Favorite Christmas Picture Books

Some people like to wrap up Christmas books and let their kids open one each night to read together. I tried this once, and decided it was a terrible idea. Some books need reading more than once, and what if your favorite Christmas book sits in the pile unopened until Christmas Eve and you only get to read it aloud once during the Christmas season? Not going to work for this family. We lasted five days and then opened the rest and just read and read and read. Reading aloud Christmas books is one of my favorite holiday activities.

We have amassed quite the collection in the 13 years since I've had children. Here is a list of some of our favorites, both secular and religious. Unfortunately, Christmas books don't always stay in print, so as I went to recommend some of my favorites I found that you can now only buy them used! So some of our favorites are not on this list. I tried to only include ones that are still in print.



The Stable Where Jesus Was Born

Here Comes Santa Cat

Mortimer's Christmas Manger

Olive, the Other Reindeer

Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect

Who is Coming to Our House?

Animals Christmas Carol 

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

B Is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet

Great Joy

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The Nutcracker


The Gift of the Magi

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

Merry Christmas, Stinky Face

How to Catch Santa

The Jolly Christmas Postman

Snowmen at Christmas

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

The Little Drummer Boy


Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story

Polar Express 30th anniversary edition

Auntie Claus

And I know at this time of year, people like to put together lists of holiday activities for advent calendar fun with the kids. This year I've decided to simplify:

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You may also enjoy our other Christmas posts and gift lists:

Unique Christmas Stocking stuffers

Creative Christmas Letter Ideas

Creative Toys for Creative Kids

Creative Stocking Stuffers for Kids

Here are some unique ideas for items to put in the kids' stockings this Christmas!

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Avoid the trap of stuffing a stocking with more "stuff" (ie. junky little toys that will quickly be thrown in a landfill). Here are some ideas for toys, treats, and practical items that kids will love. I have commented on some of them to make my case for including them, but mostly it's just a list. I like to find things that kids will use and that take up plenty of space in the stocking so you don't have to buy so much stuffing stuff. (gift cards are nice, but they don't take up much space!)



Painter's Tape - my kids love using my blue tape to mark out all sorts of things while they're playing with Lego blocks and Playmobil. They mark out kingdom boundaries, lakes and rivers, and roads for their vehicles (you could even throw in some little cars with the tape!)

headlamp or flashlights - kids love flashlights, and headlamps are even better because they leave your hands free! Also works well as a reading lamp for book lovers.

tennis balls - Tennis balls are perfect for kids to throw around, hit with a bat, or bounce against the garage. They're bouncy but won't do to much damage. Also, they take up lots of space in a stocking.

Tape Measure - my kids love measuring things, and this sewing tape measure doesn't have the sharp edges of a normal metal one so I feel okay with them using it whenever they like.

Rubber Bands - I'm not sure what my kids do with them, but they are always wanting to play with them.

Post-it notes

back scratcher- have a child who loves to have their back scratched? Let them scratch it themselves, or just make it easier for someone else to scratch with a massage tool.

Stopwatch or wristwatch with stopwatch - a new watch is a great thing for a stocking, especially if it is a stop watch so kids can time themselves or their friends doing things.

wallet

tools - hammer, screwdriver, etc . . . You be the judge of whether or not your kids are ready, but we've let our kids use a hammer to nail bits of scrap wood together and make their own creations starting when they're about 6 or 7. They love it! And it's fun to see the crazy stuff they come up with, like the hammer holder they gave Jason.

Kids Gardening Gloves - great for working out in the dirt!

super hero cape - make one yourself or buy one - either way they'll love it!

kid's swim goggles - either for swimming in the summer or just for dress up play.

yarn - a small ball of yarn or string is great for crafts or pretend play.

slipper socks - who says you can't stuff a stocking with stockings?

sunglasses

chapstick

pocket knife - again, you judge when they're ready and direct them how to use it safely.

compact umbrella

Sunprint Kit - such a fun way to make art!

Model Magic or play dough - these take up quite a bit of space and are great for creative play

band aids - kids love having their own bandaids to be in charge of, especially if they have their favorite character on them.

jump rope

Lego minifigures- my kids have lots of Lego bricks and are always excited to see what mini figure they get when they open the package

Small Playmobil set- Lego and Playmobil are two of our favorite toy brands around here, and it's great to just add a little figure or set to their collections because I know they will be loved and played with.

bicycle bell (also could give them a basket, but that won't fit in a stocking)

Compass

whistle - just make sure they know when and where they're allowed to blow it or you might regret such a purchase

juggling scarves or balls

Cookie Cutters - for the budding baker, you can also include an apron and all sorts of fun supplies!

dried fruit - my kids love dried mango and we usually include a package or two in their stockings every year.

mini boxes of cereal - bonus, christmas morning breakfast is taken care of!

Pez

Chocolate Gold Coins

combs, brushes, and other toiletries

Belts, ties, scarves

gloves, hats, and mittens

gum

Magic Wand  - I don't know any child who doesn't like pretending they have a magic wand, and these light up ones are really fun

Card Games - some of our favorites are Sleeping Queens, Rat-A-Tat-Cat, and Set. Also, my boys love getting new Pokemon Cards!

Orange - It's always been a tradition for us to have an orange in the toe of the stocking, but you could always do a nice Chocolate Orange instead. 

What are your favorite things to stuff in a stocking?

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Favorite Series Books for Early Readers

As a teacher and a parent, I'm always on the look out for good books. These beginning chapter book series are some of my kids' favorites!

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There's a magical moment in a child's life when reading clicks! Suddenly they just get it, and their reading takes off. This can happen anywhere between Kindergarten and Third grade. This is the time when kids love reading easy chapter books and especially love reading stories about favorite characters. Series are very popular at this age. Kids don't seem to mind that plot elements are incredibly similar and predictable. In fact, that's what makes them so great for young kids. The predictability factor helps in their fluency and builds confidence.

If you're like me, you love giving books as gifts. These series books are some of my children's favorites (and I've read them too). Any one or set of these books would make a great gift for birthday or holiday.

Mercy Watson

What can I say about this porcine wonder? I love the Mercy Watson books. They have great colorful pictures and silly stories. The large text and lots of pictures make it very accessible to early readers. The hardbound books and chapters make children feel grown up for reading chapter books. We love these!

Captain Awesome

This is a fun new series for early readers. The print is large and there are lots of pictures. The stories are clever and funny. And with a name like "Captain Awesome" you know it's going to be good. 

My Weirder School

This is a newer series and one that my kids love! Even Maren who is way beyond this level enjoys reading them. 

Judy Moody

Judy has been a favorite around here for a long time. She's spunky and kids will relate to her moodiness. But she also is able to figure out how to get around her moods which is great for the kids to read about. 

Stink

My boys (and girl) have enjoyed reading about Judy's younger brother Stink. The words are big and the chapters short which make for good reading for young kids.

Kung Pow Chicken
Do I even need to say anything? Doesn't the title speak for itself? Crime fighting ninja chickens. Yup. That's a winner in this family.

Galaxy Zack
A new series I haven't yet read, but my kids have enjoyed. Sorry for the lame review. I hear they're good. 

Magic Tree House books

Magic Tree House are classic books for a reason. One thing I especially love about them is the positive brother/sister relationship portrayed. We need more books where kids are kind and polite to each other! Jack and Annie go on fun adventures and the kids learn things. Maren and Joshua used to go around yelling "Mt. Vesuvius" after they read the "Vacation under a Volcano" book and that always made me laugh. There are also "research guides" you can buy that have more information about each topic. My kids have liked those as well. 

The Rainbow Magic Fairies
There are a million of these books (well, not really, but it seems like it.) Maren LOVED reading every single one of them. They are very predictable, but that helps make reading them easier.

Secrets of Droon

This is the series Christopher is currently interested in. Maren read and liked them too. They are fun early reader fantasy books for kids who like that sort of thing. 

A to Z Mysteries

There's something about mysteries at this age - kids just love them. This series about three friends solving mysteries is great. There are other series by the same author and in the same format that my kids have liked - The calendar mysteries, and the the capitol mysteries come to mind. 

Clementine

This funny little girl has spunk. Maren loved reading about her adventures. 

Andrew Lost
These books are great for kids who love science. Each book takes Andrew on a new science adventure, discovering new things. They are similar in difficulty to the Magic Tree House books.

Cam Jansen

These books will always hold a special place in my heart. This was the first series Maren devoured as a child and she used to love to pretend she had a photographic memory like Cam. She'd close her eyes and tell me to quiz her about what was in the room. It was extremely cute. Kids love these mysteries and how Cam is able to solve them. 

The Littles

Fun stories about little people living in your walls! These are great classic books my kids have loved. 

Beast Quest
Joshua and Christopher have both loved these books. Honestly, I was surprised because parts are scary and my kids don't do scary very well. There's another series about the same land I've stayed away from because I've read reviews that they were gory, but these ones are good. The idea is that there are several beasts around the land who are being controlled through magic collars and a boy goes on a quest to free them from the collars and save the land. 

Bailey School Kids
These are popular with the kids. Any stories about school actually seem to do well, and a school where the teachers may be magical or mythical beings? Definitely high interest there.

Flat Stanley

Everyone loves Flat Stanley! These books are classics and a great place to start for kids beginning chapter books. Christopher and I started reading these together last year, and he liked them so much he wanted to just read them on his own rather than wait for me to read them with him. I call that a win!

Zack Files

This is one of the series I have not read any of, but my kids like them. 

Junie B. Jones

I know, I know. Some people CAN'T STAND Junie B., and I get that. But personally I just love her. She makes me laugh. Just as long as none of my children try to behave like Junie. Maren loved these books, but she didn't read them on her own. We read them aloud to her, and it was a great bonding experience. We laughed together, but we were also able to talk about what wrong choices Junie B. was making and what she should've done. Christopher can't get past the first chapter of these books. He has a hard time with suspense caused by kids doing wrong things. He gets too nervous for them and the consequences. So clearly, not for everyone, but it was Maren's favorite so I included them. Just be warned. 

Notebook of Doom

The titles of these books are very appealing to my boys. Doom! Aghh! Christopher says they are good.

Encyclopedia Brown

There was a time when Joshua devoured every Encyclopedia Brown book he could find. Again, it's that mystery thing. These are great books for kids on the older end.


There are LOTS of series out there for the beginning-to-read-chapter-book child, and it can be hard to sort through them all. I hope this list of our favorites has helped as you try to find books that will be your child's favorites. What ones that you loved would you add to the list?