A Top 5 Reading List for Christmas

Our wrap up post for 2021 is from Loretta, who shares the joy of Christmas and the wondrous tales that celebrate the season with a short list of her favourites to read and share.

I love Christmas time! I just love decorating for Christmas at the Burnie Library, but I also love to read the Christmas picture books to the school groups that come in leading up to Christmas. In this blog I’m going to review my top 5 Christmas picture books that I recommend reading! With the help from my dog Cliffy (who did fall asleep on the job!). 

An Odd Dog Christmas by Rob Biddulph

When I first read this story, I thought to myself this is a book that 90% of people would relate to! We have all been there - It’s Christmas, and the Odd Dog is running out of time to find the perfect present for her friend!
Along the way she meets a new friend who needs help, she realises that gifts might not be the most important thing about Christmas after all. The illustrations themselves could tell the story they are bright and colourful, and the children love to point out the different little details on each page of the story.
This is the perfect story for children aged 4+, dog-lovers everywhere and anyone who loves Christmas! 

The Snowflake by Benji Davies

The Snowflake tells the tale of one snowflake and one little girl – both longing for something and looking for their own special place in the world. 

The illustrations are beautiful, and it really does show the power of fate. Everyone should read this book; I guarantee it will warm your heart and make you smile.

A House for Christmas Mouse by Rebecca Harry

I absolutely loved reading this story out loud to the school children who visited in the last month. The story follows the little adventure of a mouse who finds herself helping her friends in their homes for Christmas when she needs to find a home for herself.  Mouse gets very worried along her travel but there is a very happy surprise ending in the story that shows the true meaning of friendship.

Cat and Dog Eat Christmas by Jonathan Bentley

Children absolutely love this funny story of a teeny tiny dog and a grumpy old cat who get up to mischief all on Christmas Eve. This is another great story to read aloud to children and the illustrations will have the children laughing and I must say it does get you wondering if our own pets at home think like this at Christmas time. Very comical and I would highly recommend reading this story. 

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

A true classic that could not be left off my top 5. The Night Before Christmas is one of my most treasured Christmas books. I remember my Mum reading this story to me when I was little in the lead up to Christmas and love to share this story with children at the library and every time you announce to the children that you are going to read this story today you can hear the teachers or parents in the background going “Awwww! That’s one of my favourite Christmas stories”. 

I hope you enjoyed my top 5 Christmas stories and hopefully inspired you to read one of them or I have brought back memories for yourself about your favourite Christmas book. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy safe new year. 

Loretta Brazendale

Information Services Coordinator
Burnie Library | Libraries Tasmania 

From the editor: Thank you to all the contributors to our blog throughout the year and to the many readers who have enjoyed and shared great stories on and about children’s literature. Our best wishes over Christmas and New Year, and with special thoughts to our North West community. We look forward to your company in 2022.