Book picks similar to
The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier


christmas
picture-books
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christmas-books

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.

The Donkey's Christmas Song


Nancy Tafuri - 2002
    The donkey wants to be the first to welcome the baby, but he is too shy. So the doves welcome him with their "Coo-coo," the cow with her "Moo-moo," and all the other animals in turn. Then, the baby welcomes the shy donkey with his own sweet smile. The donkey brays - "Hee-aw!" - and the baby laughs with joy! Then all snuggle around the baby and settle into sleep. This warm presentation of the first Christmas celebrates the wonder of a baby's birth and welcomes all into the spirit of holiday joy.

John, Paul, George & Ben


Lane Smith - 2006
    . . John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few . . . liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. Until one day, they all played a part in securing America's freedom."Deftly drawn, witty, and instantly appealing, the illustrations creatively blend period elements such as wood-grain and crackle-glaze texturing, woodcut lines, and formal compositions typical of the era, with gaping mouths and stylized, spiraling eyes typical of modern cartoons," wrote Booklist, and School Library Journal declared, "Exercise your freedom to scoop up this one."

Thankful


Eileen Spinelli - 2015
    Eileen Spinelli, bestselling and award-winning children's author, charms with rhymes and whimsy in Thankful, perfect for any young reader and their family.Thankful is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children ages 4–8 to:Focus on the blessings that we tend to take for grantedAppreciate essential workers and what people in our everyday lives provide: “Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out.”Meant to be read aloud, Thankful features:Endearing storytelling with engaging rhyming text, making reading fun for readers young and oldWhimsical illustrations with soft colors and bold lines, perfect for any season

Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas


Kimberly Dean - 2018
    He adds a cool-cat spin on a well-known Christmas carol, bringing a hip and energetic spirit to the season.This is a perfect Christmas gift for Pete the Cat fans who are eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival.Plus, don't miss Pete’s other spin on a holiday classic, Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.And Pete’s other groovy guides,  Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life,  Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Love, and  Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Kindness!

The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish


Deborah Diesen - 2015
    Fish find perfect gifts for everyone on his list? Will he finish his shopping in time?Swim along with Mr. Fish on his holiday shopping quest. He might just discover that the best gifts of all come straight from the heart.

Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins


Sue Fliess - 2018
    Will Christmas have to be canceled? Not this year! Because Mrs. Claus is ready to take the reins in Santa’s place. With a plan in mind, Mrs. Claus assembles the crew, maps out the route, and preps the sleigh. Then, with a snap of the reins, she shoots off into the night. Delivering gifts all over the world without Santa’s magic won’t be easy, but Mrs. Claus proves she has some holiday sparkle of her own…With lively rhyming text and adorable artwork, this delightful Christmas adventure will get kids into the holiday spirit.

A Very Fuddles Christmas


Frans Vischer - 2013
    He runs outside to escape, smack into cold and ice and snow! Will Fuddles ever make it back home in time to celebrate the merriest time of the year?

Festival of Colors


Surishtha Sehgal - 2018
    Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo are busy gathering flowers to make into colorful powders to toss during the festival. And when at last the big day comes, they gather with their friends, family, and neighbors for a vibrant celebration of fresh starts, friendship, forgiveness, and, of course, fun!

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas [With Special Childrens Song]


Emma Kragen - 1998
    Original photography of canines with fun and festive hand-painted art make this one of the season's most original and fun books.

Corduroy's Christmas


B.G. Hennessy - 1992
    Join in all of Corduroy's holiday activities, from trimming the tree to baking Christmas cookies. Discover the magic of Christmas with Corduroy in this holiday tale, perfect for even the youngest reader.

The Littlest Elf


Brandi Dougherty - 2012
    A sweet holiday story from a New York Times bestselling duo!From the New York Times bestselling team that brought us The Littlest Pilgrim comes a sweet new holiday follow-up filled with Christmas cheer and adorable stickers!Oliver may be the littlest elf in the North Pole, but he has a big desire to discover his very special job in Santa's workshop! But after getting lost in the toy shop, making a mess at the book shop, and falling in the mixing machine at the bakery, is the littlest elf just too little?Perhaps he just needs the littlest reindeer to remind him what Christmas is all about!

The Sweet Smell of Christmas


Patricia M. Scarry - 1970
    Join Little Bear as he prepares for the holidays, all the while giving readers a chance to smell six wonderful scents including apple pie, christmas tree, hot chocolate, and more! This delectable treat is a perfect way for families to spend the yuletide season.

The Tomten


Astrid Lindgren - 1960
    No one knows when he came to the farm, no one has ever seen him, but everyone knows it is the troll Tomten who walks about the lonely old farmhouse on a winter's night, talking to all the animals and reminding them of the promise of Spring.Adapted by Astrid Lindgren from a poem by Viktor Rydberg

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer


Robert Lewis May - 1939
    May, a copywriter working at Chicago's Montgomery Ward & Co., wrote a holiday story at the request of his employer. Almost two and a half million copies of the little tale about a reindeer with a shiny red nose were given away to all the children who visited Montgomery Ward stores that year. The rest is history. Over seventy years later, the beloved classic is once again available in a hardcover faithful facsimile of the 1939 Rudolph, with original text and original Denver Gillen illustrations.