25 Days of Christmas Books

Looking for a holiday reading list that the whole family can enjoy? Look no further!

1. Penguin's Christmas Wish by Salina Yoon
2. Santasaurus by Niahm Sharkey
3. Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
4. Santa's Underwear by Marty Rhodes Figley
5. Babushka by Dawn Casey
6. Potatoes at Turtle Rock by Susan Schnur and Anna Schnur-Fishman
7. Stowaway in a Sleigh by Roger C. Mader
8. Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose
9. The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold
10. The Lost Gift by Kallie George
11. The Perfect Present by Stella Jones
12. If Snowflakes Tasted by Fruitcake by Stacey Previn
13. Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett
14. Paddington and the Christmas Surprise by Michael Bond
15. Clark the Shark Loves Christmas by Bruce Hale
16. Maple and Willow's Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols
17. Rudy's Windy Christmas by Helen Baugh
18. Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano
19. Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
20. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
21. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Snow by Nick Bruel
22. Santa Clauses: Short Poems From the North Pole by Bob Raczka
23. Walking in a Winter Wonderland by 
24. Merry Moosey Christmas by 
25. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

--Angie RH, Cliff Cave

25 Days of Christmas Books

The holiday season has its traditions, and one of my family's favorite is the 25 Days of Christmas Books.  I usually choose all of the books, surprising my family with the titles.  Then, starting December 1st, we read one book aloud each night.  Why not try it with your family?  It works with children of all ages.  If the 25 days is a little daunting, try 12 days instead.  Here are the titles we will be sharing this year:

1. Homemade Together Christmas by Maryann Cocca-Leff
2. Enzo and the Christmas Tree Hunt by Garth Stein
3. An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff
4. Carter's Christmas by Lisa Bullard
5. Rudolph Shines Again by Robert L. May
6. Click, Clack, Ho Ho Ho! by Doreen Cronin
7. Waiting For Santa by Steve Metzger
8. Snow Bunny's Christmas Gift by Rebecca Harry
9. The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
10. The Legend of St. Nicholas: a Story of Christmas Giving by Dandi Mackell
11. Me and My Dragon: Christmas Spirit by David Biedrzycki 
12. Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco
13. Cork and Fuzz: Merry Merry Holly Holly by Dori Chacanos
14. All I Want to Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
15. Shooting at the Stars: the Christmas Truce of 1914 by John Hendrix
16. Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift by Dara Goldman
17. Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter Reynolds
18. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
19. Little Elfie One by Pamela Jane
20. You Are My Merry by Marianne Richmond
21. The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas by Laura Murray
22. The Best Parts of Christmas by Bethanie Deeny Murguia
23. Samurai Santa: a Very Ninja Christmas by Robin Pingk
24. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, adapted by Daniel Kirk
25. One Special Christmas by Christina Butler

--Angie R-H, Headquarters

25 Days of Christmas Books

In my family, we have a favorite tradition of reading one Christmas book together every night during the month of December.  This is tricky with busy schedules, but it can be done!  And even though my son is a teenager, he still loves to be read to and read-aloud to us.  Why not start this tradition in your home?  It's easy.  We decorated a box a few years ago, and we use it every year.  Find some books you want to read; your library can help with that.  Some people choose to wrap them and write the date on the front, then open a book each night.  We just grab the next one in the box and go with that, except on December 24 when we must read Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Some are favorites that we read every year, and some are brand new.  Make sure you check your books out long enough so you don't acquire late fees in this joyful season.
Here (in no particular order) are the books we'll be sharing in my home this year:

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore
"A Cookie for Santa" by Stephanie Shaw
"When, When, When Will It Be Christmas?" by Cathy MacLennan
"My Puppy Gave to Me" by Cheryl Dannenbring
"The Christmas Show" by Rebecca Patterson
"Monster Needs a Christmas Tree" by Paul Czajak
"The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen
"The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: a Christmas Story" by Lemony Snicket
"Memoirs of an Elf" by Devin Scillian
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Robert L. May
"Frankenstein's Fright Before Christmas" by Ludworst Bemonster
"When Grandma Saved Christmas" by Julia Hubery
"How Many Sleeps 'til Christmas?" by Mark Sperring
"And Then Comes Christmas" by Tom Brenner
"'Twas Nochebuena" by Roseanne Greenfield Thong
"Roc and Roe's Twelve Days of Christmas" by Nick Cannon
"The Last Christmas Tree" by Stephen Krensky
"A Christmas-tastic Carol" by Max Brallier
"Bear Stays Up For Christmas" by Karma Wilson
"The Legend of Chris Moose : a Christmas Story" by Allen Northcutt
"Santa Claustrophobia" by Mike Reiss
"The Night Before the Night Before Christmas" by Natasha Wing
"Santa's Little Helper" by Angela McAllister
"Santa Comes to Little House" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
"Gifts of the Heart" by Patricia Polacco

--Angie RH, Headquarters

Sweet Gingerbread Stories

The story of the Gingerbread Man has been told for generations.  Its rhyming text makes it fun to read.  There is also the excitement of the Gingerbread Man running as fast as he can!  
"The Gingerbread Man" by Eric Kimmel
This is my favorite traditional retelling of the story.   It's the classic tale of the Gingerbread Boy who runs away from the woman, man, and animals in the village. 
"The Gingerbread Girl" by Lisa Campbell Ernst
The Gingerbread Boy's younger sister is determined not to get tricked like her brother.  She has a plan to escape before she becomes a snack.


After reading a gingerbread book, you could make gingerbread play dough.  Here's a recipe:

Gingerbread Play Dough Recipe

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tsp vegetable oil
Spices: allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
Mix all dry ingredients, add spices until you have reached your desired scent and color. Mix oil and water together and then add to dry ingredients and stir. Cook the mixture for three to five minutes on low to medium heat, stirring constantly. You will know it is finished when the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and forms a large ball. Take the dough out of pan and knead until it is smooth and soft. When cool, store in an airtight container.

This is the time of year for a holiday gingerbread book.
"The Gingerbread Pirates" by Kristin Kladstrup
A young boy decorates his gingerbread man cookies as pirates and wishes that they were real.  When Santa comes that night, the cookies jump to life and prepare for battle against the big red man. 







"The Gingerbread Doll" by Susan Tews
Rebecca gets everything she wants for Christmas.  She has lots of beautiful dolls.  But the one she loves most is her gingerbread doll because it is made with love.  This is how Rebecca learns the true meaning of Christmas.








If you're looking for a non-traditional retelling of the story, try one of these:

--Angie RH, HQ

25 Days of Christmas Books

Does your family have Christmas traditions?  Maybe you have an advent calendar or the Elf on the Shelf.  For the last several years, we've done the 25 Days of Christmas Books.  This is a simple and fun way to share stories during the holiday season.  Children of all ages enjoy being read to, and this is a great way to bring your family together without spending money.  We have a box with 25 books from the library: one for each day in December.  I have heard of some families who wrap the books and they are surprised when they open it, but we leave ours unwrapped.  Every evening, we pull one out of the box and read it as a family.  We repeat some stories every year, but mostly they are new to us. 

Here is a list (is no particular order) of the books we are reading this December.  Why not start the 25 Days of Christmas Books with your family?

1. Our Very Own Christmas by Annette Langen 
2. Tom the Christmas Elf by Pirkko Vainio.   
3. Christmas Wishes by Tony Mitton 
4. The Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger
5. That's Good! That's Bad! On Santa's Journey by Margery Cuyler 
6. Santa and the Three Bears by Dominic Catalano.    
7. The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming : a Christmas story by Lemony Snicket 
8. Christmas in the Big Woods, adapted from the Little house books by Laura Ingalls Wilder 
9. The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup   
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.    
11. Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera.    
12. Yes, Virginia : there is a Santa Claus by Chris Plehal 
13. A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz      
14. The Nutcracker by Michael Hague 
15. It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon 
16. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
17. Christmas in the Big Woods, adapted from the Little house books by Laura Ingalls Wilder 
18. Minera Louise on Christmas Eve by Janet Morgan Stoeke
19. Peppa Pig and the Lost Christmas List by Neville Astley and Mark Baker
20. A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel.    
21. The Christmas Cat by Maryann MacDonald
22. Merry Christmas, Little Witch by Lieve Baeten
23. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
24. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson
25.  Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore

 --Angie RH, HQ