Sunday, November 20, 2011

Top 10 Holiday Books

As we approach the Holiday season, I started thinking about all of the books I like to read to my students this time of year.  So, I decided to do this week’s Top 10 post on the Holiday Books I like to use for Read Aloud.




10.  The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by imageWendy Pfeffer – This is a great non-denominational book, that links science to the holidays. 

9.  The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore – The imageclassic holiday book!  I love to talk about the images created in your head while reading this book – great for visualization!

8.  Hanukah Moon by Deborah da Costa – We’re familiar with books imageabout how Christmas is celebrated around the world, but this is the first book I’ve read that talks about how Hanukah is celebrated outside of the US.  This cute story about how a girl celebrates Hanukah with her aunt in Mexico.  Great story for diversity!

7.  Home for Christmas by Jan Brett – I love Jan Brett any time of the imageyear, but this cute Christmas story about Rollo the troll who learns that home is the most important place to be is always a favorite of my kids.

6.  Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanza by Donna L. Washington – Love, love the imagecharacter lesson here about helping others.  It also connects to Bre'r Rabbit, which connects in with folktales.

5.  The Legend of the Poinsetta by Tomie dePaola – Another imagefolktale link, this “legend” stresses that it’s not the gift you give but the thought behind the gift that’s important – a fact too often left out of Christmas celebrations.

4.  Light the Lights!  A Story About Celebrating Hanukah and imageChristmas by Margaret Moorman – Candles are a way that so many Winter Holidays are celebrated.  This book talks about how both holidays celebrated by the little girl include candles.  As a mom of bi-cultural children, I love books that talk about how it is okay to celebrate many holidays.

3.  The Little Christmas Elf by Nikki Shannon Smith – Great holiday imagestory about not giving up.  I actually have fond memories of reading this story when I was a little girl!


2.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss – I’m a big Dr. Seuss imagefan, and this is one of his best.  I love the message behind this book and the message that community is more important than material things.
1.  The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg – The quintessential imageChristmas story!  I love to read this book and hand out bells on ribbons to each child, proving that each child believes!



What holiday books do you use for read aloud?  Post us a comment to let us know!



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