The Best Christmas Books for Kids [2021 Edition]

Fans of Little Blue Truck will love this Christmas story that helps young kids practice counting. It even includes flashing colored Christmas lights on the final page.

The Goodnight Train follows Santa's sleigh through a winter wonderland in this sequel to The Goodnight Train.

Bear likes to hibernate, but Bear's friends are determined to keep him awake for Christmas.

Little kids will love getting a sneak peek at Santa's workshop at the North Pole as they say good night to Santa Claus and his elves.

This board book version of the Eric Carle classic features dreamy snow-covered images that younger children will love.

Celebrate the holidays with the crew of the popular children's book, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.

Construction Site fans will also want to check out Construction Site on Christmas Night.

Toddlers and preschoolers will love sliding the doors on each page to learn more about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends from the classic claymation special.

Llama Llama is feeling impatient for the big day to arrive. Children will love the rhymes, and parents will sympathize with Mama Llama as she shops for gifts and does all the things parents do in an effort to create a magical holiday for their kiddos.

The tabs make it fun for toddlers to help turn the pages in this book that includes a rhyming story as Curious George counts down the days left until Christmas.

This is the story of a brave little doe who meets Santa and changes Christmas forever.

This modern Christmas classic includes Jann Brett's signature illustration style with side panels that encourage kids to discuss the story beyond the words on the page.

The New York City Ballet presents this classic ballet tale in a gorgeous story book format.

Kids will discover the magic of Christmas on each page of this picture book filled with beautiful illustrations, doors that open, and even a card to open and read.

For many families, picking a pine tree and decorating it as a Christmas tree marks the official start of the holiday season. This festive read-aloud captures all of that magic.

This book - which tells the true story of an owl that captivated the country - is co-written by Ellen Kalish, the caretaker of the real owl found inside the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

This heart-tugging story combines the cheer of Christmas, the magic of New York City, and a focus of the holiday season: how important it is to be surrounded by love.

Steve Smallman and Robert Dunn have collaborated to create this fun series of books, with titles for many regions and hometowns. Kids will love reading about Santa's sleigh flying over landmarks they recognize on Christmas Eve.

Click "get the book" to browse all the titles.

Have you ever thought about what Santa's job might have been if he wasn't Santa? This fun book examines all of the jobs that didn't work out.

Olive may look like a dog, but as far as she's concerned, she's a reindeer! With Christmas Eve approaching, Olive takes a bus to the North Pole. Is she just what Santa's sleigh-pulling team needs?

This is a beautiful story of a spruce tree that grows along side the young boy who first planted it. Once the boy has become a grandfather, his tree is chosen as the Christmas tree for a big city celebration.

Follow the adventures of a mischievous elf as he tries to dodge all the traps that have been set for him by the children of the house.

Kids will also love the similarly titled, How to Catch Santa - but parents beware, as this book might give your kiddos some sneaky ideas come Christmas Eve.

After helping the Man with the Yellow Hat pick out the perfect Christmas tree, Curious George finds himself delivered to the local children's hospital, where his antics spread cheer to kids of all ages.

Arguably one of the best books out there for the holiday season, this gorgeously illustrated anniversary edition of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved classic Christmas story captures the real magic of Santa Claus.

Your heart will grow three sizes when you reread this classic Dr. Seuss book with your own children.

Part of the Christmas Choir book series, this illustrated picture book is the perfect way to share the Nativity Story with young children as you discuss the true meaning of Christmas.

This beautifully illustrated, rhyming picture book makes the perfect retelling of Charles Dickens novel to share with the whole family.

If you prefer the Disney version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, then you'll want to add this hardback picture book to your family's holiday library.

This deluxe edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas will bring Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts gang to life for a whole new generation of kids.

This classic Golden Book is based on the beloved 1969 television special about Frosty the Snowman, who comes to life and spreads Christmas spirit.

Children love Christmas songs, and the classic Twelve Days of Christmas is always a favorite. Each scene of this traditional poem is illustrated in beautiful detail in this picture book.

Enjoy Clement C. Moore's classic poem in a beautiful hardback version that includes a large four-page foldout that will immerse your entire family in the story.

From the author of Danny and the Dinosaur, this classic early reader book is about Milton the Moose who wants to help pull Santa's sleigh.

Mercer Mayer's beloved character, Little Critter, is enjoying a snow day in this beginning reader book. This book is not Christmas specific, but it's a fun read for this festive season.

Celebrate the holidays with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and other favorite characters from Disney's Cars.

Deck the halls with Thomas the Tank Engine featuring favorite characters from Thomas & Friends.

These easy to read riddles include picture clues to help young readers.

Young fans of How the Grinch Stole Christmas will love this Dr. Seuss inspired story that they can read themselves.

Amelia Bedelia has been making little girls and boys laugh since the 1960s, and this silly Christmas story is no exception.

Parents who have fond memories of reading about Arthur during their childhoods will enjoy hearing their children read this Arthur story to them.

This adaptation of the PBS Kids' holiday special The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas is perfect for newly independent readers.

This Christmas version of the classic "There Was an Old Lady" story is perfect for young readers because of the repetitive nature that helps kids gain reading confidence by practicing similar phrases on each page.

From the author of Harry Potter comes this new page-turning adventure about one child's love for his most treasured thing, and how far he will go to find it. The whole family is sure to fall in love with this special holiday story that's reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the shenanigans of the Herdman siblings (aka “the worst kids in the history of the world") as they take over the annual Christmas pageant. This Christmas chapter book is the first in a series of three books about the Herdmans.

When a mouse named Winston finds a lost letter addressed to Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, he sets off on an unforgettable journey to personally deliver the letter to Santa!

This book is organized into 24 1/2 chapters, making it the perfect book to read one chapter at a time as your family counts down to Christmas day.

When the father of eleven-year-old Nikolas (nicknamed "Christmas") goes missing, Nikolas must travel to the North Pole to save him. Along the way, Nikolas befriends a surly reindeer, bests a troublesome troll, and discovers a hidden world of enchantment in the frozen village of Elfhelm. But the elves of Elfhelm have troubles of their own: Christmas spirit and goodwill are at an all-time low, and Nikolas may be the only person who can fix things.

Other titles in this series include book 2, The Girl Who Saved Christmas, and book 3, Father Christmas and Me.

In the popular Magic Treehouse series, brother and sister Jack and Annie, are whisked away in each book on adventures around the world and throughout history. In this holiday-themed chapter book, Jack and Annie receive an invitation to spend Christmas Eve in Camelot-a magical place that exists only in myth and fantasy. They are in for their biggest adventure yet.

A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time is another Christmas-themed title in the Magic Treehouse/Merlin Missions series. In this book, readers join Jack and Annie in a historical story that puts a twist on Charles Dicken's classic The Christmas Carol.

The Merlin Mission books are an extension of the popular Magic Treehouse series at a slightly higher reading level - typically recommended for grades 3-5.

Santa Claus is not his usual, jolly self. He doesn't believe that children appreciate Christmas anymore. This year, he has decided that he is not going to deliver any Christmas presents! Luckily, his daughter, Sarah Claus, knows who to call for help. Can Flat Stanley save Christmas?

The kids find a lost puppy on Christmas Eve with a ribbon around its neck, but the tag is ripped off. Can they solve the mystery and figure out who the puppy is a gift for, and who it's from?

This is the 12th of 13 books in the Calendar Mysteries series of early chapter books. If you have a kid who prefers to read series books in order, the full set of Calendar Mysteries (one set during each month, January-December + New Year's Eve) makes a great Christmas gift. They'll enjoy reading a mystery every month throughout the coming year.

Kids love the Rainbow Magic Fairy books, and this holiday box set includes four Christmas chapter books: Holly the Christmas Fairy, Stella the Star Fairy, Gabriella the Snow Kingdom Fairy, Paige the Christmas Play Fairy.

This book is a special edition in the My Weird School series that will have kids cracking up throughout the Christmas season. Another Christmas title in the My Weird School series is Miss Holly is Too Jolly.

Young fans of Geronimo Stilton will love to read about his adventures in New York City. His luggage gets switched with another mouse when he's on his way to visit his family, and he must scurry all over the Big Apple to track down the mouse that has all of his Christmas presents.

In addition to A Very Merry Christmas, there are several other Christmas titles in the Geronimo Stilton series, including: Merry Christmas, Geronimo, The Christmas Toy Factory and Christmas Catastrophe.