{Books We Love} 26 of the BEST Christmas Picture Books

So I know a lot of people like to do a Christmas book advent over the holidays. We don't personally do an book advent, my kids like to read several books a night, and a few favorites are requested night after night after night, so we get our Christmas books out the day after Thanksgiving and enjoy them throughout the rest of November and December. I do however, like to buy at least one or two new Christmas books every year to add to our growing collection. I don't like to buy any old Christmas book though, I really like to search out the best! So I thought I would share some of our absolute favorites with you, whether you use them for a Christmas book advent or just enjoy them throughout the Christmas season is entirely up to you! Here they are, in no particular order:

1. The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long

This book has been my son's favorite for the past couple of years and probably will be for a few years to come. It has beautiful illustrations of the twelve days of Christmas that we all remember from the holiday song, and hidden inside each illustration is that day's gift (such as five golden rings), as well as the gifts of any days that have come before. It's such a fun and beautiful book.

2. Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

We love all the Bear books in our house, and this Christmas edition is no exception. The rhymes and illustrations are adorable!

3. Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson

This is another great one by Karma Wilson. It's about a little mouse who learns the importance of having room for Christ in our homes and in our lives. 

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Such a classic. Do I really need to say anything more?

5. Kissing Kringle by Sam Beeson

Sorry for the tiny picture, but this one can be a little hard to find. It's a sweet story about how all Santa needs to be motivated and get his work done is a sweet little peck on the cheek. Explains away the "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" song quite nicely!

6. The Christmas Train by Thomas S. Monson

Thomas S. Monson is such a great storyteller! Pretty much goes without saying that whenever one of his stories comes out we are going to get it! This is a sweet story from his childhood and how he first felt the spirit of Christmas in his own life.

7. A Christmas Dress for Ellen retold by Thomas S. Monson

This one is a retelling of a story that was shared with Thomas S. Monson by family members of the struggling family in the story. It is a book about Christmas miracles and how service to others can bring about such miracles.

8. Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck

I love this story of the simple gift that a boy gave his father one Christmas morning. It's another classic!

9. Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo

This is such a cute book! It tells the story of sweet little Tante, and how a gift she was given one Christmas inspired the tradition of draping tinsel on Christmas trees. 

10. Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor

Fancy Nancy, need I say more? I love that girl.

11. Little Critter's Christmas Book by Mercer Mayer

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Little Critter Christmas books. This one has a whole bunch of mini-stories. That little critter cracks me up.

12. Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! by Don and Audrey Wood

I love The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by the same couple, and this book is just as cute! The Mouse is afraid that the Big Hungry Bear is going to steal all of his presents, but by the end of the story the mouse is more concerned about the Bear's Christmas than his own. So cute. I also have this in board book version because I just couldn't help myself!

13. Merry Christmas, Splat by Rob Scotton

I love Rob Scotton. He is not only the author but is also the illustrator of the Splat the Cat and Russell the Sheep books. The stories are always so cute and the illustrations adorable! Splat the Cat is as loveable as always in this Christmas version.

14. Russell's Christmas Magic by Rob Scotton

Russell helps Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and gets to experience a little Christmas magic. So cute!

15. Merry Christmas, Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey

Who doesn't love Curious George? George gets into his usual hijinks but as always, is a crowd pleaser in the end!

16. Santa Claustrophobia by Mike Reiss

This is a funny little book about Santa becoming claustrophobic after one too many trips down the chimney. He takes a much needed vacation and the holiday stars from the rest of the year (such as the Easter Bunny) try their hardest to get Christmas delivered on time. 

17. Santa's Stowaway by Brandon Dorman

This beautifully illustrated book is about one of Santa's elves who decides to stowaway in Santa's sack on Christmas Eve.

18. The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

This is a great story about a boy who learns that a lot of the magic of Christmas is found in the memories that you make with loved ones. 

19. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

This classic poem can be found in a lot of cute book versions, this just happens to be the one we have, and we really like it. The Santa in it is really cute!

20. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

I don't know if this one needs an explanation either! If you haven't already read it a hundred times, it's about a child's magical Christmas Eve, climbing aboard a train that magically carries him off to the North Pole. Can't make it through the Christmas season without this one!

21. The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia M. Scarry

 We had this one when I was a kid, so I was so excited when Kim found it one year and gave a copy to each of our siblings. It's such a cute little book and kids love to scratch and sniff all the yummy treats Little Bear gets to enjoy as Christmas draws near. 

22. Christmas City by Michael Garland

This is another favorite of my son's. It's about an adventure a little boy takes as he follows clues left him by his aunt. The aunt is hidden in every picture, as well some other fun hidden pictures and clues. Definitely a fun read.

23. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

Mr. Willowby's tree is way too tall so he has his butler chop off the top. What happens to the top? Soon,  nearby people and furry creatures alike are able to enjoy a small part of Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree. Such a fun book, my kids really get a kick out of it!

Board Books

I can't complete my list without at least a few board books. My kids love to hold and read through books on their own, but until they are a little older I really prefer to have them stick with board books. Much more forgiving! So here are a few favorite Christmas board books:

24. Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

This is a sweet little book about the animals who were inside the stable the night Christ was born, and how they always had room for a little one.

25. Frosty the Snowman by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson

This is a cute illustrated version of the memorable little Christmas song we all know and love.

26. Merry Christmas, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff

We love all the "If You Give" books by Laura Numeroff and her holiday versions are always cute. This one is short and sweet. It counts from 1 to 10 as Mouse decorates his Christmas tree. 

So there you have it! More than enough to get you through a Christmas book advent, or you can maybe choose one or two to add to your Christmas collection. What are some of your favorite Christmas picture books?

{Books We Love} A Girl of the Limberlost

This blog is mainly about sharing the things that we love with the world, and as such, this blog would not be complete without sharing some of our favorite books! Rather than come up with a review number or star system, we simply decided that we will only share those books that we really like. We hope you enjoy them as well!

A Girl of the Limberlost

Gene Stratton-Porter

Fiction/Classic

Set amid Indiana's vast Limberlost Swamp, this treasured children's classic mixes astute observations on nature with the struggles of growing up in the early 20th century.  Harassed by her mother and scorned by her peers, Elnora Comstock finds solace in natural beauty — along with friendship, independence, and romance.

Deeply wounded by her embittered mother's lack of sympathy for her aspirations, Elnora finds comfort in the nearby Limberlost Swamp, whose beauty and rich abundance provide her with the means to better her life. (summary from publisher)

A Girl of the Limberlost is one of those books that I think everyone should have in their permanent library. It was originally published in 1909, and while it is obvious that the book takes place in a very different time and place than we do, the story still resonates today. Gene Stratton-Porter had such a way of communicating the humanness of her characters, and she showed both the bitterness and beauty that can exist in relationships. Luckily for us, Stratton-Porter also liked to write a happy ending, so we were able to see any bitterness replaced with love and respect in the end. Elnora is the kind of person we all wish we could be, and that's why A Girl of the Limberlost still rings so true 100 years after it was first published. To quote Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail: "Read it...I know you'll love it."

{Books We Love} Heaven Is Here

This blog is mainly about sharing the things that we love with the world, and as such, this blog would not be complete without sharing some of our favorite books! Rather than come up with a review number or star system, we simply decided that we will only share those books that we really like. We hope you enjoy them as well!

Heaven Is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph and Everyday Joy

Stephanie Nielson
Memoir

Stephanie Nielson began sharing her life in 2005 on nieniedialogues.com, drawing readers in with her warmth and candor. She quickly attracted a loyal following that was captivated by the upbeat mother happily raising her young children, madly in love with her husband, Christian (Mr. Nielson to her readers), and filled with gratitude for her blessed life. 

However, everything changed in an instant on a sunny day in August 2008, when Stephanie and Christian were in a horrific plane crash. Christian was burned over 40% of his body, and Stephanie was on the brink of death, with burns over 80% of her body. She would remain in a coma for four months. 

In the aftermath of this harrowing tragedy, Stephanie maintained a stunning sense of humor, optimism, and resilience. She has since shared this strength of spirit with others through her blog, in magazine features, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now, in this moving memoir, Stephanie tells the full, extraordinary story of her unlikely recovery and the incredible love behind it--from a riveting account of the crash to all that followed in its wake. With vivid detail, Stephanie recounts her emotional and physical journey, from her first painful days after awakening from the coma to the first time she saw her face in the mirror, the first kiss she shared with Christian after the accident, and the first time she talked to her children after their long separation. She also reflects back on life before the accident, to her happy childhood as one of nine siblings, her close-knit community and strong Mormon faith, and her fairy-tale love story, all of which became her foundation of strength as she rebuilt her life.

What emerges from the wreckage of a tragic accident is a unique perspective on joy, beauty, and overcoming adversity that is as gripping as it is inspirational. Heaven Is Here is a poignant reminder of how faith and family, love and community can bolster us, sustain us, and quite literally, in some cases, save us. (Summary from publisher)

I seriously can't say enough good things about this book. It is just so REAL. The things that Stephanie and her family had to overcome could have broken them, but instead they rose above those struggles and trials and made their story one of beauty and strength. Stephanie is inspiring. This book is a must read. 

{Books We Love} Ranger's Apprentice Series

This blog is mainly about sharing the things that we love with the world, and as such, this blog would not be complete without sharing some of our favorite books! Rather than come up with a review number or star system, we simply decided that we will only share those books that we really like. We hope you enjoy them as well!

The Ranger's Apprentice Series
John Flanagan
YA

The Ranger Apprentice series is not a new one, but it is so good! If you haven't given the books a try yet, you really need to! There are already 11 books in the series, 10 of which are full novels, and the last of which is a series of short stories that happen either before, during or in between the novels. A twelfth book has been announced, and that one will be set twenty years after the tenth novel. I love that idea, that we actually get to check in on these characters twenty years later! 

John Flanagan started writing the series because he wanted to interest his young son in reading, and I really think the books are so well written that not only was he able to succeed in that goal, but that his books will interest readers of all ages, both male and female. I really enjoyed the first couple of books in the series, but I think the third book was the one that showed me that Flanagan was an author that could write a good series. No filler books from this guy! Every book had a solid plot and love-able characters, a lot of them already known, but often many of which were new. 

I really don't know how to sum up the entire series, but the first book of the series, The Ruins of Gorlan, had this information from the publisher: 

He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people.

And so it begins! Throughout the series, we get to follow Will on his path from a brand-new apprentice to a full-blown Ranger himself, and share in his adventures along the way. I really like the Harry Potter books, but I think the Ranger's Apprentice has an advantage on Harry Potter. In every book but the last, Harry started out his school year at Hogwarts, so it was kind of hard to read book after book of Harry Potter without taking a break. Ranger's Apprentice does not have that limitation. The Ranger's are sent all over the kingdom, and as such, we never had the opportunity to get a little bored with the setting. You can read the entire Ranger's Apprentice series, without a break, and still not get burned out with the world of Araluen. 

The Ranger's Apprentice series has been successful enough that Flanagan is currently writing a spin-off series called The Brotherband Chronicles, the third book of which comes out next week! You can bet I'll be one of the people lining up to buy it on October 30!

{Books We Love} Grave Mercy

This blog is mainly about sharing the things that we love with the world, and as such, this blog would not be complete without sharing some of our favorite books! Rather than come up with a review number or star system, we simply decided that we will only share those books that we really like. We hope you enjoy them as well!

Grave Mercy

by Robin LaFevers

YA

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (Summary from publisher)

Yes, I know this book sounds dark and violent, but it really doesn't read that way. Ismae has led such a sad and lonely life, but as the story progresses, we are able to watch her grow stronger in every imaginable way. I've always been one who roots for the underdog, so maybe that's why I connected so strongly with it. Though I must admit, I think LaFevers is such a great storyteller that I probably would enjoy any book written by her! Ismae trains with two other young girls while she is in the convent of St. Mortain, and there are two more books slated in the His Fair Assassin series to tell their stories. I for one, can't wait to read them!