Kitten Corner: Perfect Holiday Picture Books!

I’m just popping in to say hello, and show you some of the fabulous festive reads we’ve been enjoying lately – from Chanukah to Christmas, there are picture books for every occasion! All of these were sent to me for review, but as always my opinions are my own.

We Disagree About this Tree by Ross Collins, from Nosy Crow

This Christmassy follow-up to There’s A Bear on My Chair has all the charm and humour of the first book, which is a favourite in our house. Fun, rollicking rhymes keep things fast-paced, and the illustrations are quirky and full of chaos as the bear and mouse argue over how best to decorate their tree! If you’re a fan of the original, this is a great Christmas addition.

The Christmas Department Store by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Hoang Giang, from Little Tiger

This one is a sweet (if slightly strange) story about a little boy who desperately wants to buy his family wonderful presents, but has no money. The artwork is gorgeous, full of warmth and that inexplicable magical Christmas feel – I really think this does a great job of capturing the imagination. I didn’t quite get the plot – were the presents imaginary or not?? – but I think little ones will just roll with the joy of the wonderful shop and the lovely presents, and the theme of making your loved ones happy by thinking of them is very nice.

One Christmas Wish, by M Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton, from Little Tiger

This is an incredibly cosy and classic-feeling picture book with a sweet story about sharing and friendship. It feels very old-fashioned, but in a good way – nostalgic, even though it’s new – which I think is a combination of the soft, traditional art style and the gentle, non-rhyming story. It’s quite long, with a lot of text on each page, so may be good for those with slightly more robust attention spans, but it’s sure to be a sweet hit if you need something calming and cute.

Eight Nights, Eight Lights by Natalie Barnes and Andrea Stegmaier, from Little Tiger

This Chanukah book is really gorgeous. With a sweet, gentle story detailing the progression of each of the eight nights, it’s both a good introduction to the holiday for those who don’t celebrate it, and also just a really lovely warm peek into the traditions of various families and the meanings behind them. The artwork is really soft, warm and glowing, and it feels absolutely full of love. This is a lovely read whether you celebrate Chanukah or not.

I Love You More Than Christmas by Ellie Hattie and Tim Warnes, from Little Tiger

This series is super sweet whatever the theme, so I couldn’t resist adding a Christmassy one to our collection. With a mix of rhyming and non-rhyming story, this is a fun one to read aloud, and the sweet artwork has a home-y feel that again, makes this feel very nostalgic without being dated. And of course it’s a celebration of family love – what could be nicer!

My Little World: A Christmas Book of Counting by Patricia Hegarty and Fhiona Galloway, from Little Tiger

Perfect for really little ones as well as those learning to count by themselves, this is a short, sweet rhyming story that counts up to ten with a Christmassy theme! Fun tree-shaped cut-outs and bright, simple artwork keep things engaging on every page – my one quibble is that is only has the numbers written out as words, not in numerals, which is something my son tends to look for, but that’s not the end of the world. We just have to count the cute characters instead!