It’s December and the Countdown to Christmas is well on it’s way, so I’ve picked books that will see us from now until Christmas Day.
My first choice is Countdown To Christmas: 24 Magical Stories by Alexandra Stewart, illustrated by Freya Hartas – a beautiful gift treasury of twenty-four of the most beloved classic stories, poems and songs from all around the world that love to be shared in the countdown to Christmas.
Ride on the Snow Queen’s sleigh, discover the elves secretly making shoes in the night, learn about the first ever Christmas in space and enjoy a new Christmas story every night as you count your way down to the big day. With stories beautifully retold by Alexandra Stewart and gloriously illustrated by Freya Hartas, Countdown to Christmas is the perfect early stocking filler to help little ones feel the magic of Christmas.
For older readers, I’ve picked the brilliant sequel to Stepfather Christmas – The Biggest Christmas Secret Ever by LD Lapinski – a heart-warming and hilarious Christmas countdown advent story told in 25 chapters.
OK so your mum’s partner, Nick, has a big bushy beard, a thick red coat, a team of reindeer and just happens to be really busy around Christmas Eve… what could that mean?!
Harper and Will’s lives are already full of festive wonder, but baby sister Yula is about to bring a whole new meaning to the magic of Christmas. Indoor snowflakes, naughty gingerbread biscuits and reindeer running wild spell Christmas chaos! And with the Elf and Safety Department on the lookout for any unexplained festive magic, it’s up to their family keep the biggest Christmas secret ever…
And finally, the last date to post your letters to Father Christmas is December 13th, so I’ve picked Letters From The North Pole by Annie Atkins, illustrated by Fia Tobing – a charming read aloud, perfect for curling up with at Christmas time.
Five children from all around the world write to Santa Claus with ideas for Christmas gifts and are amazed when he writes back! Discover five letters from Santa that children can pull out and read, each accompanied by a blueprint for their gift made by the elves in Santa’s Workshop. In each letter the hidden world of the North Pole is revealed, from how reindeer can sleep standing up to what snacks Santa would like left out on Christmas Eve and how he gets round the world so quickly. But will the gifts the children have requested be made in time?
Happy reading!
