A seasonal read-aloud list
‘Tis the season for lists. So, in this spirit I offer you one of my own: Read-aloud books that fit the season. These are books that our family has read to each other over the years and have been perennial pleasers. This isn’t a comprehensive list of books for the season, not even the best ones, just tried and true. Please feel free to add your favorites!
(Note: the age in parentheses reflect a suggested audience level. Reading levels will be higher. Older children and adults will enjoy the books, too.)
The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco (ages 3 and up). A family of Jewish farmers saves Christmas for their Christian neighbors when the area is stricken by a Scarlet Fever epidemic. This beautifully illustrated tale shows how people from different cultures can enjoy and support each other’s holidays. It has been our family’s favorite holiday book for years.
Just Enough Is Plenty by Barbara Diamond Goldin, paintings by Seymour Chwast (ages 4 and up). In a small village in Poland, Malka’s family has hit hard times. But they welcome a visitor, her mother manages just enough for a wonderful holiday celebration, and the visitor leaves the family a miraculous gift. This is a heartwarming tale of love and giving.
The Flying Latke by Arthur Yorinks, art by William Steig, photo illustrations by Paul Colin and Arthur Yorinks (ages 3 and up). What happens when a family gets together for a festive meal and an argument ensues? Mayhem, of course! And a miracle. This story packs humor, slapstick, and appearances by familiar faces and names such as John Turturro, William Steig, and Maurice Sendak. It’s a winter holiday book we pull out in July—cause it’s funny!
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel, art by Trina Schart Hyman (ages 3 and up). This is the humorous story of how Hershel of Ostropol, using pickled eggs and a dreidle, outwits a group of goblins who are haunting an old synagogue and town. The wonderful illustrations add enormous warmth to this ghoulish fun!
Morris’s Disappearing Bag by Rosemary Wells (ages 3 and up). None of Morris’s older siblings want to play with his Christmas gift until he discovers a magical disappearing bag. Fun, colorful, and humorous, this is perfect for the very young children in the crowd.
Brrr! by James Stevenson (ages 3 and up). Grandpa describes how in the winter of 1908 it was so cold that when his little brother Wainey sneezed, the sneeze froze and tinkled to the ground. With hilarious illustrations (I love that both Grandpa and Uncle Wainey have mustaches as kids), Grandpa regales us with one tall tale after another, thoroughly amusing my family time and time again.
Frederick by Lio Lionni (ages 3 and up). This lovely fable shows the power of stories and words in a time of want. When my kids were little, they particularly enjoyed making copies of these sweet mice out of construction paper.
The Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett (ages 3 and up). Okay, this takes place in early spring. But we’re at the top of Mount Baldy, covered in snow, with skiing equipment, and Triva needs to outwit a bunch of trolls who are eyeing her dog Tuffi. This is a much loved book about cleverness, wonderfully illustrated with colorful, detailed pictures. Lots of fun!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (ages 5 and up). This classic tale brings us to a land stuck in eternal winter because of the White Witch. We meet Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, and follow them in their first adventures in magical Narnia.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (ages 7 and up). Full disclosure: most of the book does not take place in winter. But the hilarious, laugh-out-loud first chapter does. It’s unforgetable—as is the rest of this fabulous story of the Watson family who travels from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (ages 8 and up). There is a reason this classic tale is turned into yet another film almost every winter. Filled with fabulous characters and plenty of suspense and wonder, it makes a great read—giving every adult a chance to intone Ebenezer Scrooge’s famous “bah, humbug,” with relish and delight.
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (ages 8 and up). On Midwinter Day, his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he has special powers and duties. During the twelve days of Christmas we follow his adventures battling the Dark with Light. This is perfect for any family who enjoys fantasy.
Once Upon a Time In the North by Philip Pullman (ages 8 and up). Although part of Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials, this book is a stand-alone. It tells the story of young Texan sharpshooter Lee Scoresby landing his newly-won hot-air balloon in a remote outpost in the North, and saving people from corrupt town leaders. We are introduced to the talking armored bear Iorek Byrneson, and Scoresby’s clever and endearing daemon Hester, a hare. This short tale is perfect for kids who like action filled adventure where the good guys win.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (ages 9 and up). The first book of Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy, this begins the adventures of Lyra Belacqua, an indomitable free spirit, and draws us into an imaginary world filled with daemons, gyptians, witches, armored bears and more. Much of the book takes place in the far North. This book is for slightly more mature kids, but is a grand adventure, providing plenty of childlike wonder.
Tags: Bauer reading aloud
December 14th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins is one of our favorites — we read it the other night in honour of all our Hannukah friends (such as your family!).
December 15th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Another touching Christmas/Hannukah picturebook is ELIJAH’S ANGEL ( Michael J. Rosen & Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson), a story about Elijah, a Christian woodcarver in his eighties, who shows his affection for Michael, a nine-year-old Jewish friend, by giving him a carved angel. Michael struggles with accepting the Christmas gift until he realizes that friendship means the same thing in any religion.
As a child, I always loved the LITTLE HOUSE books, and remember several Christmas scenes from them - the year Laura received her ragdoll, Charlotte, the year Pa ate all of the Christmas candy to stay alive when he was trapped in a snowstorm… my children enjoyed the entire series too, as read-alouds.