-8

Hard Cover

Board Book

Gather round for an Extraordinary Adventure, circa Christmas 1908, Abilene, Texas. The players are a boy named Art (devoted to "the making of inventions, the quest for adventure, and the fighting and smashing of crime"); his best friend, a Comanche boy named Spaulding; and Art's scorned little sister, Esther. One dusty December day, they find a huge wooden crate accompanied by a note that says, "Open the box. Assemble the contents. Come NORTH. Yours, S.C." The next thing you know, the intrepid trio sets off for the North Pole in the freshly assembled Yuletide Flyer, at Santa's cryptic request. Let the swashbuckling adventure begin! Santa's home is the glittering metropolis of
Toyland, described as "the best of the old, the best of the new, and the best that is yet to be." But what's this? Dark Elves and their evil Queen? No one bargained for danger in the North Pole. After a dashing display of heroic and ingenious maneuvering, however, the three children are delivered back home in time for Christmas. But why did Santa call in the first place? He tells them, "Some secrets are best left unsolved." The real secret of this rollicking Christmas tale lies in two facsimile letters attached at the end of the book--Esther's touching note to Santa and his reply. Beloved illustrator William Joyce, creator of George Shrinks and Dinosaur Bob, has managed an unusual feat: an original Christmas story, breathtaking artwork, and adventure tale all rolled into one. (Ages 5 to 9)

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Santa Mouse and the Rat Deer

written and illustrated by Thacher Hurd

recommended age level - preschool, 4-8

Hard Cover

"On Blunder! On Basher! On Lousy and Loopy and Bugsy and Twizzlebum!"

It's a stormy night before Christmas at the Mouse North Pole, and Santa Mouse isn't having an easy time--his socks are missing, his boots won't fit right, and Santa hasn't had a chance to repair his sleigh. But worst of all, his ratdeer are in a grouchy mood.
When Santa's sleigh crashed into a snowbank in the middle o the woods--and his ratdeer march of--everyone seems about ready to give up. Everyone, that is, except for a little mouse named Rosie, who, with a few cookies, hot chocolate, and a lot of Christmas cheer, gets Santa and his ratdeer back on course!

Where are Santa Mouse's socks? And what happened to his map? On the night before Christmas, all is "not" well at the Mouse North Pole. Even Santa Mouse's reindeer are in a grumpy mood. What more can possibly go wrong on this dreadful Christmas Eve?

Full color.

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Shhh!

written by Julie Sykes

illustrated by Tim Warnes

recommended age level - preschool, 4-8

Hard Cover

It's Christmas Eve and Santa's feeling jolly. But he is so excited about his favorite night of the year that he is having trouble being quiet. "Shhh, Santa," whisper his friends. 'Don't wake the children!" "Of course, I won't," Santa replies. Will he be able to deliver his toys to the children without wakingthem up?

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Hurry, Santa!

written by Julie Sykes

illustrated by Tim Warnes

recommended age level - preschool, 4-8

Hard Cover

The alarm doesn't go off, and Santa wakes up late for his very important date. The rest
of the day is nothing but rush, rush, rush: first it's jumping into his clothes and rounding up the reindeer (not all of whom can be found), then it's getting stuck in a snowdrift and trying to play catch-up the whole trip. Santa does manage to finish his appointed rounds, and thinks he has delivered all the presents until he finds one left in the bag. Happily, it's for him, and it's just what he needs--an alarm clock! Little kids who themselves are often being rushed from place to place will appreciate Santa's hectic evening. The just-bordering-on-cartoon artwork is delightful. Warnes mixes the right amount of frenetic energy and laughs into watercolor-and-pen art that attracts attention with its brights colors and cute characterizations. Great for holiday story hours.

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Father Christmas

written and illustrated by Raymond Briggs

recommended age level - older kids and adults

Hard Cover

Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman, tells a magical Christmas story that will appeal to everyone who wants to believe in Santa Claus. Meet Father Christmas: a very human gift-giver with a tough job to do. You'll find out that he sometimes gets a little grumpy living at the icy North Pole and squeezing down chimneys, but he more than makes up for it in heart and humor. Raymond Briggs brings this endearing character to life in over 100 wonderfully illustrated vignettes that follow the adventures of Father Christmas on his big night of the year. Blooming Father Christmas is here again! In 1973, Raymond Briggs surprised the world with a new, human Father Christmas. Now, this classic picture book comes home to Random House to keep Briggs' other titles, including Jim & the Beanstalk, The Man, and The Snowman, company. Young readers will be amazed (and highly amused!) at how much Briggs' Father C. is like "regular" people.

From the Back Cover
"...one of the most irrestibile yuletide books to appear in many years."--The Horn Book

About the Author
Raymond Briggs was born in London in 1934. At the age of 15, he went to Wimbeldon Art School to learn how to draw, as he wanted to become a cartoonist. But there he was told that cartooning was not a profession for gentlemen and that he ought to be a painter. Raymond then went on to the Slade School in London to study painting as a full-time student. During his spare time, he began work on a portfolio of illustrations of all kinds, including jackets and a wide selection of drawings to take to publishers. After illustrating for advertising, newspapers and books, Raymond discovered that book illustration inspired him the most, since it offered far greater variety and freedom than
anything else. Raymond has always found it unfavorable to sustain a consistent illustration style for a long period of time. He is always seeking to try something else new and different with his work.

Some of Raymond's best known works are The Snowman , The Man , and The Bear . The
setting for The Snowman is based on Raymond's own house and garden, which is in Sussex, England at the foot of South Downs, a few miles from Brighton.

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The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale

retold by Aaron Shepard

illustrated by Wendy Edelson

recommended age level - preschool, 4-8

Library Binding

A particularly nice holiday story accented by paintings full of detail. Based on a folktale from the colonial period, this tells of a baker named Van Amsterdam, who, though honest, is not exactly generous. When an old woman comes to his shop for gingerbread cookies made in the shape of Saint Nicholas, she asks for a baker's dozen of 13. Van Amsterdam insists that a dozen consists of 12. After that, his cookies seem bewitched: they burn or taste awful. Only after Saint Nicholas comes to him in a dream does he realize that being honest doesn't preclude being open-handed. Well paced and a good length for groups or individuals, this is right on target for audiences. Edelson's artwork is filled with marvelously alive characters who almost step from the pages. Reminiscent of Jan Brett's work, at least in their detail, the pictures are the sort kids will enjoy looking at for many holidays to come.

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More Christmas Books For Kids