Children's Christmas Books: 7 Classics to Read This December
This is a list of seven children's Christmas books, ranging from a German fairy tale of 1816 to a Norwegian Advent novel from 1992. Each entry explains what the book is about and why it stands out, so you can pick the right one for your family.
The order reflects how much interest our own readers show in each title, with the most viewed first. Every pick also has a clear claim to its place. Some have major awards behind them. Some inspired famous ballets and films. One was written by a celebrated author for his own children.
There is a mix of picture books, verse and short novels here. Younger children will get the most from the illustrated titles. Older readers can take on the longer stories.
Letters From Father Christmas
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote and illustrated these letters for his own children between 1920 and 1943, writing as Father Christmas or his elvish secretary. They follow the North Polar Bear, his cubs Paksu and Valkotukka, and mishaps such as the fireworks that make the northern lights. The collection was published in 1976, after Tolkien's death, and edited by Baillie Tolkien. Critics received it warmly, and some have suggested parts of it fed into The Lord of the Rings.
Nutcracker And The Mouse King
E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 fairy tale first appeared in Berlin in a collection of children's stories. On Christmas Eve, Marie grows fond of a nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmeier and sees it lead the toys into battle against the seven-headed Mouse King. Drosselmeier later tells her the story of Princess Pirlipat, which explains how nutcrackers came to look the way they do. This is the original story behind Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet, The Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker
Alexandre Dumas retold Hoffmann's story in 1844 as The Tale of a Nutcracker. His version, with a heroine named Marie Silberhaus, is the one Marius Petipa used for the libretto of Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet. That makes it the closest written link to the Nutcracker ballet that many families see each December.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Barbara Robinson's 1972 novel is known in the UK as The Worst Kids in the World. It is narrated by Beth Bradley, whose mother is directing the Sunday school Christmas pageant when the six badly behaved Herdman siblings take every lead role. Having never heard the Christmas story before, the Herdmans see it with fresh eyes. Their reactions lead Beth and her parents to think more seriously about its harsher parts.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated this story in rhymed verse, and Random House published it in 1957. The Grinch disguises himself as Santa Claus and steals the presents, food and trees from Whoville. When the Whos sing anyway on Christmas morning, his heart grows three sizes. The book takes aim at the commercialisation of Christmas and has been adapted many times, including the 1966 animated film narrated by Boris Karloff.
The Polar Express
Chris Van Allsburg's 1985 picture book won the 1986 Caldecott Medal, his second after Jumanji. Critics and educators have called it a landmark in children's Christmas literature and praise its atmospheric illustrations. A boy boards a train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve and is given a bell from Santa's sleigh. Only those who truly believe can hear it ring. It was made into a 2004 film starring Tom Hanks.
The Christmas Mystery
Jostein Gaarder's 1992 Norwegian novel has one chapter for each day of Advent. A boy called Joachim finds a story hidden behind each window of an Advent calendar. It follows Elisabet Hansen as she chases a toy lamb across Europe and back in time towards Bethlehem. Meanwhile Joachim's family try to find out who made the calendar and what happened to a real Elisabet who disappeared years before.
Any of these would suit a December bedtime, whether you want a short picture book or a story to read one chapter at a time. The Polar Express and The Grinch work well for younger children. The Christmas Mystery and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever give older readers more to follow.