13 Best Festive Children’s Books to Read This December

The festive season is the perfect time to snuggle up with a book and spark imagination, language development, and curiosity in little ones.

Reading together in the early years does so much good — it helps children build communication skills, understand emotions, strengthen attention and memory, and enjoy meaningful one-to-one moments with their parent or carer.

Here are 13 Best Festive Children’s Books to Read This December — a mix of classics and new releases, full of warmth, wonder, and winter magic.

1. Joy to the World! Christmas Around the Globe by Kate DePalma & Sophie Fatus

Ideal For: 4+ years

A heartwarming picture book exploring how Christmas is celebrated in different countries around the world — full of rich illustrations and global festive traditions.

Why we love it: Promotes global awareness, cultural curiosity, and conversational learning about how families celebrate differently, fostering respect and appreciation for diversity.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

2. Dear Santa by Rod Campbell

Ideal For: 1-3 years

A lift-the-flap Christmas book full of festive surprises behind every flap — perfect for little hands to explore and discover.

Why we love it: The interactive flaps encourage fine motor skills, anticipation, and predictive thinking. It’s ideal for toddlers building early reading confidence and developing curiosity.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

3. Stick Man by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

Ideal For: 2-4 years

Stick Man, a living stick, becomes separated from his tree and embarks on an adventure full of twists and turns before finally reuniting with his family — just in time for Christmas.

Why we love it: With its rhythmic text and memorable repetition, this story supports language development, memory, sequencing skills, and emotional understanding about home and belonging.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

4. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

Ideal For: 2-5 years

A magical, wordless tale where a snowman comes to life and takes a young boy on a dreamy nighttime adventure. The story is told entirely through pictures — no words needed.

Why we love it: The lack of words encourages visual literacy, creativity, and storytelling as children interpret the images. It’s perfect for building imagination, narrative skills, and emotional awareness.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

5. Kwanzaa (Celebrate the World) by Hannah Eliot & Andrea Pippins

Ideal For: 2-4 years

A joyful celebration of Kwanzaa traditions — a multicultural story that introduces children to different festive customs and the spirit of community.

Why we love it: Supports cultural awareness, respect, and social-emotional learning. It’s a wonderful way to introduce diversity and broaden children’s understanding of global traditions.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas by Eric Carle

Ideal For: 0-2 years

A festive, tactile twist on the much-loved classic, inviting children to touch and feel Christmas textures — from soft coats to shiny presents — as they follow a holiday-themed story.

Why we love it: Combines familiar characters with festive fun — supporting sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and holiday curiosity. Great for toddlers and preschoolers.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

7. The Christmas Tree Mouse by Joseph Coelho & Farah Shah

Ideal For: 3-6 years

A sweet, festive tale combining gentle storytelling with charming illustrations — a lovely new addition to holiday reading collections.

Why we love it: Encourages empathy, calm reflection, and imaginative thinking. Ideal for quiet story-times and gentle discussions about kindness, sharing, and wonder.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

8. How Many Sleeps till Christmas? by Mark Sperring & Sebastien Braun

Ideal For: 2-5 years

A festive countdown story — perfect for little ones eagerly waiting for the big day, full of anticipation and excitement as each sleep passes by.

Why we love it: Excellent for building number awareness, patience, and sequencing. It helps children understand time and expectation in a comforting, festive context.

Available from: World of Books | Amazon

9. That’s Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells

Ideal For: 0-2 years

A touch-and-feel book designed for babies and toddlers — with textures on every page and simple, repetitive text to explore winter and snowman fun.

Why we love it: This is brilliant for early sensory development, tactile awareness, and vocabulary building. Great for very young children discovering textures, contrasts, and early language.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

10. The Happiest Hanukkah by Ivor Baddiel & Kathryn Selbert

Ideal For: 2-6 years

A festive Hanukkah story filled with warmth and celebration, perfect for sharing Jewish holiday joy with little ones.

Why we love it: Encourages cultural understanding, inclusion, and holiday diversity. Great for families wanting to explore different winter celebrations and values of togetherness.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

11. Dylan the Dino Boy Saves Christmas by Andy Day & Alex Patrick

Ideal For: 2-6 years

Dylan is a regular kid — except when he sneezes, he turns into a dinosaur! When a cold strikes the week before Christmas, his sneezes lead to disaster after disaster...until it’s up to him to save Christmas. It’s a dino-tastic, laugh-out-loud festive adventure celebrating what makes us extraROARdinary.

Why we love it: This fun, energetic story captures children’s attention with humour and surprise — great for developing listening skills, vocabulary, and imaginative thinking. It’s a playful way to encourage confidence and a love of reading.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

12. A Very Noisy Christmas by Tim Thornborough & Jennifer Davison

Ideal For: 2-6 years

A lively, interactive retelling of the Nativity story for children — full of rhythm, repetition, and festive cheer.

Why we love it: Great for early literacy, vocabulary, rhythm recognition, and interactive reading. Perfect for preschoolers who love repetition and participation.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon

13. The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson & Victoria Sandøy

Ideal For: 2-6 years

A magical Christmas tale about a pine tree preparing for the festive season — warm-hearted, beautifully illustrated, and full of holiday spirit.

Why we love it: Combines festive themes with gentle storytelling — supporting emotional understanding, love of nature, and early literacy. A lovely mix of calm reflection and holiday wonder.

Available from: Waterstones | Amazon