Debbie Arnold

Reading. What a gift we can give to ourselves and our children. As writers, parents and teachers we know how important it is to model reading and to instill the love of that into our children. I hope you’ve been reading a holiday story to your children each day, but just in case you need some suggestions, I have a few. Fill a bagful of holiday kids’ books with these favorites:

• A Christmas Treasury by Stephanie Nettell (Ed.) contains a well-chosen selection of holiday poems and stories. I especially like that it contains excerpts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
• Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury  combines seven of Brett’s best-selling, beloved books: The Mitten, The Wild Christmas Reindeer, Trouble with Trolls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Hat, Christmas Trolls, and The Night Before Christmas. Like all of her books, this one has amazing art work and is generally recognized as one of the finest children’s books on the market today. That said, it is expensive. Consider it an investment or suggest to grandparents, aunts or uncles what a nice gift it would be. This absolutely beautiful book will become a family heirloom.
• The Night Before Christmas (A Visit From St. Nicholas)- the classic attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. How could you not share this one. Don’t visions of sugarplums still dance in our heads? This one is not to be missed.
• Olive, the Other Reindeer by Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh. Olive is a quirky little dog who misunderstands the lyrics of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” hearing “Olive, the other reindeer” and heads off to the North Pole to become Santa’s helper. The illustrations are computer generated and the narrative is humorous.
• The Little Reindeer by author and illustrator Michael Foreman is a sweet tale about reindeer that accidentally gets wrapped up as a gift for a little boy by Santa’s elves. The little boy keeps his new pet a secret even after the reindeer learns to fly and heads back to Santa’s workshop. 
• Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Pinkney. I bought this one several years ago and still enjoy sharing it. It’s a great way to introduce children to the traditions and principles of Kwanzaa.
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg has been around for several years but remains one of our all-time favorites. It’s a beautiful book — both the story it tells and the illustrations it presents. Watch the movie starring Tom Hanks if you get the chance .
• The Christmas Story, first published in 1952 by Little Golden Books, was written by author Jane Werner Watson and illustrated by my absolute favorite Little Golden Book illustrator, Eloise Wilkin. It’s such a beautiful little book and an excellent presentation of the birth of Jesus.
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. Can we have a Christmas without Cindy Lou, Max and the Grinch? I never tire of reading this one out loud with its twisting rhythm and creative language. Even the youngest can grasp the truth of this one. Buy it in hardback because, if your little ones are like mine, you’ll wear a paperback out very quickly.
• Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn and Mark Buehner is a companion to Snowmen at Night and continues the adventures of the snowmen at Christmastime. Just like Grinch, this one is meant to be read aloud.
• Mortimer’s Christmas Manger – by Karma Wilson is another perfect read aloud choice. When Mortimer takes up residence in a manger scene and one by one moves the nativity “residents” out. Then one night he overhears the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus and realizes that the bed he has been enjoying really belongs to the Baby Jesus.
• The Legend of the Christmas Cookie by Dandi Mackall tells the story of a young boy named Jack who learns of his family’s tradition of baking cookies and sharing the story of the birth of Jesus with needy families. In doing so, he learns to become a cheerful giver. There’s also a cookie recipe included which could be made with your children.
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski is more appropriate for younger elementary children than preschoolers even though it appears to be a lovely picture book at first. Mr. Toomey was a woodcarver who spent his days alone and always seemed gloomy. No one knows the reason why until the Widow McDowell and her son ask Toomey to carve some special characters for them — ones they had lost in a move. It’s not only a beautiful story relating the true meaning of Christmas, it’s the story of love lost and love found. I wonder if you will read it without tears.
• How about these classic Little Golden Books: The Animals’ Christmas Eve, The Christmas Story, The Little Christmas Elf, The Night Before Christmas; and The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas and The Twelve Days of Christmas.
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever– Barbara Robinson’s classic tale of the Herdmans’ interpretation of the Christmas story. If you’ve never read and shared this one, do yourself a favor and get a copy today. It’s funny and laughable, but it’s also heartwarming. It’s a reading must.
• A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens. I’m rather partial to this one after having taught it for so many years. Find a good adaptation — not the Mickey Mouse or Barbie versions, but one that is truer to Dickens’ original allegory. While Dickens did not write A Christmas Carol as a children’s book, it can easily be understood by them. It is not a retelling of the birth of Jesus, but rather a story emphasizing that we are indeed our brother’s keeper and that mankind has a responsibility to see that no child grows up ignorant or wanting.
• The Way of the Wolf by Martin Bell. While not specifically a holiday book, it does contain a story that is special to our family and one my husband shared year after year with our daughter, and one she continues to share with her children today. This is actually a collection of stories in which the wolf is a metaphor for God. The Tale of Barrington Bunny contained within this book is a parable of Jesus — the greatness of His love for us and how He died for us because of that love. Do yourself a favor, get this book; read about Barrington and share that tale with those you love.

I could go on and on with this list, but it’s a good start as it is. The emphasis is on “start.” Share the classics. Discover the sure-to-be classics. In sharing them with your little ones, you’ll be giving one of the most precious gifts you can. Reading is a magical gift we give to ourselves and share with others.

What are some of your favorite holiday children’s books? Which ones have a special meaning or tradition in your family? Why not share those in the comments?

Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and magical holiday season.