Book picks similar to
The Star of Melvin by Nathan Zimelman


christmas
picture-books
children
would-re-read

The Magic Finger


Roald Dahl - 1966
    To the girl who lives next door, it's just plain horrible. She tries to be polite. She tries to talk them out of it, but the Greggs only laugh at her. Then one day the Greggs go too far, and the little girl turns her Magic Finger on them. When she's very, very angry, the little girl's Magic Finger takes over. She really can’t control it, and now it's turned the Greggs into birds! Before they know it, the Greggs are living in a nest, and that's just the beginning of their problems…

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer


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

The Small One


Alex Walsh - 1995
    One donkey, called Small One, is old and weak. When the father announces they can no longer afford to keep Small One, the boy sets out to sell him to somebody special. He has a hard time, until a man exchanges a piece of silver for Small One, needing a donkey to carry his wife, Mary, to Bethlehem. Full color.

A Very Krusty Christmas (Spongebob Squarepants)


David Lewman - 2006
    Krabs sees customers flocking to the Chum Bucket because of its Christmas decorations, he orders SpongeBob to get to work on the Krusty Krab. Full color.

The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas


Madeleine L'Engle - 1984
    This year, they're also preparing for the birth of a new brother or sister, due after the New Year. Vicky is worried that the baby will come early―what kind of Christmas Eve would it be without Mother to help them hang up stockings and sing everyone to sleep with carols?

Dream Snow


Eric Carle - 2000
    But when the farmer awakens, he finds that it has really snowed outside, and now he remembers something! Putting on his red suit, he goes outside, puts some gifts under the tree for his animals, and presses a button near a Christmas tree, creating a most surprising musical treat for children everywhere."Few in number are the parents who have made it through their toddler's years on just one copy of Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Dream Snow has similar ingredients: a simple story, lively collage-like illustrations and a fun gimmick for little hands . . ." —Time"This is a simple, well-told story about a simple farmer. . . . Viewers. . . will want to get their hands on it." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Carle fans and toddlers learning the basics will . . . enjoy the gentle text and creative design features." —Booklist"The pictures are in Carle's trademark richly colored and textured collages that capture the snowy magic of Christmas." —Kirkus Reviews

The Candymaker's Gift: A Legend of the Candy Cane


Helen C. Haidle - 1996
    This legend of the candy cane wonderfully proclaims the "best gift of Christmas!"With family activities and simple recipes included, this charming storybook is guranteed to become a holiday keepsake.

Penny's Christmas Jar Miracle


Jason F. Wright - 2009
    Full color.

Pippin The Christmas Pig


Jean Little - 2003
    When Pippin wants to know what the pigs gave, the animals scoff - what could a pig have given a holy child? Dejected, Pippin heads out alone into a raging snow storm. There he meets a lost mother and baby, and leads them to the warmth of the barn. And in caring for this family in need, the animals see that giving of yourself is the best Christmas gift of all.

Christmas Tapestry


Patricia Polacco - 2002
    But then he and his father find a beautiful tapestry for sale in a secondhand shop. Just the thing to cover the damaged wall and give the church a festive look! But then, amazingly, an old Jewish woman who is visiting the church recognizes the beautiful cloth. It is her discovery that leads to a real miracle on Christmas Eve. This timely tale of love and generosity between people of different religious faiths is a wonderful showcase for Polacco's art. It features snowy holiday scenes and a colorful tapestry that is almost a character in itself.

The Little Drummer Boy


Ezra Jack Keats - 1968
    The little drummer boy comes along, although he is too poor to bring a present fit for a king. Instead, he plays a song on his drum for the Christ Child. Within the little drummer boy's seemingly simple gift lies the true spirit of Christmas. Ezra Jack Keats' vivid, jewel-toned artwork perfectly illustrates this classic holiday carol. Music for the song appears at the back of the book. "Keats evocatively portrays this story." -Publishers Weekly

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi


Rudyard Kipling - 1894
    Rudyard Kipling's dramatic tale, here excerpted from the greater volume of The Jungle Book, is the story of the loyal mongoose, Rikk-Tikki-Tavi, and the lengths to which he must go to protect his adoptive human family.

I Saw Three Ships


Elizabeth Goudge - 1969
    Christmas is coming and she is bursting with excitement. She is absolutely sure that something special is going to happen this year. What will she find in her stocking? Will the Three Wise Men visit as she has always hoped? Who knows what may happen at this special time of year? She leaves her bedroom window open on Christmas Eve, just in case the Wise Men decide to come visit. When she wakes up on Christmas morning, more than one miracle seems to have taken place. In the event, this Christmas isn't like any she has ever known, especially when three ships sail into the harbour.

Silly Fluffy Barking Jumping Wet-Nosed Dog Book


Agnes Green
    Cheerful Pug, proud Greyhound, calm Great Dane, friendly Dalmatian, and many others. Each spread is a story about an extraordinary dog’s personality, written with humor and drawn with love, giving details that children love so much!But the most important part is the end of this story. It will make your heart beat faster and moisten your eyes.This is a short story in verse that your little dog lover will ask to read again and again at bedtime. Or maybe you will take it to the park and find each breed described?

The Very First Christmas


Paul L. Maier - 1998
    Christopher learns the Real Christmas story when he asks his mom to tell him only true stories.