25 Festive and Fun Books for Kids to Read This Holiday Season

Curiosity Ink Media just released Mr. ZIP’s Windy Day, a story that takes young readers on a windy adventure with Mr. ZIP and his assistant, B. Franklin. On their way to deliveries, a sudden wind blows the letters away, making it almost impossible to track each. This adorable story includes 37 flaps to lift, making it one of the books for kids that is interactive and fun for all!

Looking for a thoughtful yet affordable present for little ones with big imaginations? How the Gherkins Stole Christmas is a funny twist on Dr. Seuss’ story. In Catsburg, folks are feeling sad at Christmas. The Pickles, a happy group, try to bring joy, but Snowball the cat thinks they’re aliens and convinces everyone that the Pickles are extraterrestrial beings. Can the Pickles save Christmas? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

Hop aboard a snowy, fun story in Baldwin’s Big Christmas Delivery, one of the books for kids perfect to fit under the tree this Christmas season. The adorable book tells the story of Baldwin, a busy train, who finds a forgotten Christmas package. Instead of waiting, he decides to deliver it himself, no matter what!  What happens to Baldwin’s mission? Your child will have fun reading about Baldwin’s Christmas adventure all year long.

Snow Boy is a sweet story about friendship and finding where you belong. The story follows a snowman who tries to search for his true family. As he searches for a place to belong, Snow Boy discovers the importance of love, acceptance, and the joy of being part of a community. Sometimes, the people included as a family are those found along the pathway of life.

How the North Pole Works is one of the charming and whimsical books for kids released by Curiosity Ink Media that takes you straight to Santa’s North Pole headquarters. If your kiddo is into science fiction, this book is a treat! The book teaches them about robot technology, special reindeer, and magical elves. OH, what fun it is to discover all about the most magical place on earth!

Learn to count to 100 in this first of many adorably illustrated books for kids from Holiday House geared to those aged four to eight. The House with the 100 Stories takes you on a vertical adventure. Flip this towering book vertically to climb and count to 100.

Your kiddos will be intrigued from the first flip of the page because the book has so many different characters for the reader to meet. Discover who lives at the top of the magical house – but the only way to get there is up! 100 floors. 100 new friends. 100 stories. Enjoy hidden details and new discoveries in the fun, detailed illustrations each time you read the book by Toshio Iwai.

The fifth edition of The Planets, a Holiday House book, will let you and your young astronomers explore the latest discoveries in space exploration. Tour the solar system from the burning surface of Venus to the freezing darkness of Neptune. Learn about the size, shape, orbit, weather, and the planets’ moons.

Since its first publication in 1993, The Planets has served as a home and classroom resource because of its illustrations and easy-to-understand details about the solar system and space. Updated a fifth time, this is one of the great nonfiction books for kids geared toward preschoolers and early readers aged four to eight. You are never too early to encourage little ones to look toward the stars and beyond.

Everyone loves a classic. Celebrate one of the best books for kids by purchasing the 40th-anniversary edition of Little Red Riding Hood, retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Hyman’s Little Red Riding Hood version includes detailed, romantic, and mysterious illustrations.

This Caldecott Honor Book is one of the best-loved books for kids, with its beautiful illustrations and retelling of an age-old tale. The 40^th-anniversary edition features newly designed endpapers, a foil-stamped cover, and a debossed case reminiscent of the original cloth cover. It also includes a tribute by Caldecott Medalist Jason Chin to his mentor and her artistic legacy.

The beautiful biography Fearless World Traveler: Adventures of Marianne North, Botanical Artist, tells about the life and works of a self-taught artist and scientist. Inspire young minds as they learn about North’s courage as she fights against traditional Victorian gender roles and advances the field of botanical illustrations in the late 1880s.

North painted specimens in their natural environment, which helped advance the scientific world. Author Laurie Lawlor chronicles North’s life from her restrictive childhood to her world travels to the opening of the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens. The beautiful illustrations by Becca Stadtlander maintain the spirit of North’s paintings. A wonderful addition to your child’s book collection from Holiday House.

Introducing the first of a series of books for kids from Leah Cypess Books that tell the tale of the captivating Sisters Ever After. The younger sibling of Sleeping Beauty finds herself perpetually in the shadow of her enchanting elder sister—until now. This enthralling fairy tale retelling, brimming with sisterly bonds and regal protagonists, is an absolute must-read for enthusiasts!

For countless years, Briony has existed in the shade cast by her breathtaking sister, Rosalin, and the curse that has trailed her since birth. This curse foretells her sixteenth birthday when she will inadvertently prick her finger on a spindle and plunge everyone within the castle into a deep sleep spanning a century. As her birthday approaches, not even Briony can escape the spell. After she wakes from her extended sleep, Briony realizes she must save the kingdom. It is a beautiful story of friendship, hope, and sisterhood.

In this second installment of the Sisters Ever After series, delve into the story of Tirza, the secret stepsister of Cinderella. After enduring years of living with the shame of her family’s mistreatment of Cinderella, Tirza finds herself facing a troubling predicament she didn’t cause. Despite the warnings from others, Queen Ella (formerly known as Cinderella) took a chance on Tirza and granted her a home within the castle walls instead of banishing her like her older sisters. The queen vouched for Tirza’s inherent goodness and kindness.

However, a crisis emerges when Queen Ella’s renowned glass slippers vanish, and Tirza becomes the prime suspect. Though she may have tried them on, she vehemently denies stealing them. Now, in order to save herself and her royal fate, Tirza must solve the case. As she inches closer to the truth, Tirza unexpectedly discovers a newfound bond with her supposedly wicked sisters, leading her to question the validity of Cinderella’s claims. This enchanting tale of sisterhood and princesses is one of the perfect books for kids who are fans of fairy tales.

Clare firmly believes there is more to her brother Tom, the pied piper than meets the eye. Though he may be difficult to love, she refuses to believe he can steal the Fae Queen’s magical pipe and lead the children to a distant realm, never to be seen again. Teaming up with Anna, the mayor’s daughter, Clare embarks on a treacherous journey into the mystical Faerie Realms.

In order to succeed, she must evade faerie traps and outwit the malevolent Rat Prince. It is up to her to rescue the children of Hamelin and restore her brother’s reputation. However, in her quest for truth and justice, Clare will face a heartbreaking dilemma. Whose trust will she have to betray in order to fulfill her mission? This is the third of the books for kids from Leah Cypress Books in the Sisters Ever After series, a must-read for lovers of magical fairy tale retellings centered around sisterly bonds.

This fourth of the books for kids in the Sisters Ever After series delves into the extraordinary tale of Mera, a girl on a mission to rescue her older sister. Mera and her sister, Darina, have always feared the Beast, a tyrant ruling their humble village. Night after night, they retreat into the safety of their home, hiding from the Beast’s Wild Hunt as he preys on everything in his path. However, when Darina is snatched away, it falls upon Mera to be her savior.

The situation takes a turn when Mera sets foot in the Beast’s castle, filled with magic and mystery. Nothing is as it seems within its haunted walls, including her own sister. As Mera embarks on her quest, she unravels the dark secrets that have bound her village to the Beast for ages. To save her sister and their community, Mera must confront the most perilous secret – the truth about herself.

A Whale of A Time introduces you and your child to poetry with the gift of A Funny Poem for Each Day of the Year. The book starts with dates from January 1 to December 31, with a poem picked out by Lou Peacock for each day. With poems about animals, parents, mismatched socks, and everything in between, you will find poems to enjoy year-round.

The collection of poems in A Whale of A Time includes works by Maya Angelou, T.S. Elliot, Shirley Hughes, Sonia Sanchez, Robert Louis Stevenson, Janet Wong, and more. This is one of many books for kids you can read cover to cover or one poem at a time. Have fun as you experience the world of poetry from a variety of authors.

Is your child a budding zoologist or Dr. Dolittle at heart? If so, How to Chat Chicken: Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko, and Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages is one of the perfect books for kids to give this holiday season. With fun cartoon-style animal illustrations by Adrienne Barman and talk bubbles with made-up words for the animals, it looks like it might be a silly book. How to Chat Chicken by Dr. Nick Crumpton serves as a translator and guide through the animal kingdom.

The animal sounds are not made up but come from zoologists who study the way animals communicate. In the book, readers learn what animal sounds mean, from a chicken’s “Buoak, Buoak, Ba-Gawk” (Move please, I need that nest!) to an orangutan’s “Hello!”(Whuuu-whuuu-whuuu). Learn to chat with dogs, hippopotamuses, crows, fish, dolphins, cicadas, goats, and many more. Crumpton is a children’s book writer and zoologist from London who works as a researcher at the Natural History Museum.

Frankie is almost ready to start kindersharken, but she has big feelings about it. Her tummy rumbles, her body shakes, and she just feels yucky. Frankie’s Fishy Feelings is one of the great books for kids that illustrates anxiety and healthy ways to cope. The book uses familiar and understandable language for little ones but opens their minds to new words like anxiety and therapist. It even highlights a few easy ways to calm the mind and body down, like taking breaths and counting fingers.

This lovely hardcover book is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The author, a high school student, is passionate about mental health and giving kids the tools for wellness. Get Frankie’s Fishy Feelings for your kid’s home library and use it to start positive conversations.

Dive into the world of early learning with Our Little Library, the absolute cutest baby gift you could give. It’s like the jackpot of adorable board books for kids, perfect for sweet newborns or baby showers. These five books aren’t just educational; they’re practically made for those teeny, grabby baby hands.

Our Little Library is like a cozy hug of early learning with pics of farm animals, forest pals, fruits, toys, and transportation. Each book has a cute “seek and find” activity on the back. Give the gift of early learning and tons of giggles with Our Little Library. Because, let’s be real, reading time is like the coziest bonding time ever. Enjoy the snuggles, stories, and memories, mama!

The perfect book for any culinary kid is right here! Let’s Eat is a kid-friendly recipe book with foods that they will love both making and eating. This is one of the books for kids you can purchase that is incredibly practical. It includes instructions for basic cooking techniques that will set kids up for success.

Kids can dive into recipes for every occasion and every preference, from warm dinners to delectable desserts. These recipes are kid-approved, so you can trust that your children will be pleased with the fruits of their labors. Fostering improved literacy, problem-solving, critical thinking, and independence, Let’s Eat will inspire hours of fun and memorable experiences in the kitchen. Get in there as a family and enjoy this book together!

The Bible Word Search for Kids is a fun way for your children to learn about the Bible and God’s Word. The lay-flat design makes it convenient to enjoy the 50-word searches in the car, on a plane, at home, or at church. The word searches are based on people, stories, and messages from the Bible.

The puzzles range in difficulty from easy to challenging so they can develop their brain as they learn about the Bible. Puzzles include Jonah and the Whale, Moses on Mount Sinai, Jesus’ Birth, Feeding the 5,000, and more. The answer key is in the back of the book. This is one of the books for kids that is educational and fun!

This holiday season, give the gift of laughter and learning with the book There’s a Yeti in My Tummy. Meet Matthew, a young boy with feelings as big as a yeti. Imagine the joy on a child’s face as they follow Matthew and his mischievous yeti through a day of laughter and surprises. Authored by Meredith Rusu and brought to life with playful illustrations by Martín Morón, this is one of the perfect books for kids designed to make any child burst into giggles.

But it’s more than just a fun story—it’s a thoughtful way to teach kids that having big feelings is perfectly okay. The book gently introduces the idea of an “inner yeti,” encouraging children to embrace and express their emotions in positive ways. Through Matthew’s adventures, they’ll discover the joy of being themselves. And here’s a little secret for the parents—this book is not just for the kids! It provides valuable insights and tips on language to help guide conversations about emotions with your little one. It’s a delightful tool for fostering communication and understanding between parents and children.

This is one of the many books for kids that does more than just spark imagination; it also teaches valuable life lessons. The North Wind and the Sun is a beautiful retelling of a classic fable. The author, Philip C. Stead, has poured his heart into this version.

The story revolves around three sisters who stand firm, bracing against the hateful Wind and his taunts, facing his negativity with practicality, resilience, grit, and gut. Illustrated with beautifully textured collage artwork, this tale becomes a visual and emotional feast teaching children the importance of persistence and the win of love over hate. Your kid will love it!

If you have a child who loves to read about travel and drama, you can’t pass up the fifteenth installment of the Dork Diaries series, one of the New York Times bestselling books for kids! In the latest adventure, Nikki Maxwell and her band travel to Paris. With so many things to see and do, Nikki hopes her French skills are up to par.

Once they start hitting some roadblocks on the trip, the band isn’t sure they will reach their destination. Nikki embarked on this adventure, hoping her posh knowledge of Paris would lead the way. She was sorely mistaken. Don’t miss out on this adorable series, all books for kids ages nine to thirteen.

If you thought the movie Hocus Pocus was enchanting, wait until you get your hands on The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook for Kids. This magical cookbook is one of the books for kids on this list, filled with recipes inspired by the beloved Halloween classic. This book takes you on a culinary journey through Salem, from Sanderson Sisters’ Witch’s Brew to Binx’s Mice Krispies Treats.

Each recipe is easy to follow and includes step-by-step instructions perfect for aspiring young chefs. Not only will kids have a blast creating delicious treats, but they’ll also develop important skills in the kitchen along the way. Plus, with vibrant and whimsical illustrations throughout the book, it truly feels like a magical experience. More than just a cookbook, this is on the list of books for kids because it includes trivia and fun facts about the movie. Fans will find themselves captivated by all the extra content, including behind-the-scenes tidbits and little-known details about their favorite characters.

The Crocodile and the Plover: A Rare Friendship is one of the books for kids that serves as a sweet bedtime tale teaching your little one about friendship and the importance of the toothbrush. The adorable rhyming adventure by Faye Carruthers, with delightful illustrations by Hazel Mattheou, tells the tale of Crunch, the crocodile who needs his big, sharp teeth cleaned.

Crunch has trouble getting the job done with small claws and little resources. Crunch sets out on a journey to see who can help him. He finds kindness, friendship, and help from a tiny bird. Your little ones will enjoy the sweet story while learning about the importance of brushing, flossing, and helping those in need.

Discover the perfect holiday gift for young yogis: 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids. Inside, they’ll embark on a magical journey through playful yoga poses that are both fun and beneficial. From bouncing like a Frog to flowing like a Mermaid or even soaring like a Rocket Ship, these simple yet silly stretches will ignite their imagination.

This delightful book features child-friendly pose names accompanied by traditional Sanskrit names for an authentic touch. The large, colorful images will captivate their attention, allowing them to enjoy the yoga adventure fully. With its premium “lay-flat” binding, hands-free reading is made effortless. Give the gift of movement, mindfulness, and magic this Christmas with one of the books for kids that will leave your child feeling truly awesome!