31 Books to Read this December
I love changing out our picture books with the seasons or to celebrate an upcoming holiday. Every December, my kids look forward to our Christmas Book Advent, where I wrap up 24 books and each day starting on December 1, we unwrap one of our holiday favorites to read. You can read more about starting your own Christmas Book Advent here.
In this post, I have complied a list of 31 books to read this December! Most of these are favorites that we read year-after-year and a few are new ones that we have added to collection this year. You can find all of the books listed below, along with a few other favorites to read this season in my Amazon Storefront here.
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How Winston Delivered Christmas
I am so excited to read How Winston Delivered Christmas: An Advent Story in Twenty-Four-and-a-Half Chapters by Alex T. Smith as a countdown to Christmas this year! The book is organized as 24.5 chapters and you read one chapter a day starting on December 1. The story follows a mouse named Winston as he tries to deliver a lost letter to Santa.
If you enjoyed this book, you can also check out the sequel “How Winston Came Home for Christmas“.
A World of Cookies for Santa
A World of Cookies for Santa by M.E. Furman takes the reader around the world to learn about traditions and different treats that are left out for Santa. A favorite part of this book is that it includes recipes to many of the treats mentioned in the story. I love reading this book early in December, so we can pick out a few cookies to bake together!
Red & Lulu
Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares is a favorite read this time of year! It follows a pair of cardinals, Red and Lulu, who make a nest in an evergreen tree. Suddenly, Red and Lulu find themselves seperated and it takes a miracle for them to be reunited.
Dasher
Another Christmas favorite that is by the same author as Red & Lulu is Dasher by Matt Tavares. The story follows a little doe, Dasher, who longs to live in the snow. One day she helps a man in a red suit and all of her Christmas dreams come true.
The Sweet Smell of Christmas
My kids love interactive books and The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry is definitely a favorite for the season! This book is a scratch and sniff story with six smells, including apple pie, gingerbread, candy cane and more festive favorites!
The Christmas Owl
The Christmas Owl by Ellen Kalish & Gideon Sterer is based on a true story about a little owl who was found in the Rockefeller Christmas tree.
A Stray Dog for Christmas
A Stray Dog for Christmas: How Suzy was Adopted by Jack Jokinen is a heartwarming Christmas about how a young stray dog finds a family during the holiday season. This is another story based on true events.
Pick a Pine Tree
The rhyming text of Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht is a favorite for the season. This book highlights different Christmas traditions like going to pick out the perfect Christmas tree, hanging ornaments and laying a tree skirt with a train around the tree. I love reading this book around the time we decorate our Christmas tree.
The Tree That’s Meant To Be
We love the beautiful illustrations by Yuval Zommer and The Tree That’s Meant To Be by Yuval Zommer is a perfect read for the holiday season. In this story, the forest animals gather around a lonely fir tree to celebrate the season and the true meaning of Christmas.
Little Christmas Tree
The book Little Christmas Tree follows the life cycle of a fir tree – starting as a tiny pine cone and growing into a tree that is decorated at Christmas time. We love this series of rhyming nature books that tell stories of different life cycles. This one is a fun one to read at Christmas time.
Cocoa’s Cranky Christmas
Cocoa’s Cranky Christmas illustrated by Beth Hughes is the perfect interactive book for toddlers and preschoolers. Each pages instructs you to do something like clap, sing or make a silly face to try to cheer Cocoa up before Christmas.
Construction Site: Merry and Bright
The Construction Site book series is a favorite in our house. In Construction Site: Merry and Bright by Sherri Duskey Rinker and AG Ford it is Christmas Eve and through the book’s rhyming text, we visit each truck on the construction site to see what they are bringing to the celebration. The board book style and interactive lift-the-flaps are fun for younger kids!
Santa’s Story
In Santa’s Story by Will Hillenbrand, Santa is ready to leave on Christmas Eve, but he cannot find his reindeer. Santa eventually remembers their annual tradition- reading a Christmas story together. It isn’t until Santa and his reindeer finish the story that they are all ready to head out on Christmas Eve.
Little Red Sleigh
In Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger, Little Red Sleigh has a big dream of becoming Santa’s sleigh. Little Red is determined to make the impossible happen in this book full of Christmas magic!
The Little Reindeer
In The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen, Ollie is fast asleep dreaming when she hears a “jingle, jingle, jingle”. She follows the sound and is pleasantly surprised at what she discovers.
Christmas is Joy
Christmas is Joy by Emma Dodd is a simple story that emphasizes the true meaning of the holiday season. The illustrations are as beautiful as the story, with silvery metallic details in the illustrations.
The Animal’s Santa
We love the beautiful illustrations of books by Jan Brett. She wrote some of our favorite winter books and a some of our Christmas favorites! In The Animal’s Santa by Jan Brett, all of the forest animals tell a little hare about Santa. The hare wonders if the animals are joking since no one has seen this Santa. By the end the hare discovers who the real Santa is.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett is another beautifully illustrated book. In this classic Christmas tale, a child is in charge of training the reindeer in time for their big trip on Christmas Eve.
Gingerbread Baby
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett is a fun twist on the classic story. When Matti opens the oven too soon, a gingerbread baby jumps out and leads Matti’s mother, father and others on a chase. But Matti stays back working on the only thing he know will capture the Gingerbread Baby! This book is perfect to read at the holiday time and there are actually 3 books in the series that all feature the Gingerbread Baby.
Gingerbread Friends
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett is the second Gingerbread Baby book in the series. While this story isn’t specifically about Christmas, we love reading all three books during the holiday time. Gingerbread Baby tries to make friends at the bakery, but it isn’t until he arrives home and sees the surprise Matti has waiting for him that he finds friends.
Gingerbread Christmas
In Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett, Gingerbread Baby and Matti bring a gingerbread band to the Christmas Festival. When the audience smells the delicious gingerbread they become hungry! Matti hides the gingerbread band as the Gingerbread Baby leads the audience on a chase, until he finds the perfect hiding spot – a giant pop-put Christmas tree!
This is the Stable
This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten is a retelling of the Nativity Story with lovely rhythmic text and beautiful illustrations.
Silent Night
Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne is another Nativity Story that is delightfully illustrated based on the best-loved carol “Silent Night”.
12 Days of Christmas
12 Days of Christmas by Lara Hawthorne is the second book in “The Christmas Choir” series (the first book is “Silent Night”). This is a beautifully illustrated book based on the Christmas poem “12 Days of Christmas”.
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle is an interactive version of The Nutcracker. Throughout the book, you press the buttons to hear 10 excepts of music from the ballet.
Lucy & Tom at Christmas
Lucy & Tom at Christmas by Shirley Hughes is a classic story that follows Lucy and Tom as they get ready for holiday traditions and celebrations!
The Legend of the Poinsettia
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola is a beautifully written and illustrated story that retells the Mexican legend of how the poinsettia came to be. It’s a lovely story that emphasizes the true meaning of Christmas.
‘Twas Nochebuena
In ‘Twas Nochebuena: A Christmas Story in English and Spanish by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, the reader follows a family on Christmas Eve as they celebrate Nochebuena. The book is written in English with some Spanish words throughout the story.
The Shortest Day
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper is a story about a different type of winter celebration – the winter solstice. We usually read this story on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg is a Christmas classic that we enjoy reading on Christmas Eve every year.
The Night Before Christmas
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore is another timeless Christmas tale. I love the modern illustrations in this version with pictures by Loren Long is another Christmas classic story. Another favorite version of this classic story is The Night Before Christmas with illustrations by Jan Brett.