We asked our readers to share some of their all-time favorite picture books to read during the holiday season and loved reading all their responses. We thought you might like to see the list too. There are some I remember fondly from my childhood as well as some I don’t think I’ve ever seen!
Nothing gets me quite in the holiday spirit than snuggling up and sharing festive picture books with my family. Take a look at this wonderful list and let us know your own favorites in the comments below. Happy Holidays to all!
Becky’s Christmas by Tasha Tudor (1961, Viking Press)
Christmas Magic by Michael Garland (2001, Dutton Children’s Books)
The Clown of God by Tomi dePaola (1978, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich)
Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo, illustrations by Jane Manning (2001, HarperCollins)
December by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Diaz (1997, Harcourt Brace)
Dream Snow by Eric Carle (2000, Philomel Books)
The Finest Christmas Tree by John and Ann Hassett (2005, Houghton Mifflin)
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett (1999, G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Hershel & the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel, illustrated by John Ed. Mayer and Trina Schart Hyman (1989, Holiday House)
Judy Moody and Stink: The Holly Joliday by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (2007, Candlewick Press)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (1957, Random House)
The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie dePaola (1980, Harcourt Children’s Books)
The Legend of Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola (1997, Puffin)
Little Tree poem by E.E. Cummings, story and paintings by Chris Raschka (2001, Hyperion Books For Children)
The Mitten by Jan Brett (1989, Putnam)
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett (2008, Putnam)
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Will Moses (2006, Philomel)
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated in papercut by Niroot Puttinapats (2007, Candlewick )
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson (2006, HarperCollins)
The Nutcracker Doll by Mary Newell DePalma (2007, Arthur A. Levine Books )
Olive the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh, illustrated by J.Otto Seibold (1997, Chronicle Books
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (1985, Houghton Mifflin)
Robert’s Snow by Grace Lin (2004, Viking)
Rocking Horse Christmas by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Ned Bittinger (1997, Scholastic)
Tomie’s Little Christmas Pageant by Tomie dePaola (2002, Putnam)
When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke, translated by Oliver G. Latsch, illustrated by Paul Howard (2006, Scholastic)
Santa Calls by William Joyce (1993, Harper Collins)
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett (1990, Putnam)
Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner, pictures by Mark Buehner (2005, Dial Books)
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962, Viking)
The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jon J. Muth (2009, Scholastic)
Santa Claus: The World’s Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee (2005, Harcourt)
Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren and Ilon Wikland (1963, Viking, reprinted in 1981)
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg (2001, Little, Brown)
The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (2004, North-South Books)
Tell us your favorite holiday picture books!
