Christmas is just around the corner! Wasn't it just October a few days ago? One of the beautiful things about having your own website is that you can say whatever you want to. I am a Christian, and I celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of year. I pray that you do, too. There are a lot of distractions at this time of year, but I try to focus on the true meaning of why we celebrate.
I know that we don't always have the freedom to share our beliefs at school, so 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.
Although I don't love everything Seuss, I have a special place in my heart for How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. I'm sure I don't need to describe this classic, but I love the moral of this story - that Christmas does not come from a store.
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.
What's your favorite Christmas story to share with your students? Share with us in the comments!
Three newer stories -- all Michigan Authors
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen and Michael Monroe
Christmas Humbugs by Colleen and Michael Monroe
The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler
I love to read The Christmas Tapestry and The Tree of the Dancing Goats, both by Patricia Pollaco to my upper grade students. They are both longer stories but so worth every minute!
Merry Christmas!!!
I also read Gifts of the Heart by Pollaco as well. I teach in a 4/5/6 building so I do one for each grade. One of my favorite classtimes and the kids' as well.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan toomey
I love this book too!
I love this book--I can't read it without crying!
I love to A wish to be a Christmas Tree---- We decorate a tree and Talk about different kinds of birds.
Silver Packages by C. Rylant--We talk about hOw its importanrt to be thankful for what you get b/c some people don't get anything.
Little house in the Big woods. I read the chapter about Christmas where they are excited just to get a shiny new penny to grds.3,4,5.
Being from Louisiana we discuss some La. traditions and read The Night before Christmas and The /Cajun Night before Christmas and Compare the two different versions!!!
Crash Bang Santa by Kroll ( I think) Then they can write a Christmas story with sound words!!!
The Little Fir tree by M. Brown
I really love a Wish for Wings that Work by Berkeley Breathed.
Yes. That's one of the best.
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston.
It chokes me up every year when I read it.
You can ( or could a few years ago) order a Ruthie tree topper from the Spruce Pine store. I have one on our library tree.
My favorite oldie but goodie is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Kimmel. If you use different voices for each goblin students will leave wanting more.
Jan Brett has several lovely Christmas books.
Last year, I read The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonell, emphasizing that the best things in life aren't things. It was a big hit with 1st-6th graders!
We also enjoyed Bad Kitty's Christmas (beautiful moral about family and service, also honors diversity) and Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift by Dara Goldman (a sweet twist on Gift of the Magi that honors Hanukkah and Christmas).
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.
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.