Top 5 Classic Children's Christmas Books

1.  ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Everyone knows the famous words: “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house . . .” Clement C. Moore’s famous poem was written in 1822 and has been a holiday classic ever since. This edition, with gorgeous illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith, was first published in 1912 and is considered by many to be the definitive version of the story.

2.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children’s book by Dr. Seuss written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author, and published by Random House in 1957. The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville’s holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday.The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas and satirizes those who profit from exploiting the holiday.

3.  The Polar Express

The Polar Express is a 1985 children’s book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1986, it was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children’s literature and was later adapted as a Oscar-nominated motion-capture film in 2004. A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa.

4. Frosty The Snowman a Little Golden Book (Golden Press)

Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal!

“Frosty the Snowman” is a popular song written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry’s recording of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the new song to Autry, who recorded “Frosty” in search of another seasonal hit. Like “Rudolph”, “Frosty” was subsequently adapted to other media including a popular children’s book in 1950 and a television special. Everybody’s favorite snowman comes magically to life in the pages of this picture book. Featuring the festive spirit and rollicking lyrics of the original song, it’s the perfect read-aloud for this holiday season.

5. Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer, a Little Golden Book

Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was born over a hundred years after his eight flying counterparts. The red-nosed wonder was the creation of Robert L. May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department store. In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store. Using a similar rhyme pattern to Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” May told the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who was teased by the other deer because of his large, glowing, red nose. But, When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts that night, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh by the light of his red nose. Rudolph’s message-that given the opportunity, a liability can be turned into an asset-proved popular. Montgomery Ward sold almost two and a half million copies of the story in 1939. When it was reissued in 1946, the book sold over three and half million copies. Several years later, one of May’s friends, Johnny Marks, wrote a short song based on Rudolph’s story (1949). It was recorded by Gene Autry and sold over two million copies. Since then, the story has been translated into twenty-five languages and been made into a television movie, narrated by Burl Ives, which has charmed audiences every year since 1964. (source: History.com)