Skip to main content

Five New Christmas Picture Books of 2016

Tis the season to snuggle up in a warm house with hot apple cider or hot chocolate while reading books. And here are five new Christmas books to read to little ones to get them excited for one of the biggest holidays of the year.


The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

This is a fun new addition for the holidays. In this story a woman named Hannah finds a boot in the snow. She works hard out in the weather and her feet are cold…so she puts the boot on. It turns out that this boot has magic. Hannah discovers that when she wishes for things those wishes come true. Of course a man with a red suit and a white beard (and who tends to be associated with descriptions like “jolly”) comes looking for his lost boot. Such a fun story that can get kids thinking about what would happen if they had found some of Santa’s magic themselves.




A Night of Great Joy by Mary Engelbreit

With the classic style of Mary Engelbreit this book tells the story of the nativity—as told by children acting it out at a school production. Youngsters who often hear the nativity or are part of a nativity drama themselves will enjoy seeing kids with fake beards and stuffed animals and dolls to tell this tale. And with rich layers of details on the clothing and background, children will be entranced by the illustrations as well as the story they depict.




Stowaway in a Sleigh by C. Roger Mader

This is one of my favorite new holiday books this year. Basically on Christmas Eve a cat named Slipper hears something moving around the house. Slipper names the newcomer Mr. Furry Boots (for the white fur on top of the black boots). While watching Mr. Furry Boots Slipper’s curiosity got the better of her and she crept into a big red sack that was on the floor. Of course little ones will know just what will happen as Mr. Furry Boots heads back up the chimney. The question is, what will Slipper think about her journey.




Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Anna Dewdney

The text of this book was originally copyright in 1952. The illustrations, however, are all new (and done by the late Anna Dewdney of Llama Llama fame). The animals who live in a barn are surprised when a couple come to spend the night with them since “there was no room in the inn.” And of course, in this nativity story the animals meet a newborn babe that others (shepherds and wise men) also wish to visit. This is a sweet rendition of the nativity from the perspective of those who live in a barn.



The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story by Kallie George and Stephanie Graegin

Four animals sit on a hill watching the night sky (and Santa for this particular night he is flying by to deliver gifts). Unfortunately one of the gifts on Santa’s sleigh falls from the sky. The deer, rabbit, squirrel, and bird go to the gift and discover that it is for the new baby that lives somewhat close. The animals decide that they should help Santa by delivering the gift themselves (though it is quite the feet for these four animals to do). This book is one that will help little ones remember that the feeling you get when giving and being generous is truly what the holiday is all about.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Review: Super Boba Cafe

Super Boba CafƩ By Nidhi Chanani New York: Amulet Books, 2023. Comics. 215 pages. 14-year-old Aria is excited to spend her summer in San Francisco getting quality time with her Nainai. She loves helping at her grandmother's Super Boba CafƩ. But she can't help but notice that her grandmother is acting strange and secretive. She refuses to let Aria into the kitchen at all and she disappears at the same time each night without telling Aria where she goes. Meanwhile, Aria is eager to drum up more business for Super Boba CafƩ. She gets a major windfall when the shop cat, Bao, surprises them by having kittens, and Aria realizes this is a major social media opportunity. She knows this will help Nainai's shop, but she is apprehensive to get back on social media after a terrible cyberbullying experience she had back home. As the shop starts to get busier, Nainai is more and more anxious about her secret project. This prompts Aria to investigate with help from her Nainai's neighb...

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...