Christmas and Other Winter Holiday Children’s Book Recommendations–2023 are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
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Our Italian Christmas Eve
by Danielle Sedita (Author), Francesco Sedita (Author), Luciano Lozano (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Danielle and Francesco tell how their family celebrates the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve at their Aunt Babe’s, where there is a house full of relatives and food. The two realize they must make cheesecake to have enough desserts for the feast.
Comments: What an incredible celebratory story with detailed and humorous illustrations
I was getting hungry reading this book, wanting to taste all these yummy Italian foods.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Otto The Ornament
by Troy Cummings (Author)
Brief summary: Christmas ornament, Otto believes he is too shiny and unique to be in the middle of the tree and looks for one where he can be on the top. Will he realize where he perfectly fits in?
Comments: I knew I would like this book when I saw that the C.I.P. is shaped like a Christmas tree.
Troy Cummings visited our school district and did a superb job! His patience with our students and presentations were top-notch.
Rating: 4.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Hanukkah Upside Down
by Elissa Brent Weissman (Author), Omer Hoffmann (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Noah lives in New York, where it is winter, while his cousin Nora lives in New Zealand, where it is summer. They challenge one another to see who can have the best eight days of Hanukkah.
Comments: Young readers will have Hanukkah vocabulary and learn how people far away from one another can celebrate the same holiday in their own unique traditions.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!
by Mo Willems (Author)
Brief summary: As soon as Santa leaves, Pigeon wants to drive the sleigh, trying to persuade us how it would be a great idea.
Comments: This is done in the humorous pigeon series style of trying to get the reader to agree with the pigeon’s idea.
Rating: 3/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Snowmen’s Twelve Nights of Christmas
by Caralyn Buehner (Author), Mark Buehner (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A dog chases different creatures up a pine tree for twelve nights before Christmas in this Twelve Days Of Christmas Carol parody.
Comments: This cumulative story has bright and happy illustrations that any little one would love to have read to them several times.
This husband and wife duo has other Snowmen-themed books such as Snowmen at Night, Snowmen at Play, and Snowmen at Christmas.
Rating: 3/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Twelve Hours of Christmas
by Jenn Bailey (Author), Bea Jackson (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This Twelve Days of Christmas Carol parody is about a large family gathering twelve hours before Christmas.
Comments: This is a lovely picture book of a family with a nana and grandpa, cousins, aunties, and uncles visiting to celebrate the holiday together.
I was looking forward to each hour to see what would happen next.
The illustrations convey the happiness and love of the family. Be sure to spot the hidden kitten throughout the picture book.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
La Noche Before Three Kings Day
by Sheila ColĂłn-Bagley (Author), Alejandro Mesa (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A family celebrates Three Kings Day by decorating shoeboxes, having a large family meal, and dancing to music. The extended family goes home, and the children go to bed. The little girl peeks out of her window at midnight and sees the three kings with camels fill their boxes left by the door with gifts, candy, and coins.
Comments: This book is sprinkled with Spanish words, so I was thankful for the pronunciation box and glossary. The illustrations are festive and bright. The author does explain in the back of the book how she celebrates Three Kings Day on January 6th.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
A Creature Was Stirring
by Heather S. Pierczynski (Author), Skylar Hogan (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A mouse debunks the T’was the Night Before Christmas poem’s line of “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse” by being too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve and full of endless energy.
Comments: This book contains onomatopoeias throughout the mouse’s wide-awake activities. The illustrations are warm and inviting.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
by Mac Barnett (Author), Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Hilariously inventive ideas of how Santa Claus goes down the chimney are explored in this picture book.
Comments: Hilariously inventive ideas of how Santa Claus goes down the chimney are explored in this picture book.
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen have come up with another creative book together that children will love reading. They are in sync with how children think.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Christmassy Cactus
by Beth Ferry (Author), A. N. Kang (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Tiny Cactus was loved by a little girl every day. The child shared all the beautiful Christmas decorations but soon forgot about Tiny Cactus. The plant truly wanted to belong and celebrate with the family but couldn’t figure out how until something magical happened Christmas morning.
Comments: Such a darling and precious story. I’ll never look at a Christmas Cactus the same way again.
This book is illustrated with Christmas colors and a pink hue throughout.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
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10 Things I Love About Christmas
by Danielle McLean (Author), Mark Chambers (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young boy shares everything he loves about Christmas, from opening his advent calendar each day, decorating the Christmas Tree, to many events and traditions he shares with his family.
Comments: This would be a good read-aloud and discussion afterward about what they like about Christmas.
The illustrations are detailed. I found myself stopping and looking at them before continuing with the countdown.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.