By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 6, 2012
The Christmas Quiet Book
By Deborah Underwood; Illustrated by Renata Liwska
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 16, 2012)
It’s impossible to keep quiet any longer. It just has to be shouted loudly to everyone: We love the winning combination of Deborah Underwood’s sweet and pitch-perfect “quiet” holiday moments and Renata Liwska’s gentle and charming drawings that make you wish you could reach into the pages and give each and every character a warm embrace. Make a little book bundle and include the original The Quiet Book and The Loud Book—three books and a piece of ribbon and you have the perfect gift for any young child—go the extra mile and tie a little stuffy on top, too.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?
By Jane Yolen; Illustrated by Mark teague
Reading level: Ages 0-4
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press (September 1, 2012)
Get ready to roar with laughter with your preschooler. The bestselling combo Jane Yolen and Mark Teague are back again with their winning “How Do Dinosaurs” series. The over-sized, egocentric, juvenile dinosaurs wreak havoc through the house for the first half of the picture book—they have no regard for the special traditions of Christmas. As per usual, good behavior is highlighted in the second half and a lesson of “how not to act” is delivered brilliantly. This is a must-have Christmas book, especially for fans of prehistoric animals.
Christmas Magic
By Kirsten Hall; Illustrated by Simon Mendez
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 20 pages
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books (October 2, 2012)
With lyrical verses that have a nostalgic quality and a unique art form that allows every painted illustration to change with a simple pull of a tab, this is a Christmas book that will hold an audience captivated.
The Nutcracker: A Magic Theatre Book
By Geraldine McCaughrean; Illustrated by Kristina Swarner
Reading level: Ages 2-7
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 3, 2012)
We can’t resist the magical movement of this new take on The Nutcracker. Large die-cut board pages have been made to be handled and allow the cast of characters to literally dance their way through the story. This Nutcracker version gets our vote based on the delightful illustrations and inventive paper-engineering—”A Magic Theatre Book” is definitely the write description.
Stable in Bethlehem: A Countdown to Christmas
By Joy N. Hulme; Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
Reading level: Ages 1-3
Board book: 22 pages
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books; Brdbk edition (October 1, 2012)
Not just a numbers primer for babies and toddlers, the stunning artwork of Dan Andreasen and Joy N. Hulme’s gentle rhymes also introduce the littlest readers to the religious beginnings of Christmas.
Looking for more suggestions? Try our lists from previous years:
20 of the Best Kids Christmas Books
Christmas Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
