Get into the holiday spirit with our roundup of seasonal books for young readers, including the return of a beloved reindeer, a first-timer's guide to celebrating Hanukkah, a wintry installment to a series, a picture book variation on a classic Christmas carol, and more.
Picture Books and Board Books
8 Tiny Reindeer: An Advent Calendar Adventure
Robert Tinkler, illus. by Danesh Mohiuddin. Kids Can, $18.99 (168p) ISBN 978-1-5253-0464-4. Ages 7–10. After mechanizing Christmas by using assembly machines and drones to deliver faster results, Santa tries to right his wrongs by sending his last two elves to rescue his reindeer.
Miranda Paul, illus. by Julien Chung. Beach Lane, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-6659-0440-7. Ages up to 8. Revealing that a year technically equals 365 and a quarter days, the creators break the temporal measurement into more manageable segments, all portrayed in posterlike digital pictures starring a brown-skinned child and a bright yellow lion companion.
Erin Dealey, illus. by Kayla Stark. Sleeping Bear, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5341-1178-3. Ages up to 5. Santa and his reindeer make a surprise appearance during a maritime parade.
Beth Ferry, illus. by A.N. Kang. HarperCollins, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-303964-3. Ages 4–8. As the holidays approach, a family’s beloved potted cactus observes the many changes that take over her domestic environment in the form of shiny objects.
Come and Join Us! 18 Holidays Celebrated All Year Long
Liz Kleinrock, illus. by Chaaya Prabhat. HarperCollins, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-314447-7. Ages 4–8. A diverse group of children showcase the variety of holidays they celebrate all year round.
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom. Little, Brown, $15.99 (24p) ISBN 978-0-316-46791-9. Ages 4–8. In English and Spanish, this concept book counts up Christmas Eve rituals among a tight-knit Latinx-cued family, taking readers up to 12—the stroke of midnight—and back again.
Heather S. Pierczynski, illus. by Skylar Hogan. HarperCollins/Tegen, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-323074-3. Ages 4–8. In this variation on “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” Mouse cannot settle down, leading to an encounter with Santa.
Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas
Matt Tavares. Candlewick, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5362-3013-0. Ages 4–8. Dasher turns to a human child for help when she gets trapped in a snowstorm the night before Christmas Eve, in Tavares’s suspenseful picture book sequel to Dasher.
Amanda Jane Jones. Cameron Kids, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-949480-56-6. Ages 3–5. This interactive holiday book invites readers to trim and decorate a tree.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!
Mo Willems. Union Square Kids, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4549-5277-0. Ages 3–5. In the ninth installment in the Pigeon series, Pigeon grows excited about the prospect of partaking in a traditional winter activity: driving a sleigh.
Mariel Jungkunz, illus. by Mónica Paola Rodríguez. Astra, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-66262-037-9. Ages 4–8. Lucia, who recently moved from Puerto Rico to Ohio, becomes worried that los Reyes Magos who traditionally visit her each year, won’t be able to find her.
Eight Nights of Lights: A Celebration of Hanukkah
Leslie Kimmelman, illus. by Hilli Kushnir. HarperCollins, $19.99 (72p) ISBN 978-0-06324-248-7. Ages 4–8. Lena and her family invite readers to participate in a traditional Hanukkah activity, lighting the menorah.
Grace and the Christmas Angel (Guardian Angels #1)
Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker, illus. by Jane Ray. Macmillan, $18.99 (56p) ISBN 978-1-5290-4980-0. Ages 5–7. Ahead of Grace’s school recital, a huge snowstorm leaves several family members stranded until a Christmas miracle unites the family for her performance.
Elissa Brent Weissman, illus. by Omer Hoffmann. Abrams, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4197-6296-3. Ages 4–8. Noah and his cousin Nora form a connection via conversations about seasonal differences between their respective hemispheres and their forthcoming celebrations of Hanukkah.
How to Catch Santa Claus
Alice Walstead, illus. by Andy Elkerton. Sourcebooks Wonderland, $12.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-72827-427-0. Ages 4–10. In the newest installment in the How to Catch series, Santa Claus needs the Catch Club’s help to avoid dangerous traps and deliver all his gifts on time.
How to Decorate a Christmas Tree
Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Miki Sato. Tundra, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7352-6858-6. Ages 4–8. A youthful narrator supplies instructions on Christmas tree–trimming, offering anecdotal descriptions of the stories behind the ornaments.
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas!
Alastair Heim, illus. by Aristides Ruiz. Random House, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-56316-8. Ages 5–9. The star of How the Grinch Stole Christmas makes a return in this sequel, in which the reformed Grinch considers returning to his old ways when his plans to showcase his holiday spirit fail.
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2376-7. Ages 4–8. Collaborators Barnett and Klassen ponder the technicalities of Santa’s delivery process in this picture book.
Helen Yoon. Candlewick, $10.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2627-0. Ages 3–7. A small brown dog in a yellow scarf encounters many wintry firsts in the kickoff to the Is This...? series. The book received a starred review from PW.
It’s Not Easy Being Santa Claus
Marilyn Sadler, illus. by Steph Laberis. Random House, $10.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-70287-1. Ages 3–7. In the latest installment of the It’s Not Easy Being series, Santa is overwhelmed with all of his Christmas responsibilities, and tries out different professions to find where he feels most fulfilled.
Jingle Bell Joy: A Bedtime Christmas Rhyme
Rose Rossner, illus. by Aleksandra Szmidt. Sourcebooks Wonderland, $10.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-72826-587-2. Ages 4–7. Christmas comes to the woods as various animal families cheerfully partake in a bevy of favorite traditions in this tune-oriented outing.
Kid Christmas: Of the Claus Brothers Toy Shop
David Litchfield. Frances Lincoln, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7112-8743-3. Ages 4–7. In this Santa Claus origin story, young Nicky Claus is primed to join the Claus family business and makes a vow to give a gift to each child after an encounter with unhoused children.
La Noche Before Three Kings Day
Sheila Colón-Bagley, illus. by Alejandro Mesa. HarperCollins, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06323-432-1. Ages 4–8. A Latinx-cued family comes together to prepare for la noche before Three Kings Day.
Melissa Seron Richardson, illus. by Monica Arnaldo. Little, Brown, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-31643-629-8. Ages 4–8. In this sweetly comic portrait of a Three Kings Day celebration, a child finally old enough to have her own slice of La Rosca de Reyes is worried about swallowing the Baby Jesus figurine inside.
Alan Silberberg. Viking, $7.99 (16p) ISBN 978-0-5936-2316-9. Ages up to 3. A potato pancake protagonist hosts a humdinger of a Hanukkah night by night.
Will Hillenbrand. Little, Brown/Ottaviano, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-33362-7. Ages 3–7. Little Red, a peppy pickup truck, and driver Katie deliver true holiday spirit and a special gift to a small town’s residents.
The Lucky Red Envelope: A Lift-the-Flap Lunar New Year Celebration
Vikki Zhang. Wide Eyed, $22.99 (24p) ISBN 978-0-7112-8592-7. Ages 3–7. Big sister Yue teaches baby brother Ru all about Lunar New Year in this picture book primer studded with 144 flaps that hint at the tradition of opening red envelopes and eagerly anticipating their contents.
Nikki Grimes, illus. by Michelle Carlos. Beaming, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5064-8562-1. Ages 4–8. A caravan of creatures bear gifts for a Bethlehem-born babe: “the Holy One.”
Lunar New Year (Celebrations & Festivals)
Natasha Yim, illus. by Jingting Wang. Words & Pictures, $14.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-7112-8713-6. Ages 5–7. Young Ling gets ready for the year’s biggest Chinese festival, Lunar New Year.
The Lunar New Year Surprise (Holidays in Our Home)
Jade Wang, illus. by Tammy Do. Soaring Kite, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-958372-05-0. Ages 5–9. Amid Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations, bespectacled Gege attempts to give little sister Meimei a handmade present.
Bernette Ford, illus. by Erin K. Robinson. Boxer, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-914912-22-1. Ages 3–6. Young Ori makes a wish for the season’s first snowfall and enjoys her wish come true with her community.
April Genevieve Tucholke, illus. by Rebecca Santo. Algonquin, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-64375-238-9. Ages 4–8. Merry, a northern saw-whet owl, faces changes in their relationship with Hark, a Norway spruce, around the holidays.
Linda Elovitz Marshall and Ilan Stavans, illus. by Maria Mola. Kar-Ben, $19.99 (24p) ISBN 978-1-7284-4928-9. Ages 4–8. Danielito notices the other kids in the neighborhood playing with trompos—traditional Mexican tops—and joins them with his dreidel.
The Most Magical Time of the Year!
April Showers, illus. by Anthony Conley. Random House, $10.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-70412-7. Ages 3–7. Brown unicorns Unique, Divine, and Magical kick off December excited to sticker their Holiday Magic Kindness Countdown calendars and to visit with Santa, who will soon arrive to pick up their holiday letters.
Sabrina Makhsimova, illus. by Dinara Mirtalipova. Chronicle, $14.99 (8p) ISBN 978-1-4521-7773-1. Ages 2–4. This cheery novelty set of three books delivers a cozy rendering of the North Pole into young readers’ hands—a trifold case opens to create a diorama-style snowy village in which the shaped board books, each tucked into a pocket, comprise a village’s buildings.
One Christmas in Our Building: A Very Merry Mystery
Johanna Lindemann, trans. from the German by Polly Lawson, illus. by Andrea Stegmaier. Floris, $17.95 (36p) ISBN 978-1-78250-861-8. Ages 3–7. On Christmas Eve, a child narrator visits their neighbors in search of their family’s missing turkey.
Troy Cummings. Random House, $12.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-48120-2. Ages 3–7. A braggadocio Christmas ornament named Otto struggles to find his place on a new tree.
Danielle and Francesco Sedita, illus. by Luciano Lozano. Viking, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-62186-8. Ages 3–7. A pair of siblings help prepare delicious meals for their extended Italian family’s holiday Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Lois Ehlert. Beach Lane, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5344-0172-3. Ages up to 8. In this update of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” a mouse takes a bite of several treats before settling down on Christmas Eve, in the late Caldecott Honoree’s final picture book.
Derrick Barnes, illus. by Courtney Lovett. Penguin/Paulsen, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-53043-6. Ages 4–8. A Black family hoping to welcome Santa to their home gets more than they bargained for after his sleigh breaks down.
Suzy Senior, illus. by Lucy Semple. Tiger Tales, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-66430-032-3. Ages 3–7. In this Christmassy “Cinderella” retelling, the fairy godmother is replaced with Santa Claus and the pair work together to deliver presents.
Santa Shark: A Great White Christmas
Mike Lowery. Orchard, $14.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-338-80395-2. Ages 3–6. A shark named Edgar and crab bestie Lotta prep for Santa Shark’s arrival.
Pat Tanumihardja, illus. by Bonnie Lui. Disney-Hyperion/de la Cruz, $17.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-368-08957-9. Ages 3–7. A crew of fairy-like “bakerinas” labor in Sugar Plum and Mr. Gingerbread’s kitchen to create 12 international sweets for holiday distribution.
Jenn Bailey, illus. by Bea Jackson. Little, Brown, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-316-33097-8. Ages 4–8. In this family-focused variation on “The 12 Days of Christmas,” a girl goes on to count three French toasts, five Nana hugs, six older cousins, and more, all adding up to 12 hours of Christmas shenanigans for an affectionate Black family. The book received a starred review in PW.
Goldie Hawk, illus. by Angie Rozelaar. Nosy Crow, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 979-8-88777-026-0. Ages 4–8. A trio—depicted with varied skin tones and clad in cheery winter hats—head out on a “present hunt” in the creators’ Christmastime rendition of “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.”
Jo Gershman and Bob Strauss, illus. by Jo Gershman. Kar-Ben, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-7284-6026-0. Ages 4–8. On each night of Hanukkah, a family is visited by a different species of wild animal, the numbers of which correspond to the number of candles on the menorah.
Books for Older Readers
The 156-Story Treehouse: Holiday Havoc!
Andy Griffiths. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-250-85018-8. Ages 6–10. In the 12th installment of the Treehouse Books series, Andy and Terry rush to prepare for the holidays, when a reindeer’s crash-landing leads them to helping Santa.
Betsy Aldredge. Underlined, $10.99 paper (240p) ISBN 978-0-593-71033-3. Ages 12 and up. While spending four nights of Hanukkah on her grandmother’s ranch, Hannah Levin develops a relationship with Noah, a local Jewish teen who promises to make this year’s celebration one she’ll never forget.
David Valdes. HarperTeen, $19.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-06-328888-1. Ages 13 and up. While working at Santaland, college student Cam competes with fellow employee Marco to win a contest for $5,000, in which customers vote for best elf.
Eoin Colfer, illus. by Chaaya Prabhat. Roaring Brook, $22.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-250-32194-7. Ages 8–12. Juniper Lane enlists the aid of reclusive handyman Niko—a retired Santa—to continue a family tradition of holding an annual Santa Vigil in the park. The book received a starred review from PW.
Max Fernsby and the Infinite Toys
Gerry Swallow and Peter Gaulke, illus. by Marta Kissi. HarperCollins, $18.99 (208p) ISBN 978-0-06-321475-0. Ages 8–12. Two calamity-prone elves and three human friends team up to save Santa’s bag from an avaricious e-tailer in this madcap Christmas adventure from screenwriters Swallow and Gaulke.
