Christmas books for kids

[Preppingdonkey]

Any recommendations? We have a few (need to dig them out if the loft) but perhaps there are some gems I am missing.

What ages are the children?

Father Christmas needs a wee, the dinosaur that pooped Christmas and Aliens love Panta Claus were hits with my kids.
Despite been older (18&13) we still read Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. We have a beautifully illustrated version that I’ve had since eldest was a toddler.

• Jolly Christmas Postman - always fun
• The Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the birth of Jesus
• There are lovely “story orchestra” books and there’s a Nutcracker one which is very Christmassy
• Santa Claus by Raymond Briggs - bloomin Christmas, an absolute classic!

Depends a bit on ages but up to age 10, these might go down well:

Snow in the garden - it's a collection of Shirley Hughes winter/Christmas stories and poems

Holly and Ivy - it's a Christmas story and has lovely pictures

Raymond Briggs - Father Christmas

I also like reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe in the run up to Christmas

For younger children - Stickman by Julia Donaldson

Oh yes I agree with @LifeD1lemma that the story orchestra Nutcracker book is gorgeous and the sound quality is excellent compared to other books of this type

Another vote for the Jolly Christmas Postman ...... we didn't have it when my children were little but I bought myself a copy last year.

My children are 27 and 25........

"Letters From The North Pole", Annie Atkins is charming.
https://www.magiccatpublishing.co.uk/products/pre-order-letters-from-the-north-pole

7-10

Enid Blyton’s Christmas Stories

Shirley Hughes’ Christmas books are just the best

I’ve bought the new Christmas Faraway Tree book, but haven’t read it yet

The Jacqueline Wilson version of the faraway tree? It's awful. It's the worst book I've ever read. Nothing happens for pages and pages and then ridiculous long descriptions. She got the pace of the books completely wrong for the age group. All the DC want to hear is them going up the tree, rick being a little shit, something bad happening and them all coming home to Google buns. In the Jacqueline Wilson version this all takes 40 chapters rather than 2. It's deathly dull.

I'm reading my DC the Christmas pig again this year but looking for another similar type of longer book for them.

😂😂 maybe I’ll put that straight in the bin then!

In addition to classics already mentioned up thread:

The Grinch

The night I met Father Christmas by Ben Miller

Horrible histories Christmas

My favourites are the Jolly Christmas postman and The Christmas Pig, though the kids did laugh at me for crying when reading that one

Any thoughts for the 12+ age group?

We've done Christmasaurus, the girl who saved Christmas, and a few others along those lines recently... need a bit older vibe now!

It seems to get good reviews so maybe I'm just odd. Report back when you're a few chapters in and keep calling mia 'mya' because Milo and Mia are too similar.

Christmasurus and rest of series, Christmas Pig, Boy called Christmas, Girl who saved Christmas, the lost letters of Christmas , the great reindeer rescue.

The Christmas miracle of Jonathan Toomey
The best Christmas pageant

Christmas Dinner of Souls by Ross Montgomery is amazing for older kids. Piers Torday - There May Be A Castle is also excellent. A Night at the Frost Fair by Emma Carroll. Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens.

They might be a bit old, but as a child, I had a 'Night before Christmas' pop up book. I used to ask mum to read it over and over again and I absolutely loved it.

We have a beautiful pop out night before Christmas, Shirley Hughes, Mog, Dinosaur pooped, Jolly postman but lots on here I’ve not heard off. Thanks for all the suggestions.

I used to read the Father Christmas Letters by Tolkien with my DC. Lovely letters with great illustrations. I've used it as a teacher, too, and every class has loved it, particularly his grumpy polar bear.

I also had a fondness for King John, who wanted a big, red, India rubber ball. (Poem, AA Milne, from Now We Are Six).

For me, and not for my children, I always read A Christmas Carol, which is fairly obvious. But I also read Antonia Forest's End of Term. The nativity init is beautifully described.

I love this thread! The story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden is my absolute favourite. As a child and still as an adult. I cry every time at the end when I read it to DD.

The 7 year old might still like robin robin & the netflix adaptation. We liked The Christmas Carrolls last year for this age group, it was a blue peter book club pick last year.

Which version do you have please, I too would like a lovely version but there’s so many to choose from

Which version do you have of night before Christmas please, I too would like a lovely version but there’s so many to choose from

The Empty Stocking by Richard Curtis is such a lovely Christmas book.