The 25 Best Picture Books to Celebrate Christmas

1 | Tough Cookie: A Christmas Story by Edward Hemingway

Meet the Sugar Cookie Man in this charming holiday tale! When a fox takes a bite, Sugar Cookie Man discovers he’s not sweet at all, and suddenly wonders what he’s supposed to be. And to make matters worse, he’s not good at a lot of things he should be!

This one is a heartwarming story with a fun twist about being loved for who you are.

2 | The Nutcracker by New York City Ballet

A beautiful retelling of the classic ballet, based on The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet. It’s a perfect pick for helping kids understand the story behind the performance, and it even includes fun Nutcracker facts at the end.

3 | Construction Site on Christmas Night by Sherri Duskey Ringer

The construction crew is back for a festive Christmas job! Excavator, Bulldozer, Dump Truck, Crane, and Cement Mixer work together to build a home for the fire engines—and each gets a special holiday surprise as they wrap up their work.

4 | Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh by Mo Willems

The pigeon really, really, REALLY wants to drive the sleigh. It would be a Christmas miracle! Come on, can’t you make his holiday dream come true? What could go wrong?

A funny holiday addition to one our favorite book series you’ll want to read again and again.

5 | Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger

Little Red Sleigh dreams of becoming Santa’s sleigh, but everyone says she’s too small, too slow, and too young. So, she sets off on a journey to find Santa Claus. Her journey to find Santa leads to new friends, big lessons, and a magical Christmas ending.

On the way, she meets friends who help her see what makes her special. And of course, there’s a magical Christmas ending!

6 | How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett

How does Santa go down the chimney—feet first, head first… or something else entirely? Does he shrink himself? Does he ever get stuck? And what if there isn’t a chimney at all? Once he’s inside, then what?

These are the questions every kid wonders about, and this book offers a funny, imaginative take on the great Santa mystery.

7 | ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

“‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

No holiday collection is complete without this classic poem. This edition has bright, modern illustrations that make the beloved story feel fresh and fun.

8 | Dasher by Matt Tavares

You’ve heard about Santa’s famous reindeer team, but did you know it wasn’t always that way?

Before Santa had a whole team of reindeer, there was Dasher, a brave young doe whose courage helped create a Christmas tradition. A beautifully illustrated, magical story.

9 | Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

Follow a family through one of the best Christmas traditions: picking and decorating the perfect tree! With sweet rhymes and cozy illustrations, it celebrates everything from the tree lot to the big holiday reveal.

“Gather ’round the tree to sing; let your joyful voices ring. Celebrate as nighttime falls…Merry Christmas, one and all!”

10 | The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen

Jingle, jingle, jingle. 

Ollie wakes up to a jingling sound, and her dreams come true! She meets a reindeer in the forest, and they embark on a magical Christmas night adventure.

Die-cut pages, foil details, and pops of festive red make this book a visual treat!

11 | Together by Heather Stricker

“Over the years, images of gifts will fade, but we will never forget the holiday memories we made.”

A young boy visits Santa with a request that’s not about toys—he just wants a Christmas filled with family and favorite traditions. A tender, heartwarming story about what really matters during the holidays.

12 | The Cool Bean Presents: As Cool as It Gets

Cool Bean has to pick the absolute coolest gift for the annual exchange! But that’s putting pressure on him and making him nervous about the party—what’s the perfect gift for the coolest bean he knows?

Soon, Cool Bean learns that the best gifts come straight from the heart.

13 | Last Stop on the Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck

Christmas is almost here, and Mia’s worried her handmade card for her daddy won’t reach him in time. Then she stumbles upon a magical mailbox and ends up aboard the Reindeer Express! With the help of a friendly reindeer, Mia delivers her letter to her daddy in person, just in the nick of time.

With vibrant illustrations and interactive die-cut pages, this one is perfect for families who can’t be together at Christmas.

14 | How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith

This advent-style book has 24½ chapters—one for each day leading up to Christmas! Each chapter includes a festive activity, like writing a letter to Santa or making a paper chain countdown, while the story follows Winston the mouse on his mission to deliver a lost letter to Santa before Christmas.

Plus, check out the new sequel, How Winston Came Home for Christmas!

15 | The Tree That’s Meant to Be by Yuval Zommer

A little tree is passed over by all the families at Christmastime and left standing alone—until the forest animals gather around and show it just how special it truly is. This beautifully illustrated story is a heartwarming celebration of belonging, kindness, and finding your place in the world.

16 | Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider

Once upon a time, when every evergreen tree was flawless, a little tree named Small Pine grew on the edge of the forest. Small Pine dreamed of staying perfectly shaped and being chosen as the Queen’s official Christmas tree.

But as this kind-hearted tree sheltered birds, rabbits, and deer, its branches became a bit bent and worn. When the Queen finally chooses her tree, she realizes that true perfection comes from kindness. It’s a meaningful, memorable read your kids will love revisiting—showing how Small Pine’s love for its forest friends made it the most “perfect” Christmas tree of all.

17 | The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker

Introduce your little one to Tchaikovsky’s famous music! Each enchanting page features a button that plays a snippet from the ballet.

In the back, discover a brief biography of the composer and a handy glossary of musical terms included.

18 | The Christmas Owl by Gideon Sterer

Based on a true story! When a little owl accidentally becomes part of the world’s most famous Christmas tree, she’s definitely not feeling the holiday spirit. But then she meets Ellen—a woman whose home is filled with Christmas cheer—and a new flock of bird friends who help her discover the magic of the season.

Slowly, the little owl begins to realize that Christmas might be pretty wonderful after all.

19 | How to Catch Santa by Jean Regan

From the creators of How to Babysit a Grandpa, this fun and silly read celebrates kids’ best strategies for catching Santa on Christmas Eve. Full of giggles and festive energy.

20 |  5 More Sleeps ’til Christmas

A little boy counts down the days until Christmas with hot cocoa, candy canes, and all the excitement of the season. When Christmas finally arrives, he immediately starts counting down again—364 sleeps to go!

22 |  Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh

Meet Olive, a dog who thinks she’s a reindeer and is dead set on making Christmas even merrier for Santa and his reindeer crew.

She jumps aboard the Polar Express bound for the North Pole, catching Santa and his reindeer off guard. Before long, they discover Olive has talents the seasoned reindeer team never knew they were missing.

21 | Claris: Holiday Heist by Megan Hess

Join Claris, the stylish Parisian mouse, on a glamorous holiday adventure in NYC, where she and her friend Monsieur try to solve a holiday heist at the famous Cartier jewelry store. Can they catch the culprit and bring some holiday cheer?

Perfect for little fashionistas and packed with festive charm!

23 |  Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

A Christmas classic that tells the story of a boy’s magical journey to the North Pole. This 40th-anniversary edition features beautifully restored artwork and is a perfect gift for longtime fans or kids discovering it for the first time.

24 | Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

In this holiday classic, Mr. Willowby ends up with the biggest and most beautiful Christmas tree ever. It’s so gigantic that it doesn’t fit in his parlor. What’s his solution? He chops off the top!

The treetop finds its way to a forest full of friendly creatures, spreading joy to each one. This heartwarming tale shows how coming together as a community can make the holidays even more special.

25 |  A Treasury of Christmas Stories and Songs

Why settle for just one Christmas story when you can enjoy a whole treasury of them? Inside, you’ll find beloved holiday classics like The Nutcracker, The Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and more—along with timeless rhymes and festive songs.

Every page is beautifully illustrated to capture the magic of the season, making it a perfect pick for nightly read-alouds as Christmas approaches!