Originally published December 2018
If your family feels like the holiday season overflows with hustle and bustle, sitting down with an appealing holiday book allows loved ones to connect for a few quiet moments together. You’ve probably already enjoyed the more common holiday books available to the mass market, so I’ve put together a list here that highlights lesser-known stories that are worth the time spent searching through your library’s catalog to find them. You’ll find a mixture of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa stories listed here, with many thanks to my school library colleagues across the country who suggested their favorite gems for this list.
Chanukah Lights Everywhere by Michael J. Rosen
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Brett Helquist
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
Elijah’s Angel by Michael Rosen
How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss
The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket
Merry Un-Christmas by Mike Reiss
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett (look for the version with the DVD inside and make sure to enjoy hearing the Boston Pops play accompaniment with Jim Dale narrating)
The Night Santa Got Lost: How NORAD Saved Christmas by Michael Keane
Olive the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
Santa Claus The World’s Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee
Seven Spools of Thread : a Kwanzaa story by Angela Medearis
Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant
The Soldiers’ Night Before Christmas by Christine Ford and Trish Holland
The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
The Winter Witch by Clay Evans
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
Does your family have a favorite holiday story to share in December? Please share it in the comments!
(Links provided to the publisher’s webpage or to a nationally-recognized reviewing source whenever possible)
