Get kids’ excited for the festive season with the best Christmas story books from Waterstones, WHSmith, Blackwell's and more From one mischievous moggy batting baubles on the tree to 12 pacing pussycats on the roof waiting for Santa Claus – readers are treated to some very jolly rhyming and bright detailed illustrations, as well as the chance to practise their counting skills. We think children will fall in love with this and it’s the kind of book that will not only stand the test of time, but it will also be passed down from generation to generation. Visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Scrooge is shown the true meaning of the season and why it’s so important to love the others around him. (£5.99, Oxford Children’s Books) A little girl and a donkey journey to Bethlehem in a wonderful retelling of the Nativity from one of the UK’s most acclaimed picture-book writers and illustrators. Children’s spirits run perilously high at Christmas, and the ultimate test of any picture book is: 1) whether it will persuade a toddler to stop running amok with the tinsel and settle into bed; and 2) whether it will persuade an exhausted parent to read to the end without skipping the pages. Santa Spectacular by Martin Handford. “Two tangled tabbies are all tied up with string – wrapping Christmas presents is definitely not their thing!” Animal lovers will also enjoy Dasher by Matt Tavares (Walker, £6.99), now out in paperback, which tells the story of a young reindeer who runs away from the circus, and falls into new adventures when she meets a mysterious man in a red suit. Available in hardback or paperback, we loved how inside the cover a personalised message from the gift giver can be printed. For a brisker narrative, try Mr Men Little Miss go Green by Adam Hargreaves (£3.99, Egmont), in which Little Miss Inventor has some ingenious ideas to save the planet. A complete guide to the best children’s books for Christmas 2020 Our critic rounds up the best literary gifts, from jaunty picture books to an inspiring anthology of poems for young adults 00 £6.99 £6.99 & FREE Delivery on your first eligible order to UK or Ireland. Legend of the Christmas Stocking. For older readers, The Puffin Keeper (Puffin, £12.99) is one of Michael Morpurgo’s most affecting books, telling the story of a lonely young boy determined to find the lighthouse-keeper who once saved him from a storm. One of the world’s most famous – and famously forgetful – cats has been around for a whopping 50 years; Mog has charmed generations of children with her playfulness. It’s snowy and the sun is setting, but thanks to a little help from some newfound furry friends, the little mouse is assured of a cosy festive period. Both funny and silly, it also promotes kindness within its festive cheer. £12.99. But it can also be the most stressful. And no child wants to go to sleep thinking about spelling – but The B on Your Thumb (Frances Lincoln, £9.99) by Colette Hiller and Tor Freeman is a collection of short, jaunting rhymes that cleverly explore how letters come together: “Q met U/ while in a queue/ waiting for/ a bus,” begins a romantic ballad about Q and U. The Three Wishes wins for us – we really rated Alan Snow’s folkloric storytelling and gorgeous illustration. The Worrysaurus by Rachel Bright (Orchard Books, £6.99) features a young dinosaur, whose niggling worries risk spoiling a special picnic: What if he hasn’t brought enough to eat? Elephant Me (Orchard, £6.99) by Giles Andreae, author of Giraffes Can’t Dance, is likely to succeed on both fronts. Three of his new friends – a fish, a bird and a wooden creature – grant him three wishes, which will make sure that he has freedom, happiness and time. The After Christmas Tree (Scallywag, £12.99) by Bethan Welby tells the plaintive story of a small Christmas tree abandoned on a cold pavement in January, ideal to read when the festive season draws to an end. You couldn’t wish for a sweeter Christmas story than this one, created by author and illustrator Benji Davis. From festive fiction to seasonal stationery and all points in between, it's time to deck the shelves with the best books… – making for a surprisingly engrossing bedtime read. Told in catchy rhyming text, this enchanting story follows a self-effacing young elephant, who discovers the importance of simply being YOU! 1,944. A heart-warming story, this beautiful clothbound edition is best read on a cold Christmas Eve, by a warm fire and surrounded by the family. 100 best children's books. Open this book, take out the letters, and discover what favorite characters would write to each other–and reimagine best-loved tales together. Plus, see all that’s available across our Fiction, Non-Fiction and Academic books too. Browse all Children's books. 1.The Jolly Christmas Postman – The Jolly Postman brings a batch of wonderful letters for Christmas, including notes from the Big Bad Wolf and all the King’s men. Julie Evans is a writer and editor who has worked with a host of diverse companies including Microsoft, USA Today, Realtor.com, Brit + Co, CafeMom and SheKnows among others. What if he trips and falls? It’s the story of a young boy who loses his reindeer; they’ve wandered off into another world, a world of endless summer. The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Alison Ritchie (Simon & Schuster, £6.99) also uses a rhyming narrative, in this case to recount a series of madcap feline misadventures in the run-up to Christmas Day. 24 Of The Best Christmas Picture Books For Kids. The 8 Best Children’s Christmas Books of 2020 Celebrate the reason for the season with these great reads. “You’re good at all sorts of things. Details. Doyle writes beautifully, so it’s no wonder she’s won so many awards. Well, this glittery paperback will answer all your questions. *Applies to selected titles only. From classic children books to newer ones, children will love to hear these stories. George is a boy who is facing his third Christmas without his mother – his family have drifted into their own sadness and George is lonely. It tells the tale of a snowflake, who is afraid to fall and apprehensive about where she will land, and a little girl, Noelle, who thinks something is missing from her Christmas tree. It has also been a bumper year for reprints, with The Adventures of Parsley the Lion (Harper Collins, £14.99) by the late Michael Bond, creator of Paddington Bear, a highlight. The 50 best Christmas books ever to read over the festive season Posted by Anna Pollitt Published 8 years ago. Ketchup on Your Reindeer (Alison Green, £9.99) is the latest picture book by the ever popular Nick Sharratt. “Miffy is always Miffy and a house is always a house,” Bruna once said; and it is the heartfelt simplicity of the stories that accounts for their enduring appeal. The Bloomsbury Christmas Sale runs from Monday 25th November to midnight on Sunday 15th December 2019. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Written by comedian and actor Matt Lucas, this is a tale of a baked potato who is also Santa. Really you are!/ You’re FRIENDLY, you’re KIND and you’re TRUE./ Out of all of the animals here on these plains,/ There’s only one… only one YOU!”. The Christmas season is full of wonder and delight, with exciting sights and sounds all around – especially for toddlers! Books make perfect Christmas presents! I remember the Jolly Christmas Postman from when I was a child and it’s always been a great story to read. He is periodically allowed to visit his family – but time stands still in the outside world and the boy leaves presents to show he has been home. Please note: This list was published in 2015. 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,973. There are some grown-up themes to contend with here: death and grief form a foundation to this tale. By DeAnna Janes. He finds them but becomes stuck in that season. With so many books for children and teenagers published each year it can be hard to make that final choice for a present for young readers. Proceeds from the sale of this touching story go to wildlife charities such as Helping Rhinos. What if it rains? — Hilary … #5. For fans of The Jolly Postman, the frankly epic-at-any-age book, which stars famous fairytale heroes and villains, and includes letters and cards inside their own envelopes, The Jolly Christmas Postman is the festive version. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The 30 Best Christmas Books of All Time. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Hardcover. Children's books for Christmas - picture books by Ben Manley, Sharon King-Chai, James Carter, Christopher Lloyd, Sandra Dieckmann and more. We found the best Christmas books for kids! 6,884 reviews scanned Powered by Trending Searches Chromebooks Steam Irons Steam Mops Metal Detectors Powered by Fill their stockings and their bookshelves this year with these best Christmas books. First published over 20 years ago, the child-centered perspective offers a great introduction to Christmas … Enchanting. Anyone who baulks at reading poetry aloud should turn to the refreshingly brief entry by Robert Louis Stevenson: “The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”. For anyone who has ever questioned how Santa Claus manages to travel around the world in one night, why his reindeer can fly, or why he wears a red coat – this book has the answers. the split pages enable young readers to try out a number of varyingly unwise combinations – doggy biscuits on your Christmas pud? The best luxury Christmas crackers for 2020 We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Where's Wally? Whether you're looking for stylish stocking fillers or gifts to treasure forever, Waterstones has everything required to get you reading around the Christmas tree. Here at Lovereading4Kids we've read 1,000s of books published this year and filtered that down to the best storybooks, non-fiction and Christmassy stocking fillers. The environment has also been a major theme in children’s publishing this year, but somehow titles such as What A Waste: Rubbish, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet do not lend themselves to reading aloud. Get Christmas presents sorted with the best kids’ motivational books, Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals - Read our IndyBest guide to all the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. And after a turbulent year, every child should find some bedtime solace in Poems to Save the World With (Macmillan, £12.99), an anthology of galvanising poems, selected and illustrated by Chris Riddell. Browse best selling books at Waterstones, the UK’s largest dedicated bookseller, all with FREE UK delivery on orders over £25. But Mog isn’t sure about all this change – “talking” trees, tinsel and a house full of strangers, and retires to the roof for a snooze. Rummage through our selection of the best children's books and novels for babies, children and teenagers in our list of the 100 best books for kids This is a lovely tale of friendship, which sees an intrepid mouse move to a new forest in search of a home in time for Christmas. The star, however, is Mr Mean: “He never turned his heating on. Freddie The Farting Snowman: A Funny Read Aloud Picture Book For Kids And Adults About Snow… We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. by Robert Littell, review: Stalin, through the eyes of a child. The illustrations are so detailed and charming; fully evoking the magic of a white Christmas, while the words remind us that everyone has the chance to shine. We (and every child we know) loved this book, the formula of a story where you can open other people’s post is a crowd-pleaser. ... Maps of the United Kingdom by Rachel Dixon and Livi Gosling. Gathering the family up to read a beloved holiday book is one of the best ways to celebrate the season. This is a skilfully told story, with a moral that will resonate equally with fusspot parents. Written by the creator of the wildly successful Oi Frog, this is a story inspired by the classic poem “The Night Before Christmas” and it is told via pages of pithy rhyming, too. ... We want to share that joy through storytelling with you, so we’ve compiled 30 of our favorite Christmas books for you to … We loved this book where the traditional days of Christmas are replaced by felines of varying colour, breed and disposition. 10 Best Childrens Christmas Books - December 2020 Results are Based on. First of all, the illustrations here are just so utterly beautiful, with their folk aesthetic – rich with patterned borders and colour. There are so many great Christmas books to choose from, and each year it seems we get to add more and more classics to the list. In 2015, a team of experts put together this list: broken down into four age groups, with 25 books in each. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. in Children's Books on Christmas. Best Childrens Christmas Picture Books. Find out more, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, The After Christmas Tree by Bethan Welby tells the story of a small tree abandoned on a cold pavement in January, This year's selection ranges from educational stories to more upbeat, uplifting tales, Inside The Box of Delights: 'You'd never have JK Rowling without John Masefield', Nuns, ghosts and choking perfume: why I adapted Black Narcissus for the screen, ‘I hate the CIA more than I hate a hangover’: the maverick opinions of John le Carré, Ignore the snobs – bodice-ripper Bridgerton is just what we need right now, Comrade Koba Perfect for confident readers who are ready for a proper, page-turner of a novel to pull them in. We looked for the titles with uplifting or jolly plots, beautiful illustrations, and timeless storylines so that we could keep coming back to it again and again over the years. This is action-packed, full of imagination and we loved how uplifting it was, without shying away from important issues. The 100 best-ever children's books, as chosen by our readers From the fantastical gobblefunk of Roald Dahl to Malorie Blackman's game-changing dystopias, celebrate World Book Day with stories that will inspire a love of reading in children of all ages. A complete guide to the best children’s books for Christmas 2020 Our critic rounds up the best literary gifts, from jaunty picture books to an inspiring anthology of poems for young adults £4.00 £ 4. Have you ever wondered how Father Christmas and his staff let off steam after all their hard work at Christmas? The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing. For children new to this beloved series, try Miffy’s Treasury (Simon & Schuster, £16.99), which combines five of Miffy’s best-known stories. From personalised tomes to an imaginative take on ‘A Christmas Carol’, these are the seasonal titles to enjoy, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, We looked for the titles that had uplifting or jolly plots, beautiful illustrations, and timeless storylines. Even in midwinter!” And The Mazimba Berry Tree (Mazimba Berry Tree, £6.99) by Jeffrey Ginsberg tells the tale of a magical tree which is “the last of its kind”, and becomes a refuge for the animals of the African bush. The bulging sack of children’s books could cause Santa’s sleigh to sink. Who doesn’t want to be the star of the story? Peppa Pig: Peppa's Night Before Christmas. This collection of three short stories follows the antics of Mabel, who as the title suggests, is rather magnificent. The lead character is strong, wilful and very funny – the perfect heroine. #6. Our critic rounds up the best literary gifts, from jaunty picture books to an inspiring anthology of poems for young adults. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. on the last page were a really lovely touch, too. The illustrations are soft and inviting, and we can’t think of a child who won’t be delighted to be given a story all about them. by Tom Fletcher. It is just as clever and fun as the original; we follow the postman on Christmas Eve as he peddles his bike through the snow to deliver mail to the four bears, then on to the Gingerbread Boy, before finishing at the very festive workshop of the big man himself. But there is plenty of light and playfulness too – we’re talking magical snow globes and a sturdy purple reindeer. This is our list of the 100 best books for children from the last 100 years: a suggestion of titles to read before you're 14. The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas! {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, 11 best Christmas story books to get kids’ in the festive spirit, Sustainable and organic kids' clothing brands, Paraben and sulphate free shampoo & conditioner, 9 best kids’ trail bikes for riding on off-road terrains, 8 best kids’ Christmas jumpers to keep them warm and festive, 9 best kids’ stocking fillers for Christmas Day: From pyjamas to toys. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. A good book is an evergreen thing, but there’s something especially gratifying about winter reading, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, when the days are shorter and the weather is less forgiving. This gorgeous book can be personalised to any name and any appearance. Following the formula of Ketchup on Your Cornflakes? Perfect Christmas storybook for younger children. The Jolly Christmas Postman. Only the first is festive – thanks to a very naughty elf who gets Mabel into heaps of trouble – but the entire volume is an energetic lark for youngsters who are confident with independent reading. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. There has been a surge in the number of self-reflective picture books, intended to help children tackle big emotions – and the best hide their lessons behind a gently suspenseful narrative. Legend of the Christmas Stocking – This wonderful Christmas tale, set in the late 1800s, shares the touching story of a young boy named Peter. The Jolly Christmas Postman (The Jolly Postman) Allan Ahlberg. Of Christmas are replaced by felines of varying colour, breed and disposition any.! Last page were a really lovely touch, too also agree that this a... Christmas Sale runs from Monday 25th November to midnight on Sunday 15th December 2019 wins for us – really... 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