Top Picks for Kids Books for the Holidays

Giving a book to a kid means giving them a ticket to a different world or adventure. Give the kids in your life the gift of adventure through the pages of the following top books this season:

My Family Loves Me Series by Shanalee Sharboneau

With vibrant and imaginative illustrations by Israel Dilean, the My Family Loves Me series it a touching collection. The author, Shanalee, wrote the books after coming up with the lyrics as a song to sing to her son while he was in the hospital. The words show the immense love that a parent has for their child, and how the child sees and revels in that love. Each book is written from the child’s perspective, and they share throughout the book in words and pictures how magical their parent’s love makes their life. Titles in the series include: My Daddy Loves Me: I’m His Little Girl; My Daddy Loves Me: I’m His Little Boy; My Mama Loves Me: I’m Her Little Boy; My Mama Loves Me: I’m Her Little Girl. The books have won numerous awards, including the Best International Children’s Picture Book Series from Literary Classics Book Awards, and the Best Children’s Picture Books Age 5 & Under from Royal Dragonfly Book Award. This is a great book to add to any family collection, and will be a tradition to pass down for generations. Check out the series and order on Amazon .

Smokey’s Christmas Adventure by D.L. Young

Smokey’s Christmas Adventure is a quaint short story that follow Smokey, a 6 month old kitten, and his first Christmas Eve. He worries Santa will forget a gift for him when he sees there is no stocking hung for him, so he decides to climb the Christmas tree to make sure Santa can’t miss him when he arrives. He meets some concerned Christmas ornaments along the way that try to warn him to be careful as he climbs, but he keeps on until he reaches the top, and falls asleep. Kids will enjoy the large pictures and easy to read story to find out what happens when Smokey wakes up and Santa arrives. Smokey’s Christmas Adventure is available at Amazon.

Letter From Santa Claus by Robin Jones

A story about a young boy who gets sick and ends up in the hospital as the holidays approach, Letter from Santa Claus shares how a special letter helps heal that boy. Written in first person, the boy, Robin, tells about how his family feels when he goes into the hospital and how his dad comes to read to him every night after work. One night, a special letter was found on his bed, a letter from Santa! The letter from Santa shares how he gets his elves (such a sweet idea!), how Rudolph is doing, and how Mrs. Claus prepares a feast for the North Pole occupants. A sweet story to share with young listeners, Letter from Santa Claus can be found at Amazon.

Christmas Train by David Miles

A board book that is guaranteed to capture your baby or toddler’s attention with the colorful illustrations. Christmas Train is a very unique board book that opens up to 56 inches long to show off Santa’s Christmas train and all the goodies he is carrying! Each train car counts different festive items, so baby will also learn counting to 20 as the story is read with the interesting rhymes. I thought it was cute that the book could be left open as decor for the baby’s room for Christmas. The book was a very good quality board book, and was easy to fold back up. It velcros closed to keep it nice and compact for the bookshelf or bag. Check out the Christmas Train on Amazon.

Pocket Piggies: Christmas!

This board book is going to make your kid wish that there will be a piglet under the Christmas tree for them! With adorable photos of the teacup pigs of Pennywell Farm taken by Richard Austin, this is a perfect little board book for ages 0 and up. With cute rhymes, the board book walks through the piggies’ advice on how to have a happy and fun Christmas season. This is perfect as a stocking stuffer for any little one on your list. Get one at Amazon

Indestructibles: Jingle Baby by Kate Merritt

The Indestructibles baby book series has a special one for Christmas: Jingle Baby. If you have never heard of the Indestructibles series, you need to check them out, they are chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic, and washable books for babies and toddlers- genius, right? With a simple story about what Christmas is like, Jingle Baby is great for a gift idea. The pictures are creative and fun, and babies can explore Christmas time with this book with all their senses! Get yours at Amazon.

The Gifts of the Animals: A Christmas Tale by Carole Gerber

For a different Christmas story, The Gifts of the Animals: A Christmas Tale is a very special choice. It depicts how the stable animals prepared the manger for Jesus’ birth and ties it all in with the traditional story with the angels and shepherds. The captivating illustrations add to the magic of the story and are the handiwork of illustrator Yumi Shimokawara. The book is beautifully written and is a wonderful addition to a family’s Christmas tradition to read together. Children of all ages will love seeing the caring and tenderness the different animals showed to prepare for Jesus and will spark imaginations to dream about what it must have been like on that special night. Get one for your family at Amazon.

Santa.com by Russell Hicks and Matt Cubberly

Santa.com is a whimsical book that has a very unique story. It looks at what would happen if Santa was phased out in exchange for a more automated and updated system! But, even computer systems can be hacked, so what are the elves to do when their system doesn’t work anymore? The story follows an elf named Yo-Yo as he finds the old school Christmas magic by bringing Santa, his sleigh, and the reindeers back to save the day. It is beautifully illustrated by Ryley Garcia and the pictures help bring the story to life. A very fun story, it helps tie Christmas and it’s simple roots to the modern age. Get a copy at Amazon.

A Very Lappy Christmas by Caroline Henrich

A Very Lappy Christmas is a beautiful story about a Finnish Lapphund, Snowy, and his family as they help to try and save Christmas. The book is a little longer, so it is perfect for some older kids that are looking for a story with some adventure as they follow Snowy and his family all around the world. The story includes some interesting facts woven into the narrative about the dog breed, and about different places they travel to on their journey. With imagination and heart, the author puts together a story that focuses on family and valuable lessons that every child will be able to relate to. With beautiful and colorful illustrations on each page by Judith Gosse, A Very Lappy Christmas is a memorable story that can be read each year. Get a copy at Amazon.

Kim Alsumiri

Kim Alsumiri is a Senior Writer who focuses on baby products and travel. A proud California native, she has a deep understanding of the needs of families with young children. With over 10 years of experience in the writing industry, Kim has a passion for finding and sharing the best products and experiences for parents and their little ones. She has also developed a strong interest in social issues related to parenting and child-rearing. As a mother of three young children, Kim knows firsthand the joys and challenges of raising a family. Her personal experience and love for travel allow her to offer valuable insights to her readers on the best places to go and things to do with kids in tow.