My parents had a tradition where they bought my sister and I a new book for Christmas every year, and I have done the same with my own kids. You’ll love these Christmas books for toddlers and preschoolers.
This made such good memories for all of us, and to this day, we reread many of them year after year. My tip? Write your child’s name and the year on the inside flap to help you remember which kid received which Christmas book and what year.
These have been favorites both with my own kids and are the ones a friend of mine who is a preschool teacher has recommended. It’s the perfect mix of classic and new titles and just the kind of Christmas books for toddlers and preschoolers that they’re sure to love.
This list is aimed at the littlest of the littles – Christmas books for toddlers and preschoolers – but I continued this tradition up to and including my kids this year. I have lists aimed at kids of all ages, so find the right one for you:
- Christmas books for little kids is aimed at the early elementary age kids, and some of the picture books are similar, but this also goes into the early readers and some of my favorite classic Christmas books, as well.
- Christmas books for tweens and teens is focused on that in-between age and includes more chapter books, some activity books, and more YA novels.
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Board Books
For the youngest kids, Christmas board books are fun to look at and play with. Start that love of reading young!
1
Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La!
I purchased every Sandra Boynton book I could find for my kids, and Moo, Baa, La La La! was a favorite that I can still recite from memory today.This book includes the same silly cast of characters singing the rewritten classic carol. You won't be able to help singing along as you read it to your little one.
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2
Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!
While you may think that Peanuts belongs with older children, this fun board book proves even the youngest can enjoy the tale of Charlie Brown and his friends.This version has a simplified version of the story (and movie) you know, a perfect introduction to this world.
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3
Llama Llama Jingle Bells
Your little one will love the Llama Llama books as they get older, but this is the first fun introduction to the characters in the series. These sweet rhymes are a perfect way to share the adventures Llama Llama has this holiday season.
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4
Peek a Flap Jolly Christmas
Books that get your young child involved in the reading are always so fun. My kids loved books they could play with while I was reading them. This flap book is fun to read and sturdy enough to last an enthusiastic young child as you see Santa and Mrs. Claus baking cookies, building toys, feeding reindeer, and more.
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5
The First Christmas
Introduce your little one to the story of Christmas in a way that is age-appropriate. Enjoy the journey of Mary and Joseph as they head to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.
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6
Musical Christmas Tree
This board book is great for the youngest of kids with its interactive components to play with in a sturdy board book. It has a simple story, and on each page, your little ones will search for item hidden on the page from a dog bone to gingerbread men and more. It also plays Jingle Bells for you to sing along and stands up as a decoration when you aren't reading it, too.
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7
You’re My Little Christmas Cookie
If you aren't familiar with the "You're My Little" series, this is the perfect introduction to it. It's all about the love you have as a parent for your own little one.This rhyming story has interactive parts so that your child can feel and touch the raised pieces, the glitter, and more. This is a sweet book you are sure to read again and again.
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8
Dear Santa
Interactive board books have always been my favorite, and this is no exception. This book has Santa searching for the perfect gift to send to a special child, and under each flap is another idea.
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9
Ten Little Snowmen
This board book is a fun rhyming and counting book that starts with ten snowmen who gradually disappear one by one. The book is adorable and sweet, and it also has snowmen buttons that your child can push as they count how many are left on each page. At the end, the last remaining snowman discovers plenty of new friends, so it has a happy ending.
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10
I Am Cindy-Lou Who
If your child is too young for the full classic story, this is the perfect introduction to Who-ville as Cindy Lou Who shares her favorite Who-ville holiday traditions in a delightful rhyming book.
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11
Twas the Night Before Christmas on Sesame Street
You cannot go wrong with Sesame Street. On Christmas Eve, Cookie Monster is excited to have a visit from Santa – except that he already ate all the cookies.The good news is that his friends on Sesame Street are willing and able to step in to help save the day and the visit with Santa.
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12
Grandma’s Sugar Cookie
Don't forget about the special grandparents when it comes to the holidays. This book is all about that special bond as the two bake their favorite treats together.
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Picture Books
I loved reading to my kids as often as possible when they were young. These Christmas picture books are some of our favorites.
13
Dasher
Dasher didn't always start out as one of Santa's reindeer. Once upon a time, she was just an adventurous reindeer who lived with her family in a traveling circus.She's always wanted a different life, however, and when she meets a man in a red suit, it seems like all her dreams may finally come true.
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14
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
When Santa arrives at a child’s house on Christmas Eve, does he go down the chimney feetfirst or headfirst? What if he gets stuck? What if there’s no chimney?This book answers that constant question with hilarious results and more and more ridiculously fun situations as the night goes on. You'll love this light-hearted book.
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15
Five Little Monkeys Looking for Santa
The monkeys always made my kids – and me – laugh. No surprise, the monkeys can't sleep on Christmas Eve, and they keep jumping out of bed to look for Santa every time they hear anything. Will they catch a glimpse of the big man?
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16
Clifford’s Christmas
Clifford is a classic for a reason. This lighthearted picture book is perfect for little kids as Emily Elizabeth and Clifford share all their favorite winter activities as they wait for Christmas to come. It has such a good message about trying hard, and we love the focus on spending time with family and friends over gifts.
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17
The Gingerbread Pirates
Matt Tavares has written a number of great Christmas books for kids, and this one lives up to his standards. Jim and his mother left gingerbread men for Santa on Christmas Eve, but not just any gingerbead men – pirate gingerbread men!Captain Cookie sneaks away from his place near Jim's bed that night a daring adventure to find his pirate crew and rescue them from that mysterious character he’s heard about: a cannibal named Santa Claus.
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18
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!
Is there a child anywhere who doesn't love the Pigeon books? His silliness and sweetness come through in this Christmas-themed book from Mo Willems.
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19
Gingerbread Baby
What happens when Matti and his mom open the oven too early? Out pops a gingerbread baby who takes the whole family – except Matti – on a merry chase. Matti makes a gingerbread house instead, and your child will love finding the secret that the gingerbread baby ran into it to hide.
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20
Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas
This is a sequel to Dasher, the New York Times best-selling book, and it's sure to delight your young ones.With only one sleep left before Christmas Eve, Dasher can’t contain her excitement for her favorite holiday. She sneaks off to visit the festivities but gets lost and has to find her way home in time to lead the sleigh.
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21
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
Sorry, did you already get the song stuck in your head? This book retells the Christmas song about a little girl who just wants a hippopotamus for Christmas, and who can blame her?
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22
I Saw Santa’s Underpants
If you're looking for a slightly more irreverent Christmas book, this is the one for you. My kids have always loved finding things that they think are slightly naughty but really aren't, and that's exactly what this book is.Santa has a little accident, and a boy and his dog are the ones who need to save the day in this delightful rhyming book with gorgeous illustrations.
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23
Where Would Santa Go?
Lucy and Max leave a letter to Santa with his milk and cookies asking where they should travel first when they're older. He's their travel role model.Santa decides that they don't need to wait, and he whisks them away for adventures. Not only do they explore the locations, but the book includes facts about them in addition to the gorgeous illustrations and fun story.
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24
The Crayons’ Christmas
The Crayons was one of my favorite childrens' books, and this Christmas book follows with the same adventures and style. The crayons celebrate the holidays, as do their families and Duncan.The book also includes real, folded letters from the Crayons that you can pull from their envelopes and read, games, punch-out ornaments, a poster, and a pop-up tree to make it even more interactive.
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25
The Jolly Christmas Postman
Remember when we used to write letters to Santa instead of emails? This book has all those letters collected by the postman over the years.Your kids will love pulling the surprises out of the envelopes on each page and seeing letters from Humpty Dumpty, the Big Bad Wolf, and more. Not all the surprises are letters, so it keeps kids guessing.
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26
Bear Stays Up for Christmas
Bear’s friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas. They wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs.Bear stays up and discovers that giving is one of the best Christmas presents of all.
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27
Christmas and the Joy of Giving
This book shares the true meaning of Christmas with animals at the center of the tale.Every year, they decorate the forest for Christmas, however, this year, they are unable to complete it because the world has been less compassionate. The animals come together to save their holiday through acts of love and giving.
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28
Frosty the Snowman
Just like Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman is a classic story that is as enjoyable to read as it is to watch on tv each year.This is a perfect picture book based off the classic movie that includes the illustrations you're used to seeing and the story you grew up loving.
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29
How to Catch Santa Claus
What child hasn't dreamt of staying awake to see – and better yet to CATCH Santa? Kids have set all sorts of traps this year, and they're determined, but Santa and his reindeer have magic. Will it be enough to evade the traps? The illustrations are as fun as the story, and the rhyming makes it fun to read over and over again.
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30
How to Catch a Reindeer
From the same author as How to Catch Santa Claus, this silly book is just as fun – and perfect to purchase the two of them together. In this fun romp of a book, Comet decides to break from tradition and go exploring on her own.And yep, those "How to Catch a" kids have traps set up to try to catch reindeer or Santa to prove it's all real. In this rhyming book, she has a lot of creative traps to evade. You'll be giggling along with your kids with this.
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31
How to Catch an Elf
A third fun holiday book in this series has the same kids trying to catch an elf this time around. While the concepts amongst the books are similar – that these kids want to capture a Christmas related entity to prove Santa is real – they are not simply the same book with the character swapped out.They're fun to read with great illustrations, and the traps set in each book are different and creative. I love reading rhyming books to my kids, and this is another one that's sure to become a favorite in your house.
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32
The Littlest Elf
Oliver is the littlest elf in the North Pole, and he wants to be valued and have an important job. Being little means that he struggles with many of the traditional elf jobs, and he worries that he just isn't good enough. This heartwarming picture book (with stickers) reminds kids that there's a place for everyone and sometimes you just need a little help and someone to guide you on your way.
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33
Little Red Sleigh
This sentient little red sleigh wants nothing more than to be Santa's sleigh, which is a big goal for a little sleigh. She's always told all the reasons she can't be Santa's sleigh, but she never stops dreaming. This is the year she's going to make it happen!
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34
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on the Farm
We all know the classic by Clement Clarke Moore, and this sweet version takes place on a farm where none of the animals are stirring except an adorable lamb. This version includes the rhyming style we love to read out loud. This has great illustrations to keep everyone engaged.
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