Over the River and Through the Wood


Lydia Maria Francis Child - 1844
    In this hilarious modern spoof of a favorite holiday song, the trip to Grandfather's house is no peaceful sleigh ride!

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

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody


Michael Rex - 2008
    Goodnight goon. Goodnight Martians taking over the moon."It's bedtime in the cold gray tomb with a black lagoon, and two slimy claws, and a couple of jaws, and a skull and a shoe and a pot full of goo. But as a little werewolf settles down, in comes the Goon determined at all costs to run amok and not let any monster have his rest.A beloved classic gets a kind-hearted send up in this utterly monsterized parody; energetic art and a hilarious text will have kids begging to read this again and again.

The Night Before Christmas


Clement C. Moore - 1823
    Nicholas". No one claimed authorship until 13 years later. Clement Clarke Moore, a professor and poet, said that he wrote the piece for his children. Unbeknownst to him, his housekeeper had sent it to the newspaper to be published. However, the family of Henry Livingston Jr. contended that their father had been reciting “A Visit from St. Nicholas” for 15 years prior to publication. Regardless of the true author, the poem is now a Christmas classic.

The Christmas Quiet Book


Deborah Underwood - 2012
    But Christmas is sometimes wrapped in quiet: “Searching for presents quiet,” “Getting caught quiet,” and “Hoping for a snow day quiet.” Irresistibly cute, soft colored pencil illustrations of bunnies, bears, and more paint a magical holiday picture indeed.

The Hallo-Weiner


Dav Pilkey - 1995
    But one brave act on Halloween makes Oscar a Grade-A hero, proving that a little wiener can be a real winner!

The Gingerbread Pirates


Kristin Kladstrup - 2009
    Jim’s favorite is Captain Cookie, who carries a gingerbread cutlass and has a toothpick peg leg. The captain is much too good to be eaten, so Jim keeps him close by his bed. But late that night, when Jim is fast asleep, Captain Cookie steptaps away on a daring adventure to find his pirate crew — and rescue them from that mysterious character he’s heard about: a cannibal named Santa Claus. At once contemporary and timeless, suspenseful and joyous, this masterfully illustrated tale is destined to be a new holiday classic.

What Does the Fox Say?


Ylvis - 2013
    Cat goes meow. Bird goes tweet and mouse goes squeak. But what does the fox say?The lyrics of Ylvis's YouTube sensation 'The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)' meet Svein Nyhus's playful illustrations in this irresistibly entertaining read-aloud picture book.

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas


Jane O'Connor - 2009
    Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited about decorating the Christmas tree. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and has been waiting for Christmas to come. But when things don't turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? In this merriest of stories from bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser, Nancy proves once again that a little fancying up can go a long, festive way!

The Nutcracker


Susan Jeffers - 2007
    This is the perfect gift to share with children before they see The Nutcracker. Everyone who has seen the ballet will cherish it--as will anyone who enjoys stories where love triumphs. Come, take a front-row seat. The world's most beloved holiday fairy tale is about to begin.

Stick Man


Julia Donaldson - 2008
    Stick Man lives in the family tree With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three ..."a cracker of a book" - Financial Times"You'll read this book again and again" - Daily Mail

Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat


Doreen Cronin - 2013
    So he draws the shades, puts on his footy pajamas, and climbs into bed. But do you think the barnyard animals have any respect for a man in footy pajamas? No, they do not. For them, the Halloween party has just begun. And we all know these critters far prefer tricks over treats. There are big surprises in store for Farmer Brown!

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell!


Lucille Colandro - 2006
    A wacky new Christmas version of the classic "There Was an Old Lady" song!This time, the hungry old lady swallows a bell, bows, gifts, a sack, a sleigh, and some reindeer! She's about to swallow a candy cane for dessert, when she hears a jolly "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Santa Claus is waiting for a ride! Watch what happens when she whistles, with amazing results!With rhyming text and funny illustrations, this lively version of a classic song will appeal to young readers with every turn of the page--a fun story for Christmastime!This is a wonderful companion to Colandro and Lee's other Old Lady books!

Little Santa


Jon Agee - 2013
    Little Santa loves the North Pole. The rest of his family?  Not so much. So, when they decide to move to Florida, Santa is miserable. Lucky for him, a blizzard foils their plans. The only way out of the house is up the chimney. Up goes Santa, to look for help, and along the way, he meets a reindeer and a large group of elves, who are more than eager to join in the rescue!   With the sly humor of Jon Klassen and the read-aloud pleasure of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this tale of Santa’s beginnings is perfect for every kid’s holiday library.

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas


Eric Litwin - 2012
    Spend the holidays with your favorite blue cat! In this rockin' spin on the traditional tale The Night Before Christmas, Pete the Cat proves that giving your all in the spirit of Christmas is the totally groovy thing to do.