A short time before Halloween, my niece, Kelly’s friend asked if I had a list of Halloween titles appropriate for preschoolers. I created one, and both she and my niece were delighted. In fact, Whitney liked it so much she asked if I had a list of preschool Christmas titles! My reply was “no”, but I promised to compile one before Christmas, and here it is! It may seem a little early to be talking about Christmas books, but if you want to have the chance to get these at your library, now is the time to put them on hold! Of course, you may also find some you’ll want to add to your family’s library, so I’ve included links to the Good Reads summary to help you do that.

Please know many of these titles are fun for all ages, not just preschool. In fact, I’ll have most of these on my coffee table for the entire month of December! And there are so many more titles which I love. I just didn’t want to exhaust you with a crazy, long post! I hope you find some stories which become family classics you’ll look forward to sharing year after year.

What are your family favorites? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

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Snow Bunny’s Christmas Wish

By Rebecca Harry

Oh, this is such a sweet story about friendship, kindness, Santa and of course a bunny. (This is chosen especially for my nephew, Zeke!)

The Christmas Baby

By Marion Dane Bauer; illustrated by Richard Cowdrey

These delightful illustrations describe the animals’ and angels’ celebration on the night Christ was born,

Twas the Evening of christmas

By Glenys Nellist; illustrated by Elena Selivanova

Oh how I wish we had this beautiful book to read on Christmas Eve when my boys were growing up! This is the story of the first Christmas, but it is told in the pattern of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which makes it a perfect companion to the traditional book. (more)

santa’s story

By Will Hillenbrand

Does your family share The Night Before Christmas every year? Well, Santa and his reindeer ALSO share that much loved tradition. All goes well until Santa forgets! The cozy illustrations allow us to witness the reindeer antics and Santa’s puzzlement and add so much to this delightful story.

when it snows

By Richard Collingridge

Magic happens when snow covers the ground and a little boy and his teddy bear follow footsteps into a wondrous, glowing world. The luminous illustrations help you imagine the magical night that all began with a story.

Construction Site on Christmas Night

By Sherri Duskey Rinker and Ag Ford

Playful, rhyming text tell us the story of the five construction trucks who work all night long on Christmas to create a a very special project. Happily their hard work is rewarded when each receives a thoughtful gift.

Room for a Little One

By Martin Waddell; illustrated by Jason Cockcroft

It’s a cold winter’s night in the stable and so many stray critters are looking for a warm, safe place to rest. One by one they arrive and one by one they hear, “There’s always room for a little one here.”  This includes a tired donkey carrying a weary woman and a very cold man.

Harvey Slumfenburger’s christmas present

By John Burningham

I’ve read this special story to children of all ages for many, many years. I’ve given copy after copy as gifts. It tells the story of Santa forgetting to deliver one gift to one little boy and Santa’s determination, kindness and selflessness as he tries his best to fulfill his promise.

arthur’s perfect christmas

By Marc Brown

This has to be one of my favorites! Arthur wants everything to be perfect this year – the snow, the tree and the turkey, but he’s not sure this is possible. His friends all have different traditions and and different ideas of what makes a perfect celebration. This story is about thoughtfulness, traditions and learning friends and family are what truly make a perfect Christmas.

the wild christmas reindeer

By Jan Brett

This Jan Brett classic leads us on a countdown to Christmas as a little girl helps Santa get the reindeer ready to fly. What’s so memorable about Ms. Brett’s books are the enchanting and detailed illustrations which border each page. There’s a lot of text in this story, but the pictures tell us so much. You’ll have a great time creating your own story about what Teeka discovered about kindness.

the berenstain bears’ christmas tree

By Stan and Jan Berenstain

Papa Bear is determined to find the most perfect Christmas tree in the forest, but he and Brother and Sister Bear experience one crazy adventure after another before they find the true meaning of Christmas.

the animal’s merry christmas

By Richard Scarry

Unfortunately, this gem is out of print, but if you’re lucky you’ll find a used copy online. This was a must read every Christmas when my boys were small. The stories are short and full of love and fun. You won’t want to miss it!

 

 

Dasher

By Matt Tavares

 The gorgeous, dreamy illustrations in Dasher will first capture your attention and then the story will delight you.

This enchanting story is sure to become a family Christmas favorite you will look forward to bringing out each year. It’s one for young and old alike; for anyone who would like a little bit of magic in their lives. I know it’s going to be added to my holiday book collection!

the polar express   

By Chris Van Allsburg
I’m certain you all know the movie, but do you know the book, The Polar Express? Chris Van Allsburg’s glowing, dreamy illustrations bring this favorite story to life. I hope you’ll share this with your family and consider it as a part of your family’s holiday book collection. Even if you just own a few, this needs to be one of them!

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Watch for the annual post of my

favorite reads of the year

coming soon!

 

 

As I was working out on this snowy, cold morning, I realized that Christmas Eve is just a week away! I love all of the lights, the music and the special times with friends and family. I plan to savor every moment! I hope that you find some quiet time to cuddle with your kids under a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and your favorite Christmas story. Maybe you’ll even find a new favorite story in these Kids’ Books to Remember. Those are the holiday moments you’ll always cherish!

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

Charlie and the Chocolate Family by Roald Dahl

The Tough Winter by Robert Lawson

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture books

Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant

Santa’s Favorite Story: Santa Tells the Story of the First Christmas by Hisako Aoki

Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter books

Lulu and the Brontosaurus Judith Viorst

Rules by Cynthia Lord

The Last Christmas Concert by Andrew Clements

links for mom and dad

10 series to read after Harry Potter

a gift guide for the girl with gumption

book gift ideas for reluctant readers: ages 6 – 12

top 50 building toys for mighty girls

This is my last post of the year. I wish you all a very warm, peaceful and memorable holiday season with your families and friends. I will be back in January!

 posts you may have missed on red canoe reader

14 Books to Help your Child by More Compassionate

Kids’ Biographies

Our Pilgramage to the Eric Carle Museum

 

 

 

Happy Monday! December weekends can be so busy, but I hope you’ve found some time to curl up with your kiddos and share some books, along with a cup of hot chocolate! This week, I thought I’d include some of my favorite Christmas books in the latest edition of my “Kids’ Books to Remember” post. Of course, there are more published every year, and many are wonderful, but I haven’t found any that I like better than these!

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

On Christmas Eve by Ann M. Martin. Tess truly believes in magic and that includes Santa Claus. And she has a secret. She’s going to meet him at midnight on Christmas Eve and thank him for all of the special gifts he has given her through the years. Her 6th grade sister cautions her that this can’t happen, but it must, because Tess has a very special Christmas wish. She wants Santa to help her best friend’s dad get well. This is a story about wishes, dreams, hope and friendship that gives you a warm and cozy feeling. You’ll want to make it a family read aloud, if your little ones are a bit older. It turns out that Tess does get to meet Santa at midnight, and also has the opportunity to experience some special magic with her dog Sadie. After reading this, I may need to stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve with my greyhound, Brandy, and be a part of that magic!

 The True Gift by Patricia MacLachlan. This is a lovely small chapter book about Lily and Liam who are spending Christmas with their grandparents. It’s a story about compassion, community and kindness that you won’t want to miss.

 The Animals’ Merry Christmas by Kathryn Jackson and illustrated by Richard Scary. I read these stories to my boys many years ago and I’m delighted to see that it has been reissued! This favorite includes 21 stories that will soon become family favorites, along with Richard Scary’s colorful and endearing illustrations.

kids’ books to remember: picture books

Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco. This poignant tale tells about a miracle that happens one Christmas Eve involving an elderly Jewish woman, a lonely man and the pastor’s family. This is best for older children, because the story briefly mentions the Nazis and how people were sent to concentration camps. However, the kindness and love in the story overshadow that and describe a miracle. It is based upon two homilies that Ms. Polacco heard in the 60’s and the 90’s and were told as true stories. This is a memorable book you’ll want to share with your entire family.

When it Snows by Richard Collingridge. The gentle, dream like illustrations in this book help the reader to follow the little boy and his teddy bear on a wondrous journey that leads to a surprising destination.

Harvey Slumfenburger’s Christmas Present by John Burningham. This story tells about Santa’s kindness and thoughtfulness as he tries his best to deliver a forgotten gift to a child in need.

Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco. This tale tells the story of Welcome Comfort, a foster child who has been moved from home to home. However, after he is befriended by the school custodian, his life changes forever because he becomes part of a family. There is a lot of wonder in this story, which will make you want to have an extra snuggle with your little ones.

kids’ books to remember: chapter books

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.

The Tale of Rescue by Michael J. Rosen.

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson.

links for mom and dad

20 Profoundly Important Things We Learned from Winnie the Pooh

A Talk with frindle Author, Andrew Clements

how to make your perfect little worrier smile 

What are some of your favorite holiday books? Please share in the comments!

 

The Stranger

By Chris Van Allsburg

Houghton Mifflin Company

1986

AR 3.7, Lexile 640

The Widow’s Broom

By Chris Van Allsburg

Houghton Mifflin Company

1992

AR 4.7, Lexile 810

Today my husband and I went on a hike at our local arboretum. We love to go there every October to wander the trails and take pictures of the amazing trees. However, a few years ago after we waited 45 minutes on a weekend just to get through the gate and then more time searching for a parking space, we told ourselves that perhaps we would skip our fall hikes at the arboretum until we retired. We reassured ourselves that we would continue to go there throughout the year for the trails and the peacefulness which leads one to believe that you’re really out in the country, just not in October. Well this year is different! One of the perks of being retired is that we can go to the arboretum during the week! It was amazing. It was so peaceful. We were both taking pictures and constantly remarking about the beauty in the forests. I was thankful to be outside and to spend time with my husband in the midst of the splendor of the trees. I was thinking, maybe this retirement idea might work after all (I’ve had my doubts)!

As we hiked, I began to think of the books I most loved sharing with my classes in October. With less than one week remaining until Halloween I thought of my definite favorite, The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg. I’m sure you’re familiar with some of Van Allsburg’s other books, such as The Polar Express and Jumangi (both Caldecott winners), but he has written many other picture books as well. His books have amazing illustrations, as well as mysterious and intriguing stories. They sometimes have black and white charcoal pencil illustrations, but other times the illustrations are pastels. When asked why this is, Mr. Van Allsburg explains in his online biography (http://hmhbooks.com/chrisvanallsburg/faqs.html) that he always imagines all of his stories before he begins and sometimes the pictures are black and white and other times color. He’s not certain why this is, but this is how he works!

In The Stranger Farmer Bailey hits a man with his car and then takes him home to recuperate. The farmer’s family becomes very fond of the stranger, as his stay stretches into weeks, because the stranger has no idea who he is or where he came from. At the same time, Farmer Bailey realizes that fall is not arriving as it should. It had begun to come, but now it seems like summer. Chris Van Allsburg skims back and forth across the lines of reality and fiction, as the mysterious events continue. His illustrations almost come alive, although the story is a fantasy. These draw the reader into the story and lead to many questions. For example,  Why is the doctor’s thermometer stuck on zero? Why do the rabbits run toward the stranger, rather than away from him? Why are the farm trees green when the surrounding trees have turned orange?

I also loved to share Van Allsburg’s The Widows Broom. It is another mysterious story perfect for Halloween. In this story, a witch’s broom loses the power to fly, so it is abandoned in a widow’s field. The widow retrieves it and brings it into her home. The next day she is amazed to awaken and see the broom sweeping her floors and helping with many other chores. She even plays the piano for the widow during the long evenings. However, her neighbors are very suspicious of the broom and its intentions. This leads to a great ending with a wonderful twist.

I encourage you to explore all of Chris Van Allsburg’s books. Although they are picture books, children of all ages, as well as adults will be fascinated by his stories and amazed at the illustrations. Be sure, too, to visit his website, http://hmhbooks.com/chrisvanallsburg/index.html. And learn why Chris Van Allsburg says:

“The idea of the extraordinary happening in the context

of the ordinary is what’s fascinating to me.” Chris Van Allsburg