25 Days of Christmas Picture Books for Kids

Try a new kind of Advent this year. Enjoy 25 Days of Christmas Picture Books! A little silly, a little sad, a little with trees, and a lot with kindness and generosity. The closer you get to number one on the list, the more they focus on the true reason for the season – Jesus Christ.

Christmas Traditions Picture Books

25. Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel by Shirley Climo

24. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

23. Apple Tree Christmas by Trina Hakes Noble

22. Christmas in the Big Woods adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder

Christmas in the Big Woods. A picture adapted from Laura Ingall Wilders

21. Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo

10. The Sparkle Box by Jill Hardie

The Sparkle Box. A gift with the power to change Christmas. A picture book to put your family in the true spirit of giving at Christmas

20. Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck

Recommended Read: The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling

19. The Christmas Owl by Ellen Kalish & Gideon Sterer

The Christmas Owl. Based on the true story of a little owl called Rockefeller. by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer

18. An Early American Christmas by Tomie dePaola

17. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree. By Gloria Houston. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney

16. An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco

15. The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel

The Carpenter's Gift. A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree. By David Rubel

14. It’s a Wonderful Life (Illustrated Picture Book) by Paul Ruditis

The Illustrated picture book of the beloved classic It's a Wonderful Life

Recommended Read: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The True Story of Saint Nicholas

13. Nicholas: God’s Courageous Gift-Giver by Voice of the Martyrs

12. Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend by Julie Stiegemeyer

The real story of the Christmas Legend Saint Nicholas. A Picture book by Julie Stiegemeyer

11. The Legend of the Christmas Tree: The Inspirational Story of a Treasured Tradition by Rick Osborne

The Legend of the Christmas Tree picture book. A story of a treasured tradition

Christ-centered Christmas Picture Books

9. Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson
An adorable tale about a mouse who is disappointed about missing out on a special event and winds up being witness to the most special event ever!

Mortimer's Christmas Manger picture book by Karma Wilson. A Christ-centered picture book for Christmas

8. The Christmas Star by Moira Butterfield

7. Silent Night: The Wonderful Story of the Beloved Christmas Carol by Brigitte Weninger

Silent Night picture book. The story of the beloved Christmas carol

6. The Newborn King by Pat Thompson

5. The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell

The Christmas Promise. A story from the Bible about the advent of Jesus.

4. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
We borrowed this from the library for a few years before realizing we had to own it ourselves. It’s a tear-jerker for sure. It deals with the death of a spouse and child.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. A Christmas picture book about love and loss and the coming of Jesus.

3. The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg

The inspirational story of our favorite Christmas candy. The Legend of the Candy Cane picture book

2. The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier

The Very First Christmas picture book. A Christ-centered picture book for the Christmas season

1. The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
Perhaps the best depiction of why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. It takes us from Christ’s birth to his crucifixion in such a gentle but beautiful way. It is both the most and least Christmas-y picture book I’ve read.