Welcome to our ‘what we are reading’ blog round up and this time it’s our festive version. This month it’s all Christmas story books for little ones, so apologies if you’re looking for tween and teen reads. The older two have enjoyed reviewing their books regularly on here themselves, but with a busy few weeks, you will have to wait until the New Year for some more recommendations and reviews.
We have a lot of books on our littles shelves, so for storage and rediscovery we pop all our Christmas books in a box and put them away and so when they come out at the end of November it’s always a lovely and exciting discovery for them and myself! Here I have included a few of our favourites as well as some books we have been asked to share with you that have been gifted. the gifted ones I will mark with a * for transparency.
Pick a Pine Tree Patricia Toht
Pick a pine tree from the lot – slim and tall, or short and squat! Long straight limbs or branches bent – Mmm! Just smell that piney scent!
The story itself is simple, engaging, and told in poem form. Every inch of each page holds glorious cosy festive colours, and images that really convey the magical sense of wonder that the Christmas season brings. From the snowy night time scene to basking in the light of the Christmas tree, you really feel you are a part of the story. A perfect story to share with your children before you go pick a tree/decorate.
*Mouse’s Night Before Christmas Tracey Corderoy and Sarah Massini Nosy Crow
Free stories smartphone audio book.
This is a delightful twist on the classic ‘Night Before Christmas’ story. This time, the story is told from the perspective of the mouse from the opening lines. The mouse makes a wish to have a friend, and I’ll let you guess what Father Christmas does when he finds out! A charming reimagining for younger children.
*Pip and Posy The Christmas Tree Axel Scheffler Nosy Crow
A funny tale that everyone in our house including me can totally relate to! A festive version of the much loved Pip and Posy, where they decorate the tree with edible decorations and one more keeps going missing…! A simple yet wholesome tale from the popular duo, this hardback version by the illustrator of the Gruffalo is a perfect addition to any preschoolers bookshelf. What we also love about this is that these books are perfect for young readers to also read to siblings and parents.
*Snow Still Holly Surplice Nosy Crow
This is a lovely, simple rhyming book for very little children about a young deer’s snowy adventure through the woods. The clever use of phonic sounds paired with each enchanting illustration will really help them to understand how sounds are made while letting the pictures tell the story.
The Nutcracker Magical Pop up Edition illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat Walker Books
A beautiful illustrated retelling of The Nutcracker. This book captures the magic of Christmas and ballet with opulence. The silhouetted illustrations are intricately done culminating in a beautiful pop up scene at the end.
The Empty Stocking Christmas Storybook Richard Curtis with illustrations by Rebecca Cobb
A detailed narrative with an engaging tale of sisterly love. Twins Sam and Charlie are very different. Sam is the dutiful straightforward twin and Charlie is the polar opposite. The whole house is worried on Christmas night that Charlie will end up with an empty stocking. The story holds an unexpected twist whilst being a heartwarming and enchanting tale with a good message.
Alfie’s Christmas Shirley Hughes
The littles in our house are big fans of the Alfie series by Shirley Hughes. We love the wholesome everyday values that shine through them. This book takes little and big readers through a really traditional run up to Christmas, enabling lots of explaining and discussing as to what traditions Christmas holds. It also gives them an idea of how the run up can seem a little slow but there are always things to be getting on with before the big day.
You can find our Christmas reading from last year here
I would love to hear what your favourite Christmas storybooks are?
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