 The
Nutcracker
adapted by AnnMarie Anderson, illustrated
by Alison Jay
Ages 4–8
On Christmas Eve, Clara
and her enchanted toys enjoy themselves in a dreamland
full of sweets. Based on the Balanchine staging
of the ballet, this retelling of the classic tale
features an abbreviated storyline and delicate
crackle-varnish oil paintings. Perfect for reading
aloud, children will enjoy the tiny details featured
in each scene. |
|
 The
Mitten
by Jim Aylesworth, Barbara McClintock
Ages 3–8
In this retelling of a folk tale,
a young boy loses his red mitten while sledding. The
mitten is found by a delighted squirrel who enjoys its
cosiness until a first a rabbit, then a fox, and finally
a bear beg to join in the warmth. McClintock’s pen-and-ink
illustrations illustrate the silliness in a wonderfully
naturalistic way. |
|
 What’s
Coming for Christmas?
by Kate Banks, Georg Hallensleben
Ages 3–6
The tranquil text and soft
acrylic illustrations perfectly capture the anticipation
that fills a snowy day as Christmas approaches. This
bedtime book which includes both the Santa and Nativity
aspects of the holiday will happily sooth young children
to sleep. |
|
 Extra
Yarn
by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen
Ages 4–8
Annabelle, who lives in a world
of white snow and black soot, longs for color. When
she finds a box full of bright yarn, she sets out to
knit colorful sweaters for everyone she knows. No matter
how much she knits, the box always seems to hold more
yarn. A greedy archduke tries to buy the yarn box,
but Annabelle refuses. When he steals the box, he finds
that it is empty, though it magically refills when
returned to Annabelle. |
|
 Christmas
Is Here
adapted from the King James Bible
and illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Ages 4–8
As a young family watches a live
nativity scene in their snowy city neighborhood, the
story shifts to a field with shepherds watching a brilliant
star in the night sky. Text from the King James Bible
accompanies the cheerful illustrations connecting the
traditional account of the birth of Jesus with a modern,
and non-commercial, celebration of Christmas. |
|
 A
Christmas Goodnight
by Nola Buck, Sarah Jane Wright
Ages 2–5
This cozy book begins by saying
good night in scenes at the birth of Jesus, and then
moves to s snowy modern setting where a child settles
down to sleep by the Nativity scene in his bedroom
that includes figures from the earlier illustration.
The soothing rhyming text and soft illustrations are
perfect for calming excited children in the evenings
before Christmas. |
|
 Crouching
Tiger
by Ying Chang Compestine, Yan
Nascimbene
Ages 6–10
Vinson considers himself completely
American, and is uncomfortable when his grandfather
comes to visit from China, speaking to him in Chinese
and calling him Ming Da, his Chinese name. When his
grandfather practices tai chi in the garden, Ming Da
is at first fascinated, hoping to learn kung fu kicks
and punches, and then bored by tai chi’s slow pace.
Reluctantly donning a Chinese jacket for the Chinese
New Year parade, Ming Da notices the respect given
to his grandfather and the lion dancers he trained.
As Ming Da allows himself to enter his grandfather’s
world, their friendship deepens and he realizes it’s
pretty cool to be Chinese after all. |
|
 The
Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale
by Ying Chang Compestine, Sebastia
Serra
Ages 5–8
Long ago in Beijing, a poor
couple send their son Ming to trade some eggs for
rice so that they can make a Chinese New Year meal
for their neighbors. But Ming trades the eggs for
a singing wok who promises exciting things. Ming
chases the wok to a rich family’s kitchen, where
it is filled with delicious food soon delivered to
the Ming’s poor family’s table. The clever wok also
transports toys from the greedy rich child, and treasures
from the dishonest rich father. Based on a Danish
folktale, this jaunty tale will enchant young listeners. |
 Stick
Man
by Julia Donaldson
Ages 4–8
In this bouncy story in verse,
Stick Man unwillingly joins a dog’s game of fetch and
is sent away from his family far downstream. As the seasons
change, he becomes part of a swan’s nest and finally,
almost kindling. Saved by Santa’s arrival down the chimney,
this book is a perfect winter story. |
|
 A
Christmas Tree for Pyn
by Olivier Dunrea
Ages 3–8
With quiet persistence, young
Pyn convinces her mountain man father that they really
do need a real Christmas tree. The rustic details of
tree stump beds and a stone hearth suggest a historical
story land, while the celebration of the warm relationship
between father and daughter is timeless. |
|
 Captain
Sky Blue
by Richard Egielski
Ages 4–8
On Christmas morning Jack receives
a toy pilot, Captain Sky Blue. With Sky’s help, Jack
builds a model plane. When Jack’s hat blows away, Sky
heads off in pursuit, facing lightning and a humpback
whale before ending up in Santa’s underwater workshop,
ending with wild ride on Santa’s sleigh a year later.
Bright and energetic illustrations accompany this old-fashioned
adventure. |
|
 The
Big Snow
by Berta & Elmer Hader
Caldecott Medal
1949
Ages 4–8
Simple text and beautiful illustrations
tell the story of how the woodland creatures prepare for winter.
In the winter of the big snow, the people who live in the little
stone house help the animals by putting food out for them. |
|
 Bedtime
for Bear
by Brett Helquist
Ages 2–6
Just as Bear is settling in
for a long winter nap, two rowdy raccoon friends beg
him to come out and play. Bear tries to put them off,
but eventually gives in and the three have a marvelous
time playing in the snow. Finally even the rambunctious
raccoons are ready for sleep. The humor and details
in this winter romp make it a perfect read-aloud. |
|
 Old
Bear
by Kevin Henkes
Ages 3–8
A hibernating bear dreams of
a spring when he was a cub, followed by dreams of summer,
fall, and winter in this beautifully illustrated book
about the annual cycle of seasons. |
|
 Red
Sled
by Lita Judge
Ages 2–5
This nearly wordless picture
book takes a child’s red sled on a nighttime joy ride.
A bear liberates the sled he finds leaning against
the house, and picks up passengers as the sled speeds
down the hill. Perfectly imagined sound effects accompany
the wild ride. |
|
 The
Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack Keats
Caldecott Medal
1963
Ages 4–8
A small boy wakes up to discover that
snow has fallen overnight. The beautiful illustrations of watercolor
and collage show the magic of simple experiences in the snow. |
|
 The
Gingerbread Pirates
by Kristin Kladstrup, Matt Tavares
Ages 4–10
Jim and his mother make gingerbread
pirate cookies on Christmas Eve, and Jim likes his
Captain Cookie with a gingerbread cutlass and toothpick
peg leg too much to leave him on the plate for Santa.
In the middle of the night, the brave Captain Cookie
dashes down the stairs to save his crew from the mysterious
cannibal named Santa. Luckily Santa ends up not being
as terrifying as the cookies feared. |
|
 The
Christmas Giant
by Steve Light
Ages 3–8
Humphrey, the giant, and Leetree,
the elf, create the Christmas wrapping paper used by
the North Pole toy makers. They love their job, but
are sad when it is done for the year. Santa asks them
to grow a special Christmas tree, and the two use their
unique talents, like moving big boulders and pulling
tiny weeds, and their cleverness when the tree meets
with an accident. This sweet story of friendship, persistence,
and resourcefulness demonstrates that everyone, big
or small, has gifts to offer all through the year. |
| |
|
 Snowflake
Bentley
text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin,
illustrations by Mary Azarian
Caldecott Medal
1999
Ages 4–8
This biography of Wilson A. Bentley tells
the story of a rural Vermont farmboy in the mid 19th century
who became fascinated by snowflakes. Bentley developed a system
of microphotography that allowed him to capture images of snowflakes
and prove that no two snowflakes are identical. Azarian’s woodcuts
are perfect. |
|
 Waiting
for Winter
by Sebastian Meschenmoser
Ages 5–8
Squirrel, Hedgehog, and Bear
scurry around searching for the first snowflake of winter,
which they are told will be white and wet and soft and
cold. They each find a candidate for the snowflake: a
toothbrush, a tin can, and an old white sock. The wonderfully
detailed and silly illustrations are sure to enchant
readers. |
|
 Over
and Under the Snow
by Kate Messner, Christopher Silas
Neal
Ages 4–8
A small girl and her father
cross-country ski through a snowy forest, spotting
the occasional animal. Cutaway illustrations reveal
other creatures sheltered under the snow in this evocative
and elegant book. |
|
 Santa
Duck
by David Milgrim
Ages 4–8
On Christmas Eve Nicholas Duck
rushes outside to find Santa and tell him what he wants
for Christmas. He is surprised to find a red coat and
official Santa hat on his doorstep. Delighted with
his new outfit, Nicholas is soon overwhelmed by the
crowds of animals who ask him to deliver their wish
lists to Santa. When Nicholas flees from the crowd,
he runs into Santa and delivers all the messages, but
forgets to relay his own desires. At first frustrated,
Nicholas soon realizes that helping others has made
him happier that any gift possibly could. The bright
illustrations, funny character, and simple message
will charm young readers. |
|
 Santa
Duck and His Merry Helpers
by David Milgrim
Ages 4–8
Nicholas Duck is overjoyed
that it is again time to help collect wish lists for
Santa. Unfortunately his three younger siblings pester
him to let them help, trying to bribe him with fantastic
presents. When he reminds them that Christmas is about
love and goodwill, not just presents, the little ducks
convince him that means he must let them help after
all. The goofy humor and cartoon-like illustrations
will appeal to both younger and older siblings. (follow-up
to Santa
Duck) |
|
 The
Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore, Eric Puybaret
Ages 5–8
The classic poem is illustrated
with brilliantly colored and lavishly detailed paintings,
so rich that the appear almost 3-D. The bundled CD
includes the tale set to music by Noel Paul Stookey,
a reading of the poem by Mary Travis with a special
score composed by Peter Yarrow, plus the classic song “A’
Soalin” performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary. |
|
 Christmas
in the Time of Billy Lee
by Jerdine Nolen, Barry Moser
Ages 4–8
Ellie makes three Christmas
wishes: that her parents will believe her friend Billy
Lee is real and not imaginary, that it will snow again
in Septon’s Creek, and that her worried parents will
be happy again. Her Grandma encourages Ellie to believe
in the magic of Christmas and wonderful things begin
to happen: broken tree lights begin to work, it snows
for the first time in 50 years, and Mama and Daddy
are all smiles with some happy news. Ellie is sure
it all has something to do with Billy Lee. |
|
 The
Third Gift
by Linda Sue Park, Bagram Ibatoulline
Ages 6–9
Somewhere in an Arab desert,
a young boy learns from his father the art of gathering
a fragrant and valuable sap that seeps from small thorny
trees. The two sell it to three strangers in rich robes
who add it to their previously collected gifts of gold
and frankincense that they are taking as a birth gift
to a special baby. An author’s note includes additional
background on myrrh. |
|
 The
Snow Day
by Komako Sakai
Ages 3–5
A small rabbit wakes up to discover
that snow has been falling all night. School is closed
and the father rabbit’s flight home has been cancelled.
The rabbit and his mother are safe and warm inside the
apartment, but feel all alone in the world. The small
rabbit enjoys the magic of the snow, waiting for the
news that his father will return tomorrow. |
|
 Balloons
over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s
Parade
by Melissa Sweet
Ages 4–8
This accessible biography tells
the story of Tony Sarg, the man who invented the giant
balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Tony
Sarg, a self-taught immigrant, was fascinated by puppets
and marionettes as a child. His first big break came
with a job of designing window displays for Macy’s.
Next came earthbound creations that were steered down
the street, and finally the balloon puppets controlled
from below. |
|
 The
Christmas Magic
by Lauren Thompson, Jon J Muth
Ages 4–8
In the far far north where
the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest,
Santa begins to prepare for his long night of toy-giving.
This particular Santa is a bunny-slipper-wearing character
who feels the approaching holiday through the tingling
of his whiskers. The luminous watercolor illustrations
add to the reassuring magic of this Christmas story. |
|
 White
Snow, Bright Snow
by Alvin Tresselt, illustrations
by Roger Duvoisin
Caldecott Medal
1948
Ages 4–8
When the snow begins to fall, the adults
rush around doing important chores, but the children dance and
try to catch snowflakes on their tongues. The bright illustrations
capture a child’s delight in the first snow of the season. |
|
 The
Polar Express
by Chris Van Allsburg
Caldecott Medal
1986
Ages 6–8
The Polar Express is an old-fashioned
steam train that takes children to the North Pole on Christmas
Eve. Incredible illustrations evoke a memory of a long-ago time. |
|
 The
Star Maker
by Laurence Yep
Ages 8–12
It’s the early 1950s in San
Francisco’s Chinatown, and everyone is excited about
the upcoming festival to celebrate the lunar new year.
Eight-year-old Artie is the youngest of the cousins,
and when his older cousin Petey puts him down, Artie
boasts that he will have so many firecrackers on Chinese
New Year that he can give one to every member of the
family. Uncle Chester sympathizes and promises to help
Artie keep his promise, but as the holiday draws near
that seems more and more unlikely. Uncle Chester loses
money at the race track and can’t find work, while
Artie has spent all his money. Based on Yep’s own childhood
memories, his affectionate book celebrates family and
cultural traditions. |
|
 Owl
Moon
text by Jane Yolen, illustrations
by John Schoenherr
Caldecott Medal 1988
Ages 3–8
A young girl and her father go owling
late one winter night. The lyrical text and beautiful illustrations
combine to transform this simple event into a magical adventure. |
|
 A
New Year’s Reunion: A Chinese Story
by Li Qiong Yu, Zhu Chen Liang
Ages 3–5
Little Maomao’s father works
far away from home, and returns only once a year, to
celebrate Chinese New Year. When her father arrives,
Maomao barely recognizes him, but after a shave and
a haircut the little family is ready for the simple
pleasures of the holiday. Papa hides the lucky coin
in a sticky rice ball, and Maomao discovers it. On
the day that her father leaves, Maomao presents him
with the lucky coin so that he can bring it back and
hide it again next year. Beautiful gouaches illustrate
this poignant yet joyful story of hardship and celebration. |
|
 Snow
Party
by Harriet Ziefert, Mark Jones
Ages 4–8
When the first snow of the year
falls on the winter solstice, the snow people have a
party. Mark Jones’s breathtaking
pastel illustrations make this book stand out. |
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