8 Holiday Books to Read with Your Family

Best read by a crackling fireplace, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg is a Caldecott Medal-winning, beloved tale that takes us on a journey as a boy boards a magical train to the North Pole. The train goes through beautiful wintry landscapes and confronts the idea of “believing” as it ends with a bit of true Christmas magic, for all those who believe.

Is it really even Christmas if you don’t read The Grinch? The classic tale that has since been reimagined in movies and live-action theater is universally loved by kids and adults alike. Fun to read as a family thanks to Dr. Seuss’s famous rhyming style, cozy up to read the book then settle in and watch one of the movies for a fun, 2-part story time. 

A great read for the whole family, Let’s Celebrate Kwanzaa by Arielle Phoenix is a great introduction to Kwanzaa, linking African traditions and themes to teach about the principles of Kwanzaa while making the holiday relatable to children and adults alike. It’s beautifully illustrated and quite educational — it just may require some further explanation by adults if reading with little ones.

Perfect for the littlest ones in your life (but seriously, who doesn’t love Pout-Pout fish and his adventures?), this board-book is a quick and easy read that follows Pout-Pout fish as he celebrates Hanukkah with his friends — enjoying all the festive traditions that come along with The Festival of Lights.

A Hanukkah-themed version of Elf on a Shelf, Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf is a fun, family story where Shmelf, one of Santa’s Elves that belongs to the list-checking department, learns about Hanukkah when he finds some children left off the list. On his journey of discovery, he observes a family engaging in Hanukkah traditions like lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, and seeing all the special aspects of the eight nights. It’s a great story for young children who may feel left out of the Elf on the Shelf story, and shows the beauty of embracing other holidays.

Disclaimer: Only read this book if you are ready to commit to having your very own Elf on a Shelf at home this season. This well-loved story is all about Santa’s helper, Scout the Elf, who returns to the North Pole every night to report back if you have been naughty or nice. There are also a few different corresponding animated movies available on Netflix to continue the Elf on the Shelf magic.

This original story by Angela Shelf Medearis artfully incorporates the values behind Kwanzaa, focusing on its seven principles throughout a beautiful family story. After their father dies, seven brothers are tasked with trying to turn seven spools of thread into gold, or they won’t get their inheritance and will be forced to be beggars. They must put their constant fighting and bickering aside and work together, using the seven principles as their guide.

This story tells the history of Hanukkah with a modern, graphic novel style approach.  It’s an action-filled, rhyming version of the story of Hanukkah with powerful, cartoon-like illustrations the whole family is sure to love.