Best Winter & Christmas Picture Books

[Quaniliaz]

I've pulled out our Christmas/Winter books, and every year I get them out in November and read a new one each day. Some I love, some are just ok - I'd like to get some recommendations of your favorites, so I can improve my collection!

Here's what I have:

Allsburg, Chris Van - The Polar Express

Barry, Robert - Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

Baylor, Byrd - And it is still that way: Ledgends told by Arizona Indian Children

Bianco, Margery Williams - The Velveteen Rabbit

Bowman, Leslie W. - The Fiddler of the Northern Lights

Brett, Jan  - The Mitten^

Brett, Jan - Christmas Trolls^

Brett, Jan - Gingerbread Baby

Brett, Jan - The Hat^

Brett, Jan - The Night Before Christmas^

Brett, Jan - The Twelve Days of Christmas^

Brett, Jan - Trouble with Trolls^

Brett, Jan The - Wild Christmas Reindeer^

Brown, Margaret Wise - A Pussycat's Christmas

Brown, Michael - Santa Mouse

Christiansen, Candace - The Mitten Tree

Garland, Michael - The Mouse Before Christmas

Godden, Rumer - The Story of Holly and Ivy

Johnson, Carolyn M. - Winter Tales of the Snowbabies

Kneen, Maggie - The Christmas Surprise

Korman, Justine - The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas

Lindgren, Astrid - Christmas in Noisy Village

Lindgren, Astrid - The Tomten

Lindgren, Astrid - The Tomten and the Fox

Littledale, Freya - The Snow Child

Matthews, Caitlin - Fireside Stories: Tales for a Winter's Eve ( Barefoot Books Collection)

McCourt, Lisa - Merry Christmas, Stinky Face

Monroe, Colleen - A Wish to be a Christmas Tree

Root, Phyllis - Grandmother Winter

Schulevitz, Uri - Snow

Seuss, Dr. - How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Stainton, Sue - Santa's Snow Cat

Tudor, Tasha - Corgiville Christmas

Tudor, Tasha - The Night Before Christmas

Van Laan, Nancy - Shingebiss, An Ojibwe Ledgend

Watson, Wendy - Has Winter Come

Wilder, Laura Ingalls - Winter Days in the Big Woods (My First Little House Books)

Wood, A.J. - The Christmas Hat

Wynstones Press - Winter

[ollyoxenfree]

That's a great list! 

AAK started a similar thread a few days ago, but also including adult reads:  http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1279505/favorite-holiday-reads-lets-make-a-list

You've reminded me about The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. I don't think it has been mentioned in either thread yet. 

[Owen'nZoe]

What about The Christmas Ship by Dean Morrisey?

[Quaniliaz]

Thanks! I've added both of those. The other thread looks great, too - I guess I should have done a search!

[elanorh]

I really liked The Last Straw - very nice illustrations and message.  We got it last year and it's disappeared.  I'm really hoping I packed it up with our Christmas stuff, as opposed to losing it somewhere. 

Also, we have a Christmas version of the Bear Snored On book (Bear Stays Up for Christmas) that's very cute and the girls like a lot. 

A more secular winter book that's beautiful is Owl Moon by Yolen.  Lovely story about a cold winter night going 'owling' with her father.

We also have The Shortest Day which is about Winter Solstice and its history/traditions, including some projects in the back of the book (triangulating the angle of the sun etc.), a simple kids' book but very nice.

[katybear mama]

The Velveteen Rabbit is a favorite of mine too.  I do a holiday program in my Children's Room called How Toys Become Real where we read that story and each child brings their favorite stuffed animal and they also bring a new, unwrapped one to put in our Toys for Tots donation box.  The Night Before Christmas is another favorite and there are so many beautifully illustrated versions.  For our Night Before Christmas storytime we actually go to a local farm/nursery where they have reindeer.  We bundle up & read the story outside with hot chocolate and snacks & then go into the barn & each child gets to feed the reindeer an apple.  It's by far one of our patrons' favorite programs. 

I also like:

It's Christmas David by David Shannon 

Bear's First Christmas by Robert Kinerk  

Little Rabbit's Christmas by Harry Horse 

The Snow Angel by Christine Leeson  

The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers

The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Jim LaMarche

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen , illustrated by Rachel Isadora

[AAK]

No one has mentioned this one yet:

http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Sam-Amy-Hest/dp/0763636886/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1290323615&sr=8-3

Sam and his mom make goodies for their neighbors and drop them off silently in the early morning to surprise them.  Very cute.

For funny, my kids think Mooseltoe is hilarious.  http://www.amazon.com/MOOSELTOE-First-Margie-Palatini/dp/B003OH71A8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290323739&sr=1-3

And a third to add is "All you need for a snowman"

http://www.amazon.com/All-Need-Snowman-Alice-Schertle/dp/0152061150/ref=pd_sim_b_3

I love many of the stories mentioned above, but sometimes the ones with lots of "meaning" get me teared up and I need something a little bit humorous or just simple.

Amy

[ASusan]

We always like The Sweet Smell of Christmas - http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Smell-Christmas-Scented-Storybook/dp/0375826432

[MariaMadly]

The Donkey's Dream http://www.amazon.com/Donkeys-Dream-Barbara-Helen-Berger/dp/0399212337/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290345102&sr=1-1 is really sweet.

[ChocolateNummies]

Another Jan Brett book - Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Snowflake Bentley

Christmas Day in the Morning - I can't read this without crying.

Edited by ChocolateNummies - 11/24/10 at 7:47am

[ollyoxenfree]

I can't believe that I forgot to list A Northern Nativity by William Kurelek. He was a brilliant artist and this book is wonderful. It's especially good for anyone looking for a multicultural perspective. 

[SparklingGemini]

I just LOVE Christmas and winter books.  :)

We have a ton.  Many that you listed and some that I've forgotten but here's a good size list.  I've included Christmas, Winter, Nativity stories and some cheesier books as well.  My DD loves them all.

Lucy's Christmas

The Night Before Christmas: The Heirloom Edition

The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition

Twelve Hidden Days of Christmas

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

Snow

Snow (Caldecott Honor Book)

Winter Days in the Big Woods (My First Little House Books)

Christmas in the Big Woods (Little House)

A Wish to Be A Christmas Tree

Auntie Claus

The Christmas Magic

The Story of Holly and Ivy

Winter's Gift

The True Gift: A Christmas Story

The Winter Book

Winter Is the Warmest Season

Who Is Coming to Our House? (Board Book)

Humphrey's First Christmas

Winter's Tale: An Original Pop-up Journey

Mortimer's Christmas Manger

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

A Christmas Memory

[elanorh]

Found two new ones (well, rediscovered one from my childhood too):

The Angel of Mill Street (Weller) - a sweet old family story of Christmas Eve, and a dog who saves an uncle - nice pictures.

Star Mother's Youngest Child (Moeri) - the one from my childhood.  Black and white drawings -- published in the 70's -- a great little story about Christmas and its traditions and giving (even when you don't have much if anything) - and a good reminder for the adult(s) reading it of what Advent and Christmas are really about.  I am going to see whether I can find a copy of this one, to add to our 'library.' [not specifically religious, a family who is not religious at all wouldn't have a problem with the book I don't think]