Reading to your children can improve language skills, support imagination, and cultivate a lifelong love of reading.
I love to read to my children, and this time of year is the perfect opportunity to pull out some of my old favorites and introduce them to some new books.
Here is a list of some of our favorite December reads:
Classics From My Childhood
I love sharing my childhood favorites with my kids and I’m often surprised how they stand the test of time.
Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans
Brave little Madeline cares for everyone in the old house covered in vines as they are sick in bed with the flu. She meets a magician who brings magic to the twelve little girls.
I loved Madeline when I was a girl, so when I saw this book last month, I knew I needed to get it and share it with my children.
Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear by Stan and Jan Berenstain
These books always teach a good lesson and this one is no different. Brother and Sister Bear learn the importance of giving to others.
The Berenstain Bears was another favorite of mine as a child and my children love these books too.
Twists On “The Night Before Christmas”
We read The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve, but here are some fun alternatives to read to your children.
“Twas the Night Before Christmas on Sesame Street
Cookie Monsters has eaten all the cookies he made for Santa, but his Sesame Street friends come together to help Cookie Monster fix his mistake.
The Night Before the Night Before Christmas by Natasha Wing
Most families have been there– a few days before Christmas with so much to do and no time to do it. This is the story about a family heading towards the worst Christmas ever. They learn all the things they thought needed to be perfect don’t matter as much the people they share the holiday with.
Kid’s Favorite Characters
When my kids see their favorite characters on Christmas books, we have to buy them. Here are some of their favorites.
Pete the Cat’s 12 Groovy Days of Christmas by Kimberly and James Dean
Pete the Cat gives us a new take on the 12 Days of Christmas. Kids all love his groovy style, and this book doesn’t disappoint. We’ve sang along with this book every night since Thanksgiving and each rendition gets groovier.
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
Llama Llama becomes overwhelmed by all the excitement and waiting that surrounds the holiday season. He and his momma take time out to reflect on the most important things about the holiday season—being together.
Llama Llama books are big in our house. These stories have a lot of heart and my kids learned to rhyme with the help of these.
Bluey: Christmas Eve with Veranda Santa
If you have a small child, you probably know Bluey. In this story, Bluey and her family play a fun game of Santa while they wait for the real Santa to visit. Bluey learns a valuable lesson about forgiveness.
This is probably the second most read book in our house right now. The kids love my horrible attempt at their Australian accents.
Other Christmas Favorites
Merry Christmas Stinky Face Lisa McCourt
All kids go through that stage where they come up with every crazy scenario imaginable and question everything. The child in this book questions everything about the holidays and his mom has all the answers.
My kids love the Stinky Face books, and I can totally relate to this mom.
Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
A little doggie named Olive hears Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and mistakes “All of the other reindeer” for “Olive, the other reindeer”. She believes she must be a reindeer and reports to the North Pole to help Santa. Like in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Olive must help Santa with her unique gifts.
Other Winter Favorites
If Christmas books aren’t for you, I have two of our winter favorites.
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro
This follows the tune of There Was an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly. The things she decided to swallow gets crazier and crazier and my kids love the funny ending.
Little Red Gliding Hood by Tara Lazar
Little Red Gliding Hood follows Little Red on her journey to find a staking partner for a competition so she can replace her old, worn ice skates. When she meets with the Big Bad Wolf, she learns a lesson about not judging a book by its cover. This book also includes all our favorite nursery rhyme characters.
Please share your kids’ favorite books, so we can add them to our collection.
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