Book picks similar to
A Christmas Gift for Mama by Lauren Thompson


christmas
christmas-books
picture-books
kids-books

A Return to Christmas


Chris Heimerdinger - 1996
    But when young Artemus lost his brother in a terrible tragedy on Christmas day, the magic of the Christmas season seemed forever shrouded by a cloud of sadness and despair. But miracles have been known to happen during this time of year. This heartwarming Christmas story follows the lives of two eleven-year-old heroes—the wary and cynical Artemus and an outcast named Chess, a homeless con artist with a heart of gold. Through a simple twist of fate, these boys will find themselves swept into the adventure of a lifetime—one that takes them beyond their wildest imaginings. A Return to Christmas wraps holiday sadness, joy, and wonder into one very special package.

I Like Myself!


Karen Beaumont - 2004
    Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.At once silly and serious, Karen Beaumont's joyous rhyming text and David Catrow's wild illustrations unite in a book that is sassy, soulful--and straight from the heart.About the Author:KAREN BEAUMONT's picture books include Being Friends, illustrated by Joy Allen, and Louella Mae, She's Run Away!, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. She lives in Capitola, California.DAVID CATROW is a political cartoonist and the illustrator of many popular books for children, including the Book Sense 76 Top Ten selection Don't Take Your Snake for a Stroll by Karin Ireland. He lives in Springfield, Ohio.

A Christmas Carol


Shona McKellar - 1997
    An authoritative retelling of Dickens's classic Christmas story about an elderly miser who, with the help of some ghostly visitors, discovers the true meaning of the holiday is accompanied by detailed annotations providing background information about the tale and its setting.

A Tree for Emmy


Mary Ann Rodman - 2009
    A delightful, multigenerational story, ideal for Arbor Day and Earth Day!"A spunky and independent heroine, a satisfying story and a gentle environmental message combine nicely here in an arboreal celebration that will delight many a young reader." ―Kirkus ReviewsEmmy loves trees. She loves oak trees with acorns. She loves pine trees with cones, and willow trees with swishy branches. But best of all, Emmy loves the mimosa tree that grows in her grandmother's pasture.So when Emmy decides she wants a mimosa tree of her own for her birthday, she is dismayed to find that many garden stores only sell ornamental trees like plum or pear or tulip trees. Emmy is crushed―until she discovers that the answer to her problem is growing right before her eyes!Mary Ann Rodman's joyful story--packed with environmental, independence, and problem-solving themes--will appeal to nature- and tree-lovers as well as those seeking great spring, Arbor Day, and Earth Day read-alouds. Illustrator Tatjana Mai-Wyss's whimsical watercolor and collage artwork captures Emmy's exuberant personality and the story's hopeful ending.

Meet Kaya


Janet Beeler Shaw - 2002
    Her father warns her that the horse isn't ready, but when a pesky boy insults Steps High, Kaya accepts his challenge to race. As they ride, Kaya loses sight of her little brothers. Her carelessness earns her a nickname that her friends won't let her forget.

Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild!


Mem Fox - 2000
    Sometimes she just is. And her mother doesn't mean to lose her temper. Sometimes she just does. But Harriet and her mother know that even when they do things they wish they hadn't, they still love each other very much.

Maple & Willow's Christmas Tree


Lori Nichols - 2016
      Maple and Willow love trees—and now they are getting their first real Christmas tree. It is going to be the best Christmas ever! After a snowy expedition to pick out the perfect tree, it’s time to decorate. But whenever Maple gets near the tree, she starts sniffling and sneezing. Could she really be allergic to the perfect Christmas tree? And if so, how will the girls find a way to make this the best Christmas after all?

Flight of the Puffin


Ann Braden - 2021
    She wants to be different, but sometimes that doesn’t work out. Now she's suspended again.On the opposite side of the country lives Vincent, a kid who loves the mathematician Katherine Johnson and being a non-conformist, who’s trying hard not to get stuffed into lockers at his new school. But that’s not working out too well either.   Nearby is T, who couldn’t take living at home anymore and is determined to survive on a rainy sidewalk.And then there’s Jack, a big-hearted kid so engaged in the fight to keep his small rural school open that he’s lost focus on the ones who need him most.Four kids. Four different lives. And then… one card with a message of hope takes flight and starts a chain reaction, helping each kid summon the thing they need, whether it’s bravery, empathy, or understanding. But best of all, it makes each one realize they matter -- and that they're not flying solo anymore.

Santa's Snow Cat


Sue Stainton - 2001
    As Snow Cat wanders the sparkling city, she encounters many "nearly" Santas, but not her beloved Santa.With a huff from the North Wind, and the light of the big Lemon Moon, Snow Cat's true Santa can't be far away.

The Princess and the Dragon


Audrey Wood - 1981
    When a princess who behaves like a dragon meets a dragon who behaves like a princess, who knows what will happen! This is suitable for discussion of preconceptions and gender roles.

Apple Tree Christmas


Trinka Hakes Noble - 1984
    Moving and nostalgic, and brought to life by glowing watercolor paintings, it reveals the joy of a very special present and the love that a father and daughter share.

The Lemon Sisters


Andrea Cheng - 2006
    Full color.

The Biggest, Most Beautiful Christmas Tree


Amye Rosenberg - 1985
    Residents of a great fir tree in a thick forest make their home noticeable in hopes that Santa will come for his first visit to them.

Absolutely Truly


Heather Vogel Frederick - 2014
    With two older brothers and two younger sisters clamoring for attention, her mother back in school, and everyone up to their eyebrows trying to keep Lovejoy's Books afloat, Truly feels more overlooked than usual. So she pours herself into uncovering the mystery of an undelivered letter she finds stuck in a valuable autographed first edition of Charlotte's Web, which subsequently goes missing from the bookshop. What's inside the envelope leads Truly and her new Pumpkin Falls friends on a madcap treasure hunt around town, chasing clues that could spell danger.

The Christmas Blizzard


Helen Ketteman - 1995
    He whips up snowflakes as big as dinner plates and winds strong enough to split firewood!