Book picks similar to
Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs


christmas
picture-books
childrens
children-s

Meg and Mog


Helen Nicoll - 1972
    Meg is a cute well-meaning witch who lives with Mog and her owl. In Meg and Mog, we are introduced to a witch wardrobe and a witch's breakfast. Later Meg flies off to meet her witch friends for some spell-making at a Halloween Party. Unfortunately the spell does not go exactly to plan... The illustration is simple and with very bold, deep colours. Designed specifically to appeal to very young children, Meg and Mog has short simple sentences on each page, allowing the illustration to play an important part in the storytelling. If you enjoy the first Meg and Mog, enjoy more adventures in Meg on the Moon and Mog at the Zoo. (Ages 1 to 3 years.) --Victoria MacKenzie

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!


Dr. Seuss - 1957
    No one quite knows the reason."Dr. Seuss's small-hearted Grinch ranks right up there with Scrooge when it comes to the crankiest, scowling holiday grumps of all time. For 53 years, the Grinch has lived in a cave on the side of a mountain, looming above the Whos in Whoville. The noisy holiday preparations and infernal singing of the happy little citizens below annoy him to no end. The Grinch decides this frivolous merriment must stop. His "wonderful, awful" idea is to don a Santa outfit, strap heavy antlers on his poor, quivering dog Max, construct a makeshift sleigh, head down to Whoville, and strip the chafingly cheerful Whos of their Yuletide glee once and for all.Looking quite out of place and very disturbing in his makeshift Santa get-up, the Grinch slithers down chimneys with empty bags and stealing the Whos' presents, their food, even the logs from their humble Who-fires. He takes the ramshackle sleigh to Mt. Crumpit to dump it and waits to hear the sobs of the Whos when they wake up and discover the trappings of Christmas have disappeared. Imagine the Whos' dismay when they discover the evil-doings of Grinch in his anti-Santa guise. But what is that sound? It's not sobbing, but singing! Children simultaneously adore and fear this triumphant, twisted Seussian testimonial to the undaunted cheerfulness of the Whos, the transcendent nature of joy, and of course, the growth potential of a heart that's two sizes too small. This holiday classic is perfect for reading aloud to your favorite little Whos.

A Child's Christmas in Wales


Dylan Thomas - 1952
    The story is an anecdotal retelling of a Christmas from the view of a young child and is a romanticised version of Christmases past, portraying a nostalgic and simpler time. It is one of Thomas' most popular works.Summary (on verso of title page): A Welsh poet recalls the celebration of Christmas in Wales and the feelings it evoked in him as a child.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy


Lynley Dodd - 1983
    All is uneventful until they meet Scarface Claw, the toughest tom in town, and run for home. The story is told by a brilliant, cumulative rhyming text and terrific pictures.

Trouble with Trolls


Jan Brett - 1992
    The trolls who live there long for a dog, and they try to kidnap him. But Treva is brave and quick-thinking. She outwits one troll after another until she reaches the very top of the mountain, where five trolls are waiting--and they want her dog! From underground to mountain peak, Jan Brett's story is filled with adventure and eye-catching detail.

Old Bear


Jane Hissey - 1986
    Bramwell Brown and his friends Little Bear, Duck and Rabbit attempt to rescue Old Bear from the attic using a number of ingenious methods.

Elmer


David McKee - 1989
    No wonder the other elephants laugh at him!If he were ordinary elephant color, the others might stop laughing. That would make Elmer feel better, wouldn't it? David McKee's comical fable about everyone’s favorite patchwork elephant teaches readers to be themselves and celebrates the power of laughter.

Gorilla


Anthony Browne - 1983
    She has gorillas on her bedside lamp and even on her box of cereal. Hannah loves gorillas and longs to see a real one, but her father is always too busy - or too tired - to take her to the zoo. Then, on the night before her birthday, something extraordinary happens - and Hannah’s wish comes gloriously true.

Kipper


Mick Inkpen - 1991
    His rabbit, his bone and his ball are all chewed and soggy. And his smelly old blanket is disgusting. Kipper looks for somewhere more comfortable to sleep. The author also wrote "Threadbear", winner of the 1991 Children's Book Award and the 1991 Acorn Award.

Snowmen at Christmas


Caralyn Buehner - 2005
    . . but have you ever wondered what snowmen do for Christmas? Well, now's your chance to find out! The snowmen are back, and this time they're celebrating Christmas--the snowman way!This snappy and entertaining companion to the New York Times bestseller Snowmen at Night depicts all the best parts of the holiday, replete with icy treats and a snowman Kris Kringle. Told in the same bouncy verse as the original, Snowmen at Christmas is perfect for a snowy evening read-aloud.

Mister Magnolia


Quentin Blake - 1992
    He has an old trumpet that goes rooty-toot -And two lovely sisters who play on the flute -But Mr Magnolia has only one boot.In this wittily rhyming picture book, Mr Magnolia has a full and happy life except for one serious omission - a boot. But one day, he receives a mysterious parcel, and at last Mr Magnolia can splash in the puddles with everyone else!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer


Barbara Shook Hazen - 1939
    Pictorial cover with Rudolph lighting the way for the sleigh with his wonderful nose.

The Tailor of Gloucester


Beatrix Potter - 1903
    Her passion for the natural world lay behind the creation of her famous series of little books. A particular source of inspiration was the English Lake District where she lived for the last thirty years of her life as a farmer and land conservationist, working with the National Trust.She described The Tailor of Gloucester as her own favourite among her books. It was based on the true story of a tailor who left the unsewn pieces of a coat in his shop and found that the garment had been mysteriously finished for him in the night. It turned out that the real tailor's assistants were his apprentices, but in Beatrix Potter's version of the story the secret helpers are skilful little brown mice.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey


Susan Wojciechowski - 1995
    And now this stunning gift set invites friends and family to gather and enjoy the magic of holiday storytelling at its finest.

Cautionary Tales for Children


Hilaire Belloc - 1907
    Collected here and illustrated to wonderful haunting effect by Edward Gorey, these short, funny pieces offer moral instruction for all types of mischief makers—from a certain young Jim, "who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion," to the tale of Matilda, "who told lies and was burned to death”—and add up to a delightful read for any fan of Roald Dahl or Shel Silverstein.