Notes from a Librarian: New Holiday Books
New Christmas Books
Books are great gifts to give at Christmas. They become part of a home and are often loved and cherished for a life time. We still have picture books on our shelf that were given to me when I was a child and I have enjoyed sharing them with my children. Christmas books can also be part of a room’s child-friendly Christmas decoration. I have Christmas books that I set out with decorations, like the The Nutcracker, and The Night Before Christmas. Here are some new picture books that would make lovely Christmas gifts this year.
Christmas Books
The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park, ill. by Bagram Ibatoulline
This book is receiving a lot of attention this holiday season. It is written by the author who won the Newbery medal for A Single Shard in 2002, and illustrated by the amazing Russian artist who has done a number of books set in the Middle East. It is a story about a boy who works for a myrrh merchant and what happens when three kings come to their town looking for gifts for an infant king.
The Night Before Christmas ill. by Jan Brett
This is one of my favorite versions of The Night Before Christmas. Brett’s illustrations add fun and magic to the well-known story. Brett’s picture book was originally published years ago, but now it is available with a CD of the story read by Jim Dale. Dale is the narrator of the audio versions of the Harry Potter books and is probably the best voice actor/children’s book narrator out there right now.
The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel and ill. by Jim LaMache
Each Year the Rockefeller Center in New York erects a huge Christmas tree, often 70 feet tall. This beautifully illustrated and written picture book tells the history of the Rockefeller tree, and how now, each year, lumber from the tree is used to build houses for needy families.
Other Great New Picture Books
Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles by Patrick Lewis and ill. by Lynn Munsinger
Here is a book to have out on the coffee table during the Holidays. It contains a collection of poem riddles about well-known children’s books. The cute illustrations help children (and adults) guess riddles about Goodnight Moon, The Polar Express, and other classics.
Naamah and the Ark at Night by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, ill. by Holly Meade
How did anyone ever get any sleep on Noah’s Ark? Naamah, Noah’s wife, sings them to sleep, of course. This is a gentle bedtime book, written in rhyme and based on the beloved biblical story. The illustrations are soft and sweet. This is a good choice for the littlest ones who like to identify animals.
Donna Cardon is a children's librarian at Provo City Library and a well known children's book critic. We'd like to thank her for allowing us to republish her articles for our readers. You can visit her children's book blog HERE
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