Lesser Known Christmas Books (for kids), That Are Worth Knowing

[ScrabbledLeggsAndToes]

What would you recommend?

[Takver]

Not sure if it counts as less known, but The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumer Godden

[ProveMeWrong]

Santa needs a Wee is good for the little ones.
Stick Man by Julia Donaldson is actually a christmas one when you read to the end! Again for littlies.
What age kids?

[LadyPeterWimsey]

For primary-aged kids - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. American, very funny, very sweet.

[overthemill]

We read 'the Father Christmas letters' each year, one a night. Beautiful handwritten letters from Father Christmas and the polar Bear to the son of JRR Tolkein. Lovely little tales and amazing drawings too. Really lovely and a great tradition. The edition we have has all the letters in envelopes that you take out and read. I love it and our 3 kids will fight over who inherits the book!

[queenrollo]

I still have my copy of Mole Family Christmas from when I was small. A quick look on amazon shows you can get it second hand cheap enough.

[Spookgremlin]

Ooh, loved Holly and Ivy when I was small. I had it on cassette, and recently told it as a bedtime story to my little ds from memory and he enjoyed it too.

I recommended this on another thread but Mr. Willoughby's Christmas tree is lovely and also Lucy and Tom's Christmas too. Hard to get hold of that one though, I don't have it myself

[Honsandrevels]

Ernest and Celestine is Christmassy. I've had it since I was a child.

[dumdedah]

Santa Calls by William Joyce. Bought it last year, love it!
Think I bought it (new) from an ebay seller though as Amazon didn't stock it.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

The Worst Kids in The World by Barbara Robinson

[Whyamihere]

Michael Morpurgo's 'The Best Christmas Present in the World', it's about world war 1 and probably depends on the age of the child, I read it last year to dd who was 9 at the time and we were both in floods of tears by the end of it - it is sad so may not be totally appropriate as a jolly Christmas read, but it a beautiful book worth reading.

[feetheart]

'The Fourth King' by Ted Sieger. Lovely picture book that we found by accident and is now part of our Christmas.

[JumpJockey]

Dick Bruna's Christmas story is very sweet for pre-school age, the text is written in very simple words and the images are in the style of Miffy.

[AmeliaPeabody]

Hobberdy Dick by K.M. Briggs. Set in the 17th century, involving puritans, folklore and house spirits.

The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston, for the lovely Christmas, and Pagan influenced, chapters.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton.

I love Hobberdy Dick so much.

[AmeliaPeabody]

I've heard of Thirteen Days of Christmas but never read! I might have a look for it now.

[IreneR]

Absolutely love Shirley Hughes's "Lucy and Tom's Christmas." It was top of my shopping list for our long stay in Edinburgh: thanks ebay.co.uk!

I also always like to recommend "A Christmas Like Helen's" which describes Christmas in New England at the turn of the last century. Nice illustrations, lovely atmosphere ... and a learning opportunity!

[Biggles398]

The Jolly Christmas Postman, without fail! Wonderful illustrations, quizzes, little envelopes etc!

[temporaryusername]

Christmas at Blackberry Farm
Something for Christmas by Palmer Brown
Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
The Story of the Snow Children
Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas
Josephine's Christmas Party (out of print but lovely for little children who love their toys)
Brambly Hedge Winter Story
The Dolls' Christmas Party (not read this but it looks good)

Not all lesser known, sorry.

[SanityClause]

My DC once got a book from the library called Little Robin Red Vest, a little robin who gives away his vests to those more in need than himself.

I couldn't read it without blubbing though that's not unusual for me.

[misscph1973]

Tosca's Christmas, a beautiful picture book of Christmas throug the eyes of a cat.

[temporaryusername]

Robin Finds Christmas by Molly Brett

Going to check out some of the suggestions on here .

[BicycleGasoline]

For older children The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder (the author of Sophie's World) is lovely. It's in chapters designed to be read on each day of advent.

[AmeliaPeabody]

We have the Story of the Snow Children. The illustrations are lovely.

Reminds me of

Peter and Lotta's Christmas - Elsa Beskow
Ollie's Ski Trip - E. Beskow, this is more about ice and snow and King Winter, but very suitable for the season I think

[AcheyJakey]

I'm going to look all of these up!!