Reload document 
Open in new tab Cracking Christmas Books
There are some brilliant Christmas books from picture books to non fiction if a chapter a day of an advent book isn’t enough to get you in the festive spirit. Here are a few of my favourites:
From one of my favourite picture book partnerships comes a book that tackles a perennial question: How Does Santa Go Down The Chimney? by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
When Santa arrives at a child’s house on Christmas Eve, does he go down the chimney feet first or headfirst? What if he gets stuck? What if there’s no chimney? Maybe he slides under the door, as thin as a piece of paper? Or is it possible he pours himself through the tap? What happens once he’s inside?
Deadpan comic humour in both prose and art are exactly what we’ve come to expect from this dream team, and they don’t disappoint. As scenarios become sillier, and answers further out of reach, the laughs will inevitably get louder. One thing is for certain though, this is not the answer you were looking for, but it is definitely the answer you need.
We Wish You A Merry Christmas And Other Festive Poems, chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell is a flurry of festive verse, some more familiar than others
Christmas has long been a source of inspiration and a moment of reflection for poets, from traditional verse to modern works. This is the perfect collection for readers young and old, as gorgeous illustrations throughout bring new life to classics, including The Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and We Three Kings.
Elsewhere, Chris has selected and responded to work from poets including Neil Gaiman, Sylvia Plath, William Wordsworth, Thomas Hardy, Hollie McNish, Sue Hardy Dawson, Roger Stevens, Benjamin Zephaniah, Clare Bevan, Sara Teasdale, A.F. Harrold, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Ogden Nash, Robert Burns and Jackie Kay. This is a book to treasure, and to return to year after year.
For non-fiction fans, A Very Curious Christmas by Maddie Moat is the perfect book to help you count down to the big day while learning about the wide range of customs and traditions different families observe.
Maddie tackles a wide range of questions that many have pondered, from the explosive mysteries of Christmas crackers to the origin of the iconic Christmas tree in this delightful and informative non-fiction book that unravels the mysteries and wonders of the festive season.
Each chapter includes wintery activities and craft ideas, making it a perfect companion for getting into the holiday spirit. Perfect to explore year after year, this is a gift of a book that will keep on giving.
And finally, I’m going back to fiction for our third Christmas with the Carrolls in The Christmas Club by Mel Taylor-Bessent, and this time, they’re in New York!
Holly and her family are about to lead the famous Christmas parade in New York City! But there’s a hitch. They have been invited to join the exclusive Christmas Club, whose members are among the most Christmassy family in the world. They simply have to follow the mysterious White Reindeer to find the Christmas Club’s secret headquarters in Manhattan. But when the White Reindeer shows up in the middle of the Christmas parade, the Carrolls are faced with a dilemma… Should they stay, or should they go?
With loveable New York characters, a mystery surrounding Holly’s mum Snow’s real name, and a new little furry friend, this book is an absolute banger of a Christmas Cracker! The last in the trilogy, it’s a brilliant way to say goodbye to the most fabulously festive family of all.
Happy reading!
Advent Books
It’s December 1st which means it’s time to start reading books with a chapter a day between now and Christmas. I could fill this week with books just by the King Of Christmas – Mr Alex T.Smith, but there are so many more to explore!
I’m starting with The Christmas Chronicles by John Townsend and James Newman Grey which contains 24 magical Christmas stories set in the snowy North Pole as Santa prepares to deliver presents round the world on Christmas Eve.
Open each door in turn on the beautiful advent calendar-style cover to find the page number that will lead you to the next story in the series. The stories feature a cast of memorable characters, including Mr and Mrs Santa, elves, reindeer and polar bears, and are filled with humorous and breath-taking adventures.
Family, friendship and festivities are woven together to create a cosy blanket of a book that deserves to be shared with loved ones in L.D. Lapinski’s Step Father Christmas.
It’s 25 days until Christmas, and 10-year-old Harper gets a surprise when Mum announces she’s bringing her new boyfriend Nick home for the holidays! Nick seems nice enough. But why do strange Christmassy things happen whenever he’s around? Like snow falling only in the family’s garden? Or a reindeer suddenly appearing on the roof?! Harper’s convinced that Nick must be Father Christmas! And if her mum and older brother won’t believe her, she’ll just have to find a way to prove it herself…
With 25 chapters, it’s an advent calendar in book form that will leave you with a warm glow in your heart, and hunger for gingerbread and hot chocolate. And even better, this isn’t the last we’ll see of the Halls, which has made not only this Christmas but next year’s too!
My next pick is a non-fiction title, and makes the perfect gift to spread joy this Christmas – Welcome To The Museum: A Christmas Pop-Up Advent Calendar by
In conjunction with the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, fans of the bestselling Welcome to the Museum series can now countdown to Christmas with this beautiful pop-up advent calendar. Inside, readers will find a beautiful pop-up tree, alongside a 28 page mini booklet detailing all the wonderful flora and fauna there is to discover during the autumn and winter months, from reindeer to red robins, and pear trees to poinsettia.
Hidden in compartments beneath it are 25 removable and displayable cardboard ornaments – including pine cones, holly leaves, cinnamon bundles and acorns. This is the ideal sustainable gift, and would look stunning as a centrepiece year after year. I’ll be opening this one in the library everyday so why not see if you can spot what is added each day.
And finally, I can’t choose between adventuring with Winston and friends, The Grumpus, or Clara and Fritz Strudel. What I do know is all of these books are fizzing with the essence of Christmas, full of daring friends, dazzling escapades and are a fabulous way to count through December days to Christmas Day itself.
In Alex’s latest festive treat, The Nutcracker And The Mouse King’s Christmas Shenanigans, the Mouse King is up to some very sneaky shenanigans. The night before Christmas, he steals the key to the Kingdom of Sweets and sets out to cause as much festive mayhem as he can! Clara and Fritz Strudel, and their new friend the Nutcracker, are the only ones who can stop him. But when a magical curse is put on Fritz, it’s a race against time to make it to the Kingdom of Sweets and find the Sugar Plum Fairy – the only one who can break the spell! Can the adventurers stop the Mouse King’s naughty plan and save Fritz, before it’s too late?
Happy reading!
National Non Fiction November
The theme for National Non Fiction November is Wonderful Water this year, so I have chosen four fabulous non-fiction books that fit this topic.
For our youngest children, I have chosen Little Lifecycles: Drip by Maggie Li. Drip is a little drop of water. In this book, learn how he will travel through the water cycle to become a tiny drip once again. This beautifully illustrated board book for the very young explores the journey of a raindrop.
Watch Drip travel through streams, rivers, the ocean and clouds to become a little drip once again. A die-cut right through to the last page of the book highlights that nature is full of changes, but that the story begins and ends with a tiny drop of water.
Next, I’ve chosen The Wonderful World Of Water by Sarah Garre and Marijke Huysmans, illustrated by Wendy Panders, where you can dip into any page of this fun, fact-filled book and discover the endless ways that water impacts and sustains life on earth.
Water is our planet’s most important resource, yet it’s easy to overlook its significance in our daily life. This kaleidoscopic journey across the planet offers fascinating insights into how water is connected to the air we breathe, the food we eat, and how our own actions can upset the delicate balance of its cycle. Readers will learn about how water journeys from ocean to sky to mountains, rivers, soil and back again; how water purification works; the flora and fauna of the rainforest; cloud formations and the weather they predict; natural phenomena such as the tiger bush; why rivers flood; what causes a tsunami.
Presented in lively and engaging double-page spreads, each topic is explored with quirky illustrations, trivia, and sidebars that encourage further exploration and experimentation. Best of all, it makes young readers aware just how deeply entwined their futures are with the health of our planet’s water.
The latest book in the Protecting The Planet series, Ice Journey Of The Polar Bear by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Lou Baker-Smith, it is not just a picture book; it’s a call to action, encouraging young readers to become stewards of the planet and protect the delicate balance of nature for generations to come.
For this polar bear, this is a sign it’s time to make a den, a safe place to sleep through the harsh Arctic winter and to give birth to her cubs. But the Arctic is changing; familiar landscapes are melting. What kind of world will her cubs grow up in? This beautifully illustrated picture book gently explores the effects of climate change on polar bears, along with information on how we can all make a difference and protect the planet for these majestic animals.
A poignant and visually captivating exploration of how climate change is impacting the lives of polar bears, Martin and Lou have combined beautiful illustrations with an engaging narrative to educate us all about the challenges faced by these majestic creatures. Through the eyes of a resilient mother bear, we are introduced to the harsh realities of climate change and its direct impact on the Arctic environment.
Finally, brimming with illustrations and information, By The Sea: Life Along The Coast by Judith Homoki and Martin Haake is a coast-to-coast journey through time and across continents introduces young readers to the historical and cultural importance of the world’s seashores.
Coasts have always been the starting point of discovery― whether by explorers searching for new lands or children sifting through the sand for beautiful shells. This trip around the world’s oceans provides hours of fun and learning in a series of highly detailed double-page spreads that look at every aspect of critical coastal habitats, including the ebb and flow of tides; life in a coastal settlement; artistic depictions of seashores; native animals and plants; the whaling industry; tourism; and climate change.
The book also provides a Twenty-First-Century corrective to Western-centric narratives about exploration and colonialism. Interspersed throughout are meticulously detailed maps of the world’s largest oceans with historic events, figures and scientific facts highlighted. As fun as it is informative, this vibrant book takes readers on a trip around the globe that fosters a feeling of connection between their lives and the world’s coastlines.
It also provides one of my favourite facts I’ve discovered this year about the origins of bobble hats – you’ll have to read the book to find out what it is.
Happy reading and fact hunting!
