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By Kim Vij

December Books for Kids

December Books for Kids

Explore the magic and traditions of December with this diverse collection of December books for children and families. This holiday-themed list covers celebrations from around the world, helping readers learn about and appreciate cultural customs.

Which book will your read first?

December Books for Kids
  • Christmas Books
  • Gingerbread Man Books
  • Las Posadas Books
  • Nativity Books
  • Three Kings Day Books
  • Nutcracker Books
  • St. Nicholas Day Books
  • Hanukkah Books
  • Kwanzaa Books
  • St. Lucia’s Day Books
  • Tomten Books
  • Winter Solstice
  • First Day of Winter Books
  • Diwali Books for Kids
  • Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr Books
  • New Year’s Eve Books
SHOP OUR BOOK LIST ON AMAZON

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

December Books for Kids

Many years ago we shared this popular book list that shared our top picks of 100 Christmas Books Every Child Should Read Before Age 10. Good News! We are sharing a new book list that Celebrates Holidays Around the World in December.

In this book list, you will discover the joy of Christmas stories, the excitement of Gingerbread Man adventures, and the enchantment of Nutcracker tales. Take a journey through Las Posadas, the heartwarming Nativity, and the festivities of Three Kings Day and St. Nicholas Day. Delve into Hanukkah’s lights, the Kwanzaa’s heritage, and the beauty of St. Lucia’s Day.

This book list was created to go along with our hand-picked crafts for Holidays Around the World.

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Family Reading Christmas Books by Christmas Tree

Christmas Books

  • Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever by Matt Tavares
  • Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger
  • Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
  • Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
  • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
  • The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore
Little Red Sleigh
Dasher
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Bear Stays Up for Christmas Book
Polar Express
The Night Before Christmas
  • ‘Twas Nochebuena by Roseanne Greenfield Thong
  • A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World by M.E. Furman
  • Joy to the World!: Christmas Around the Globe by Kate DePalma
  • Sounding Joy by Ellie Holcomb
  • Little Blue Truck’s Christmas by Alice Schertle
  • Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas by Julia Rawlinson
  • 12 Days of Christmas by Lara Hawthorne
  • Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford
Sounding Joy
12 Days of Christmas
Twas Nochebuena
Joy to the Word Christmas Around the Globe
Christmas Around the World
A world of Cookies for Santa

Want more holiday fun? Explore our list of 100+ Christmas Books for Kids!

Child holding Gingerbread Man Cookie

Gingerbread Man Books

  • Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
  • The Gingerbread Man by Gail Yerrill
  • How to Catch a Gingerbread Man by Adam Wallace
The Gingerbread Man
Gingerbread Baby
How to Catch the Gingerbread Man

Explore our complete list of the best Gingerbread Man Books for Kids!

Las Posadas Books

  • Celebrate Las Posadas by Marisa Boan
  • The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
  • Las Posadas: Numbers by Lil’ Libros
Celebrate Las Posadas
The Night of Loas Posadas
Las Posadas

Learn more about how Las Posadas is celebrated with these Las Posadas Activities.

Manger with Wooden Pieces for Nativity for Christmas

Nativity Books

  • Christmas in the Manger by Nola Buck
  • The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell
  • The Christmas Blessing by Erin Guendelsberger
  • Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas by Antonie Schneider
Christmas in the Manger
Silent Night
The Christmas Blessing
Jesus Calling The Story of Christmas
The Animals' Christmas Eve
The Last Straw
  • Silent Night (The Christmas Choir) by Lara Hawthorne
  • Jesus Calling: The Story of Christmas by Sarah Young
  • The Animals’ Christmas Eve by Gale Wiersum
  • The Last Straw by Fredrick Thury
Three Kinds Day Wreath of Kings Bread

Three Kings Day Books

  • The Story of the Three Wise Kings by Tomie dePaola
  • If the Three Kings Didn’t Have Their Camels by Gilberto Mariscal
  • Hooray, It’s Three Kings Day!: A Picture Book for Epiphany by Annette M. Clayton
If the Three Kings Didn't Have Their Camels
Three Kings Day
La Noche before Three Kings Day
The Three Wise Men
The Story of the Three Wise Kings
  • La Noche Before Three Kings Day by Sheila Colón-Bagley
  • Three Kings Day – Día de Reyes Mago by Marisa Boan
  • The Three Wise Men: A Christmas Story by Loek Koopmans
  • From Boriquén to Bethlehem: A Coquí and the Three Wise Men by Lara Mercado & Armando Valdes
  • We Three Kings by Gennady Spirin

Extend the book fun with these Three Kings Day Activities.

Child Holding Nutcracker

Nutcracker Books

  • The Nutcracker by New York City Ballet
  • The Nutcracker by Parragon Books
  • Jan Brett’s The Nutcracker by Jan Brett
  • The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker by Katy Flint
  • The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker

For a book extension, try these DIY Nutcracker Ideas for Kids this Christmas.

St. Nicholas Day Books

  • The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving by Dandi Daley Mackall
  • Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver by Ned Bustard
  • The Story of Saint Nicholas by Laura Wagner
  • The Miracle of Saint Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
The Story of Saint Nicholas
The Miracle of Saint Nicholas
The Legend of Saint Nicholas
The Legend of Saint Nicholas
The Legend of St. Nicholas
Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver
  • The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Anselm Grun
  • Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins by Jim Forest
  • The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi

Celebrate St. Nicholas Day with some fun and interesting St. Nicholas Day Activities for Kids.

Child making Hanukkah Crafts with Hanukkah Books

Hanukkah Books

  • Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel
  • Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster
  • The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler
  • The Night Before Hanukkah by Natasha Wing
  • The Ninth Night of Hanukkah by Erica S. Perl
  • Red and Green and Blue and White by Lee Wind
Hunukkah Bear
Little Red Ruthie a Hanukkah Tale
The Story of Hanukkah
The Night Before Hanukkah
Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf
How Do Dinosaurs Say Chanukah
  • Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe
  • Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
  • How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen
  • I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Dreidel by Caryn Yacowitz
  • Hanukkah Pajamakkahs by Dara Henry
  • Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer
  • Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg

Learn more about this festival of lights with these Hanukkah Activities.

Kwanzaa Books for kids

Kwanzaa Books

  • The People Remember: A Kwanzaa Holiday Book for Kids by Ibi Zoboi
  • Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford
  • The Night Before Kwanzaa by Natasha Wing
  • Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington
The People Remember
Together for Kwanzaa
Seven Spools of Thread a Kwanzaa Story
My First Kwanzaa
My Family Celebrates Kwanzaa
Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa
  • K Is For Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford
  • Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis
  • My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz
  • My Family Celebrates Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard
  • Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Discover the seven values of this holiday with these Kwanzaa Activities for Kids.

Saffron Bread - Lussekatter for St. Lucia Day

St. Lucia’s Day Books

  • Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Rydaker
  • Lucia, Saint of Light by Katherine Bolger Hyde
  • Who Are You Santa Lucia? by Glenda Cedarleaf
Lucia Saint of Light
Who are You Santa Lucia
Lucia Morning in Sweden

Explore these activity ideas for St. Lucia’s Day with your child.

Tomten Books

Santas Christmas Tomtens Jul
Tomten Saves Christmas
The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits
  • Santa’s Christmas Tomtens jul by by Linda Liebrand
  • Tomten Saves Christmas by Linda Liebrand
  • The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits: A Christmas Story for Advent by Ulf Stark
  • The Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren
Ice Lantern for Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

  • Winter: A Solstice Story by Kelsey E. Gross
  • The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer
  • The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
  • Luke & the Longest Night by Kathleen Converse
  • Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
  • A Solstice Tree for Jenny by Karen Shragg
The Shortest Day Celebrating Winter Solstice
Winter a Solstice Story
Luke and the Longest Night
The Shortest Day
A Solstice Tree for Jenny
Sun Bread

Have some fun welcoming Winter with these Winter Activities for your child.

First Day of Winter Books

  • The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
  • Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
  • Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night by Megan Litwin
  • Winter Tales: Stories and Folktales from Around the World by Dawn Casey
  • Bright Winter Night by Alli Brydon
  • Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas
Over and Under the Snow
Bright Winter Night
Winter Tales
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter
The First Day of Winter

Go on a virtual adventure with our Winter Virtual Field Trip for Kids!

Diwali Books for Kids

  • Shubh Diwali! by Chitra Soundar
  • Diwali A Festival of Lights by Anita Yasuda
  • Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali! by Ajanta Chakraborty
Shubh Diwali
Diwali a Festival of Lights
5 Nights of Diwali

Although not a December holiday, if you’re focusing on Holidays Around the World you’ll want to include the Hindu Festival of Lights called Diwali. Here’s our complete list of The Best Diwali Books for Kids.

Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr Books

Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
The Gift of Ramadan
Ramadan
  • Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by Sara Khan
  • Ramadan by Hannah Eliot
  • Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi
  • Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi
  • The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard
  • The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil
  • Under the Ramadan Moon by Sylvia Whitman
  • The Blessed Pomegranates: A Ramadan Story About Giving by A. Helwa

In addition, you will also want to include the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan even though it does not fall in the month of December. Here’s a fun list of Ramanda and Eid al-Fitr Books and Activities.

New Year’s Eve Books

  • The Night Before New Year’s by Natasha Wing
  • Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller
  • Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
  • Felíz New Year, Ava Gabriela! by Alexandra Alessandri
  • Snow Horses: A First Night Story by Patricia MacLachlan
  • Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport
  • The Lucky Grapes: A New Year’s Eve Story by Tracey Kyle
The Night Before New Years
The Lucky Grapes - A New Year's Even Story
Snow Horses
Freedom Soup
Squirrels New Year's Resolution
Feliz New Year Ava Gabriela

Kick off the New Year with our New Year’s Eve Interview.

December Activities for Kids! A fun collection of activities and books exploring holidays around the world.
HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD IDEAS

Books for Holidays Around the World with Kids

December is a magical time of year, filled with celebrations and traditions from all over the world. People in different countries have special ways of spreading joy, sharing love, and enjoying the holiday spirit. Together, we’ll learn about some of these amazing holidays and how families come together to celebrate. Explore and discover the wonderful traditions that make December such a special month everywhere!

No matter which holidays you celebrate, these books are sure to fill your December with wonder, warmth, and a deeper understanding of traditions from around the world. Happy reading!

  • Holidays Around the World Activities for Kids
  • 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar with Books and Crafts
  • 24 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness
  • The Best Christmas Movies for Kids
Books About Holidays Around the World

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…

December Activities for Kids exploring holidays around the world
Kindness Elves in front of Christmas tree lit with lights sharing kindness elves letters for child
Christmas Book Advent Calendar! 12 Days of Books and Activities this holiday season with your child.

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

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Filed Under: Reading Tagged With: After School Activities, Book List, December, grade school, Holidays Around the World, Preschool, Winter, Winter Solstice

About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

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