Tweetspeak Poetry

  • Home
  • FREE prompts
  • Earth Song
  • Every Day Poems—Subscribe! ✨
  • Teaching Tools
  • Books, Etc.
  • Patron Love

Top 10 Holiday Books for Children and Children at Heart

By Megan Willome 4 Comments

When my kids were young I looked forward to December just so we could start reading from my collection of holiday books. I’ve continued to add to my collection since they left home, and these are my current Top 10. It’s not too late for you to read these stories to a loved one and rekindle your childlike heart.

Barbara Robinson The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson
Originally released in McCall’s magazine and now also performed as a play, it’s the story of what happens when the Herdman kids take over the Christmas pageant and, somehow, help everyone see the true meaning of Christmas. Each year intended to stretch this short chapter book over a week, but somehow we always finished it in a day or two because we had to hear what the Herdmans would do next.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss
As a child, I did not like this story. But when I became a parent, I gave it another go and fell in love. It’s a story of transformation, and the older I get, the more I want a big ol’ serving of redemption with my roast beast.

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
This classic is not only a tale of transformation, but a ghost story too. I did not share this one with my kids until middle school, when they had to read it. The language will get stuck in your head the way a good poem does. There are several unabridged audio versions available, but I like the one read by Jim Dale, who also did the Harry Potter audio series. For film adaptations? There is only one: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Auntie Claus, by Elise Primavera Elise Primavera
From the transformation of a Grinch and a Scrooge, we move to the transformation of a little girl. Sophie isn’t sweet or even particularly pleasant. But when she discovers her connection to the Claus family, she becomes more selfless. This story is mostly set in New York and evokes the beauty of the city at the holidays.

Will Moses Silent Night, by Will Moses
If you prefer the quiet beauty of the countryside, this story set in old-timey rural Vermont is written and illustrated by Will Moses, a descendant of Grandma Moses. The carol “Silent Night” forms the structure of the book, as Little Andy awaits the birth of his sister on Christmas Day. His dilemma? What do you get a newborn baby? You’ll never hear the song again without seeing these illustrations.

The Legend of the Poinsettia, by Tomie DePaola Tomie dePaola
In Texas, where I live, Mexican culture is woven into everyday life, including at the holidays. At Christmas, that means many communities hold Las Posadas, in which a group of parishoners re-enact the bible story and travel house to house, looking for shelter. The tradition is at the heart of this legend of a girl who makes a gift of weeds to the Christ child on Nochebuena. Her offering is miraculously transformed into a plant with beautiful red stars. DePaola is known for his ability to bring legends to life, and this book is no exception.

Ludwig Bemelmans Madeline in America, by Ludwig Bemelmans and John Bemelmans Marciano
I would not be a true Texan if I didn’t include this holiday book with the Alamo on the cover. It’s not my favorite Madeline book, but Miss Clavel and her young charges go to a ranch, eat chili, visit an oil field, shop at Neiman-Marcus, and receive assistance from a Texas Ranger. Yee haw.

The Night Before Christmas, by Clement Moore, illus. Jan Brett Jan Brett
No Christmas is complete without the iconic poem, and I love this edition’s Ukrainian-inspired illustrations. Like many of Brett’s books, this one includes both the main action in the middle of the page and small action in the corners, looking back at what has happened and ahead to what will come.

Chris Van Allsburg

The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
I bought my copy of this book before I had children, knowing I would want to read it to them someday. It’s about believing — an ability children seem born with but can lose. Adults can read this book and believe again. I wish it had not been made into a movie because it’s perfect just as it is.

The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margarey Williams, illus. William Nicholson Margery Williams
This iconic story is not technically a Christmas story, but the Boy receives the bunny on Christmas Eve, so over time the book has made its way to holiday shelves. It’s a story about what it means to become real, but there are two levels of Real. Christmas is the one time of year when we don’t take things at face value. This book takes us by the hand, into the moonlight, where we can leap and play forever.

_______________

What are some of your family’s favorite holiday books? Share in the comments! And then make time to read to each other before the close of the year.

 

Photo by Paul van de Velde, Creative Commons, via Flickr. Post by Megan Willome.

Browse more Top 10 books

MW-Joy of Poetry Front cover 367 x 265

“Megan Willome’s The Joy of Poetry is not a long book, but it took me longer to read than I expected, because I kept stopping to savor poems and passages, to make note of books mentioned, and to compare Willome’s journey into poetry to my own. The book is many things. An unpretentious, funny, and poignant memoir. A defense of poetry, a response to literature that has touched her life, and a manual on how to write poetry. It’s also the story of a daughter who loses her mother to cancer. The author links these things into a narrative much like that of a novel. I loved this book. As soon as I finished, I began reading it again.”

—David Lee Garrison, author of Playing Bach in the D. C. Metro

Buy The Joy of Poetry Now

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Megan Willome
Megan Willome
Megan Willome is a writer, editor, and author of The Joy of Poetry: How to Keep, Save & Make Your Life With Poems and Rainbow Crow: poems in and out of form. Her day is incomplete without poetry, tea, and a walk in the dark.
Megan Willome
Latest posts by Megan Willome (see all)
  • Perspective: The Two, The Only: Calvin and Hobbes - December 16, 2022
  • Children’s Book Club: A Very Haunted Christmas - December 9, 2022
  • By Heart: ‘The night is darkening round me’ by Emily Brontë - December 2, 2022

Filed Under: A Story in Every Soul, children, Children's Authors, Children's Stories, Holiday Gifts

Write with Us

About Megan Willome

Megan Willome is a writer, editor, and author of The Joy of Poetry: How to Keep, Save & Make Your Life With Poems and Rainbow Crow: poems in and out of form. Her day is incomplete without poetry, tea, and a walk in the dark.

Comments

  1. Bethany says

    December 21, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    What a fun list, thank you! My daughter says she’s read 8/10 of these, so you’ve given us some fun new ideas to try! 🙂 Happy holidays to you and the whole Tweetspeak Poetry community!

    Reply
    • Megan Willome says

      December 21, 2019 at 8:19 pm

      And to you, Bethany!

      Reply
  2. Maureen says

    December 23, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    Excellent list. I think ‘The Boy, the Mule, the Fox and the Horse’ is wonderful. I bought a copy for myself.

    Merry Christmas, Megan.

    Reply
    • Megan Willome says

      December 23, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      Merry Christmas to you, Maureen. And I’ll put that one on my list.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cute Comic

😊

The Sadbook Collections

A stick-figure human sure to capture your heart.

Take How to Read a Poem

Get the Introduction, the Billy Collins poem, and Chapter 1

get the sample now

Welcome to Tweetspeak

New to Tweetspeak Poetry? Start here, in The Mischief Café. You're a regular? Check out our May Menu.

Patron Love

❤️

Welcome a little patron love, when you help keep the world poetic.

Your Comments

  • under the harvest moon – sleepy time on Carl Sandburg – The Chicago Poems
  • Happy Ideas: Poetry Prompt Series - Tweetspeak Poetry on “The Whole Harmonium: The Life of Wallace Stevens” by Paul Mariani
  • L.L. Barkat on Awe & Wonder Journal
  • L.L. Barkat on The Honey Field—10: Anna’s Heart

Get Every Day Poems

Featured In

We're happy to have been featured in...

The Huffington Post

The Paris Review

The New York Observer

Tumblr Book News

Stay in Touch With Us

Categories

Coloring Page Poem Printables!

Get all free coloring page poems now

Learn to Write Form Poems

How to Write an Acrostic

How to Write a Ballad

How to Write a Catalog Poem

How to Write a Ghazal

How to Write a Haiku

How to Write an Ode

How to Write a Pantoum

How to Write a Rondeau

How to Write a Sestina

How to Write a Sonnet

How to Write a Villanelle

5 FREE POETRY PROMPTS

Get 5 FREE inbox poetry prompts from the popular book How to Write a Poem

Shakespeare Resources

Poetry Classroom: Sonnet 18

Common Core Picture Poems: Sonnet 73

Sonnet 104 Annotated

Sonnet 116 Annotated

Character Analysis: Romeo and Juliet

Character Analysis: Was Hamlet Sane or Insane?

Why Does Hamlet Wait to Kill the King?

10 Fun Shakespeare Resources

About Shakespeare: Poet and Playwright

Top 10 Shakespeare Sonnets

See all 154 Shakespeare sonnets in our Shakespeare Library!

Explore Work From Black Poets

About Us

  • • A Blessing for Writers
  • • Annual Theme 2022: Perspective
  • • Annual Theme 2021: Generous
  • • Our Story
  • • Meet Our Team
  • • Literary Citizenship
  • • Poet Laura
  • • Poetry for Life: The 5 Vital Approaches
  • • T. S. Poetry Press – All Books
  • • Contact Us

Write With Us

  • • 5 FREE Poetry Prompts-Inbox Delivery
  • • 30 Days to Richer Writing Workshop
  • • Poetry Prompts
  • • Submissions
  • • The Write to Poetry

Read With Us

  • • All Our Books
  • • Book Club
  • • Every Day Poems—Subscribe! ✨
  • • Literacy Extras
  • • Poems to Listen By: Audio Series
  • • Poet-a-Day
  • • Poets and Poems
  • • 50 States Projects
  • • Charlotte Perkins Gilman Poems Library
  • • Edgar Allan Poe Poems Arts & Experience Library
  • • William Blake Poems Arts & Experience Library
  • • William Shakespeare Sonnet Library

Celebrate With Us

  • • Poem on Your Pillow Day
  • • Poetic Earth Month
  • • Poet in a Cupcake Day
  • • Poetry at Work Day
  • • Random Acts of Poetry Day
  • • Take Your Poet to School Week
  • • Take Your Poet to Work Day

Gift Ideas

  • • Every Day Poems
  • • Our Shop
  • • Everybody Loves a Book!

Connect

  • • Donate
  • • Blog Buttons
  • • By Heart
  • • Shop for Tweetspeak Fun Stuff

Copyright © 2023 Tweetspeak Poetry · FAQ, Disclosure & Privacy Policy

We serve poetry with our cookies. Because that's the way it should be.
We serve poetry with your cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you... accept the cookies with a smile.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
update cookie prefs

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT