Christmas is right around the corner, which means it is almost time to break out the holiday books! I love reading Christmas and holiday books with my daughter, so I am always excited to check out the new Christmas books being released each year. We had the opportunity to check out some new holiday releases and I’m thrilled to share them with you. Don’t forget to check out the Christmas reading bingo board to expand your holiday reading list this year!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received copies of these books in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

New Christmas Board Books

Christmas ABC

Christmas ABC by Jannie Ho is a festive spin on the alphabet. Each boldly colored page pairs a letter of the alphabet with a Christmas themed symbol. The simple text includes the capital and lower case form of each letter, a large illustrated image, and the word pictured on the page. This sturdy board book would make a great introduction to the Christmas holiday for very young readers, and little ones will want to read this to themselves over and over again.

Little Christmas Tree

Little Christmas Tree by Jessica Courtney-Tickle is a vibrant lift-the-flap book exploring the colorful scenery of a quiet forest on Christmas day. Each sturdy page includes a flowing rhyme full of descriptive text about life in the forest. The illustrations are striking, using shiny foil and beautiful colors to highlight the trees, the wildlife, and the snowflakes. Under each flap, readers can find a variety of colorful plants and animals.

Decked Out for Christmas

Decked Out for Christmas! was written by Ethan Long. This colorful board book follows a group of mice who get out the Christmas decorations and prepare for the holiday. Each page shows them getting a few things ready, but doesn’t show what they are decorating. The ending is a fun surprise that little ones will love, while older kids will appreciate some of the small humor hidden in the illustrations.

The text in this book is simple, with only a few words per page. However, the illustrations are vibrant and colorful enough to catch the attention of very young readers. The actions of the mice, and the attention to detail, will keep older readers entertained on repeated readings.

All Aboard! The Christmas Train

All Aboard! The Christmas Train was written by Nichole Mara and illustrated by Andrew Kolb. This interactive accordion style book encourages the reader to search through the illustrated train cars to find various Christmas items.

As they search the train for Santa’s missing boot, readers will encounter lots of Christmas scenes. There are also prompting questions encouraging them to count items or find objects starting with a certain letter. The detailed illustrations include lots of fun things for kids to find, while the unique structure of the book will set this one apart from other seek and find adventures.

New Christmas Books for the Whole Family

The Christmas Eve Tree

The Christmas Eve Tree was written by Delia Huddy and illustrated by Emily Sutton. This remarkable story follows a small fir tree that starts growing crookedly, and eventually finds it’s way to a Christmas tree lot. After no one purchases it, a young homeless boy dresses it up for Christmas. It becomes a beacon of hope for lots of people, and eventually finds a second shot at life. The illustrations are beautiful and full of little details that bring the heartwarming story to life.

I Got the Christmas Spirit

I Got the Christmas Spirit was written by Connie Schofield-Morrison and illustrated by Frank Morrison. This beautiful book follows a young girl while she seeks out the holiday spirit all around her. As she travels around with her mother, enjoying the sights and sounds around town, she feels the spirit everywhere. They take part in various holiday traditions that kids may also recognize from their own celebrations.

The simple text is punctuated with noises and exclamations, highlighting the energy of the season. The vivid oil painted illustrations practically vibrate with energy, bringing the Christmas spirit to life. The overall theme of the story is a beautiful one, reminding us that we should all try to remember the spirit throughout the year.

Construction Site on Christmas Night

Construction Site on Christmas Night was written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by A.G. Ford. This festive follow up to the popular book Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site follows the friendly trucks while they prepare for the holiday season. The various trucks work together to build a special house in time for the holiday. As each truck does it’s job, it is rewarded with a special and unique Christmas gift. At the end of the story, the purpose behind their mission is revealed.

This sweet story of teamwork is told through gentle rhyming text, perfect for lulling little vehicle enthusiasts to sleep. The lush illustrations show the different machines doing their unique jobs, and the soothing snowy scenes will get you into the holiday spirit. This is a great book for kids who love all kinds of vehicles. It is also a great reminder to recognize and appreciate the special roles that we all play.

A Tuba Christmas

A Tuba Christmas was written by Helen L. Wilbur and illustrated by Mary Reaves Uhles. Ava is a little girl who comes from a family of musicians. When the time comes to choose her own instrument, she decides on the tuba, much to the surprise of her family. Ava struggles with her tuba, but her determined teacher encourages her to stick with it. He eventually invites her to participate in a special Christmas concert. When the day of the concert arrives, Ava learns to be proud of herself, and her loud tuba.

This fun story is full of heart (and loud noises), and pays tribute to the annual Tuba Christmas concerts celebrated around the world. The back of the book even includes information about the tradition of these concerts. The bright illustrations are warm and inviting, while the text includes lots of loud noises and sounds, making this a fun one to read aloud.

Tough Cookie: A Christmas Story

Tough Cookie: A Christmas Story was written and illustrated by Edward Hemingway. This sweet Christmas story was written by the youngest grandson of Ernest Hemingway. The story follows a hungry fox as he chases after a delicious looking cookie shaped like a man. When he catches up to the cookie and tries to take a bite, he discovers that the cookie isn’t very sweet at all. The little cookie is distraught that he isn’t sweet and delicious, and the hungry fox helps him come up with ways to become tastier.

This funny spin on the classic gingerbread story shares an important message about being accepted for who we are. The illustrations are lively and colorful. They showcase lots of classic holiday scenes that will put you in the Christmas spirit and provide lots of ideas for holiday activities. The back of the book also includes recipes for (actually) delicious sugar cookies, as well as fun cookie ornaments to make together!

A Christmas Advent Story

A Christmas Advent Story was written by Ivy Snow and illustrated by Hannah Tolson. This fun lift the flap book introduces young readers to the symbols and traditions of the holiday season through a simple story and brightly colored illustrations. Each page contains numbered flaps for kids to open, revealing a new object behind each one. The text also includes additional prompts to get kids interacting with the book, whether it is counting or finding something in the illustrations. The lovely holiday scenes and the fun interactive text are sure to make this a popular choice with young readers!

Merry Christmas, Little Elliot

Merry Christmas, Little Elliot was written and illustrated Mike Curato. This adorable story follows Little Elliot the elephant as he struggles to find the Christmas spirit. When a letter to Santa finds it’s way to him, Elliot and his friend Mouse have the opportunity to help a little girl, and find a little Christmas spirit for themselves. The sweet story is accompanied by beautiful illustrations that highlight the traditions of the season, as well as the cute animal friends. This is a great book for talking to kids about the spirit of the holiday season, and the importance of helping others.

A Unicorn Named Sparkle’s First Christmas

A Unicorn Named Sparkle’s First Christmas was written and illustrated by Amy Young. In this holiday themed follow up to A Unicorn Named Sparkle, Lucy and Sparkle are getting ready for Christmas. They make sure to partake in all of the holiday traditions, and get ready for the big day. When Christmas morning comes, a few disasters and a misunderstanding lead to some hurt feelings, but the friends learn an important lesson about love, and the real spirit of the season. The story is accompanied by sweet and funny illustrations, using bright colors, rainbow accents, and cheery images of the characters.

Liven up your holiday reading with a FREE Christmas reading challenge!

Is your family in a reading rut during the holidays? Check out this fun Holiday Reading Bingo Board or Book List to inspire your family to try some new stories. Make it a goal to finish 5 in a row, or try to fill the whole board! You could even celebrate your achievement with some delicious Christmas cookies, or another beloved holiday adventure.

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