Christmas is just around the corner! Wasn't it just October a few days ago? Now it's time to start bringing holiday celebrations into the library.
I know that we don't always have the freedom to share our beliefs at school, so although I'm a Christian and choose to celebrate the birth of Christ during this holiday season (and pray you do too), I've chosen a variety of Christmas read aloud titles for you to share with your students. There are so many wonderful Christmas stories, so I couldn't include them all, but I listed some of my favorites. I hope each of you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.
Who doesn't love Pete the Cat? These books by Eric Litwin are a huge hit at my school! I love how you can even listen to the author read the stories on the HarperCollins Children's website for Pete the Cat. This is a story of how Pete helps Santa. Your students will love it!
Another favorite is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. I love this story of a little boy who travels to the North Pole by train and discovers that Santa is, in fact, real. We even have a Polar Express Day at my school, where everyone wears pajamas and we drink hot chocolate.
In "How to Catch a Reindeer," young readers are taken on a whimsical adventure that combines the thrill of a holiday treasure hunt with the enchantment of Christmas magic. The story is a delightful guide, packed with imaginative traps and clever schemes, on how to catch one of Santa's elusive reindeer. With its colorful illustrations and engaging narrative, this book captures the spirit of the season and encourages creativity and problem-solving, making it a holiday favorite for children and adults alike.
It's no secret that I love Robert Sabuda's popup books. This classic story by Clement Clarke Moore is beautifully illustrated by Mr. Sabuda's fabulous popup creations. If you haven't seen one of these books, you need to. Now. They really are that amazing.
This is another beautiful popup creation by Robert Sabuda. This one even has a little surprise at the end - the tree has lights that really work! My students LOVE this book.
No collection of Christmas read-alouds would be complete without this gem from Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I was in this play once when I was younger, and it never fails to crack me up every time I read it. Everyone knows someone like the Herdmans, which makes this book that much funnier. Your students will love it, especially in the upper elementary grades.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is probably the grandfather of all classic Christmas stories. There are many versions of this story, both unabridged and abridged, but it's sure to be a hit with your upper elementary students when read aloud.
For more holiday favorites, check out the Winter Holidays Reading List with picks for readers of all ages. You might also enjoy doing some fun snowflake activities in the library.
What's your favorite Christmas story to share with your students? Share with us in the comments!
We read The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola. We use it to discuss what a legend is and follow it with a character analysis with evidence from the text.
I love to read Santa's Book of Names. I'm glad some others mentioned other Holiday stories as there are children in our schools that do not only celebrate Christmas. Patricia Polacco and Eric Kimmel have great holiday stories for all to celebrate.