Thursday, November 30, 2017

{25} Christmas Picture Books

I love books, always will, for all parts of the year.  Every year since Luke joined us, I've been working to add a few more Christmas books to our collection.  The goal it to, eventually, have 25 so we could read a different one every day in December leading up to Christmas.  Or, we'll just keep getting stacks from the library and blasting through 5 in a sitting.  Both ways work.  Except the library books have to go back at some point (note to self: remember to get the one currently wedged behind Luke's headboard) but, also, they go back at some point and I don't need to store them the other 11 months of the year.  Also: free. (As long as we remember that one behind the headboard and don't have to pay fines on it...).

So, if you do the "open a book every night in December" method or the "get a whole bunch from the library" method, here's 25 Christmas picture books! Some baby Jesus mentions, few Santa mentions,  and a whole lot of Christmas spirit!  Enjoy!

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1) The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel by Mike Berenstain
Why build snowmen when you can build snow angels?  The kind that are upright and not the "lay on the ground and move your arms and legs" kind.  (The latter is certainly easier.)

2) Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star by Petr Horacek
Suzy and her friends are decorating their outdoor Christmas tree but it's missing a star!  Then Suzy spots the perfect one in the sky!

3) Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins
Charming story of 3 toys who see snow out the window and want to experience it for the first time!

4) Snowman at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
If you've ever wondered how snowmen celebrate Christmas, well this book has some answers for you.

5) Catch that Cookie! by Hallie Durand
Marshall is a smart kid.  He KNOWS cookies can't run.  Until he bakes some in class...and they disappear.

6) The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier
Last year I think I checked out every single book my library had on the shelves about the first Christmas.  We tried them all and this one was, by far, my favorite.  The pictures are gorgeous, the words just right.  It's in my Amazon cart to buy!

7) Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
Wilma and her neighbor, Parker, decide the garden needs some reworking and set out to plant 62 balsam seedlings, then watch them grow into Christmas trees.  Especially perfect if you cut down your own tree!

8) The Christmas Fox by Anik McGrory
The forest animals know a baby is coming and they all gather at the barn with their own gifts.  The fox thinks he has nothing to offer, until he does.

9) The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold by Maureen Fergus
Santa doesn't think Harold is real.  Sure, he sits out cookies and sends Santa a list, Santa leaves presents has had Harold sit on his lap...but Santa still isn't sure this kid is for real.  So he wants to find out.  (We have this one from the library right now and Luke keeps asking why Santa looks so angry on the cover.)

10) One Splendid Tree by Marilyn Helmer
Daddy is away fighting in World War II and Momma, Hattie and Junior have had to move to the city so Momma can work.  There just isn't money for a tree this year until Junior finds an abandoned plant in the apartment building hallway and the neighbors come together.

11) Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
From the author of Goodnight Moon a simple and beautiful story of the first Christmas in a barn.

12) A Homemade Together Christmas by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
A family of pigs decide that this Christmas they are all going to make their presents for each other.  Momma, Dad, and sister all seem to have easy idea but what is the youngest going to make?

13) God Gave us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
From the author of my absolute favorite adoption book, Little Cub starts asking Mama who invented Christmas and if God is more important than Santa.  So Mama and Little Cub set off for some answers.

14) Night Tree by Eve Bunting 
By moonlight in a quiet forest, a boy and his family decorate a pine tree with popcorn and fruit for the forest animals.  Quiet and charming.

15) The Little Drummer Mouse by Mercer Mayer
A little mouse who is teased for being the smallest ends up having a gift to give to an important person born in a stable.

16) How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Clearly a classic for good reason.

17) The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story by Kallie George
It's Christmas Eve and four wildlife friends are waiting for Santa to fly over but when he does a gift tagged for "the new baby at the farm" falls out of the sleigh.  The friends don't all agree but still end up delivering the gift.

18) Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
Cricket is feeling pretty small and worthless when makes a discovery that reminds him that even though he may be small, he has a gift too.

19) The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
Ruthie's family had been chosen to provide the church's Christmas tree but her father is away at war and it's hard for her mother to make all their Christmas wishes come true.  But with some hard work and imagination, maybe Christmas doesn't have to be perfect to be magical.

20) The Little Shepherd Girl: A Christmas Story by Juliann Henry
It's Sarah's first night as a shepherdess when angels come down from the sky to share the good news.  She can't leave her sheep so she takes them with her to see the miracle.

21) The Night Henry Ford Met Santa by Carol Hagen
Where did Henry Ford get his idea for the assembly line?  Could it have come from the North Pole?  A little bit of a history lesson with some Christmas.

22) The First Christmas Night by Keith Christopher
A lyrical and easy to read story of the first Christmas.  (I really could have made a list of 25 books just on Jesus' birth.)

23) There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve by Pam Munez Ryan
The first Christmas had no snow or snowmen but sand and palm trees and a crying baby.

24) The Best Parts of Christmas by Bethanie Murguia
Fritz knows the best parts of Christmas happen around the tree, with present opening and family gathering, so what to do when the tree starts to drop its needles and his parents say it has to go?  How can he keep the best parts of Christmas with him all year?

25) The Biggest Smallest Christmas Present by Harriet Muncaster  
Clementine is a tiny girl living with a normal sized family and Christmas is just hard for her.  All her presents are too big and all her messages to Santa get eaten or covered before he can read them.  How can she keep her Christmas spirit?

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