Christmas and Winter-Themed Books from Candlewick Press
Merry Christmas, Anna Hibiscus!
by Atinuke, Lauren Tobia (Illustrator)
Anna Hibiscus has always wished to see snow, and now she is going to Canada to visit her grandmother! But Anna worries that she will miss her family too much. She worries that she will have to eat strange food. She worries that there might be a mangy dog in the house who will bite her. When Anna arrives in Canada, her Granny welcomes her with open arms and a whole new outfit of warm clothing to stay warm in the snow. Anna meets a dog and makes some new friends. She tries to ice skate and goes sledding in the snow. She makes snow angels and learns about her Canadian family.
I loved this sweet book! Anna is so adorable, and I loved her amazing family. It’s so interesting and beautiful to see her honoring both sides of her heritage. I am bi-cultural myself, so it’s lovely to see how Anna adapts to a new culture and embraces it as her own.
The writing style is light-hearted but emotional. In just a few words, the writing really paints a picture for you of Anna and her family. The stories are told in a straightforward manner, but there is a lot of depth and meaning in them as well. I love the themes of family identity, generosity, love, and gratitude.
I love the beautiful illustrations! The black and white art work is absolutely lovely, and brings Anna’s family to life. You can see Anna’s energy on each page!
This book is perfect for ages 7-10.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Where’s the Snowman?
by Ingela P Arrhenius (illustrator)
This adorable board book asks the reader to find different winter items, and the baby must lift a flap of felt fabric to reveal the missing Christmas item! You have to find a gingerbread cookies, a cardinal, a snowman, and an angel. At the end of the book, the reader lifts the flap to find themselves reflected in a little mirror!
This book is so cute! I love the festive illustrations and the beautiful colors. The designs are large and clear, which is perfect to capture the attention of little babies. The flaps are designed to look like Christmas trees or a present or a little house. So sweet! This is the perfect Christmas gift for a little toddler or baby.
I love that the flaps are made of felt fabric, so that they don’t get torn as easily as paper or cardboard would. This book is sturdy to withstand the destructive forces of little baby hands.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
Maybe Santa shrinks himself to be really small in order to fit down the chimney. But does he ever get stuck? Does his suit get all dirty from the soot? Maybe he can flatten himself to slide under the front door. And what about the dogs in houses? Maybe Santa carries dog treats, so that they won’t bark. Does he use night-vision goggles to see around in the dark? However he manages it, we are glad that Santa comes on Christmas!
This book is hilarious! I was giggling through the entire thing. The illustrations are so cute and funny! I just adore everything about this book. I can’t wait to read it with my nieces, because I know they will laugh their little heads off!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
The Christmas Doll: A Repair Shop Story (Repair Shop Stories)
by Amy Sparkes (Goodreads Author), Katie Hickey (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars
A girl and her grandmother come to the repair shop with a very special doll to be repaired. This doll has a history with their family that is a big part of their heritage. The grandmother tells the story of how she was sent to live with a family in the country during the war because of the bombings in London. The family was very kind to her, and gave her the doll as a special Christmas gift. Years later, she still remembers them with gratitude, but the doll has been damaged. Can the Teddy Bear Ladies at the repair shop fix the doll’s broken nose and torn dress?
I loved this book so much! It is such a heartfelt story about overcoming difficulties and finding the magic in Christmas. I really loved that the doll has such a meaningful history of comforting a little girl in scary circumstances during the war. That small gift symbolized the kindness of strangers to someone in need of a safe place. This story is even more inspiring because it is based on a true story! The characters are also based on real people who host a TV show where they repair old items.
The illustrations are so adorable! I love the cartoony style and the colorful designs. Every page is bursting with enchantment and holiday cheer!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Five Little Penguins
by Lily Murray (Goodreads Author), Holly Surplice (Illustrator)
Sung to the tune of “Five Little Ducks”, we follow the little penguins as they go out for some winter fun. They build a snow penguin, and go ice skating. They go sledding down a hill, and finally come home with ornaments for the Christmas tree. Under each flap is an animal hiding, and the reader must search for the little penguins.
This adorable book is full of Christmas cheer! It’s so cute to see all the animals getting ready for Christmas. The beavers are hanging up their stockings. A little mouse is hanging up twinkle lights. The rabbits are building a huge snowman.
I love the pretty illustrations! Every design is just so sweet and Christmasy. The animals are adorable, and I love the art style.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas
by Matt Tavares (Goodreads Author)
Dasher loves the sound of Christmas carols and follows the sound to a village, attracted by the Christmas lights. But then she can’t find her way back to the North Pole! Her mother always told her to look for the North Star to find her way home, but the skies are cloudy with snow, and Dasher can’t see any stars. A small child might be able to help Dasher return to the North Pole in time to pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve.
This is such a beautiful book! The story is so sweet and touching. I really love the way Dasher has this peaceful spirit even in the middle of adversity. It’s like Christmas is a faith she carries in her heart that strengthens her when things go wrong.
The illustrations are so gorgeous! Every page is like a winter wonderland of snowy dreams. I wish I could take out the pages and frame them on my walls. The art is just THAT good! I love the contrast between the cool colors of the snow and the warmth of the twinkle lights and firelight from windows. It’s really beautiful!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Penguin Huddle
by Ross Montgomery (Goodreads Author), Sarah Warburton (Illustrator)
The penguins huddle together in the cold night to stay warm, but in the morning they are all frozen together! They ask their friends for help, but no amount of pushing or pulling can separate the penguins. They are completely stuck. They go to the big city and ask a special octopus doctor to help them get unfrozen.
This book is so hilarious! I loved every little animal character, and the funny story made me laugh. It was so sweet at the end when the littlest penguin just wanted a cuddle. Perfect opportunity to have a cuddle with your own little one as you read together!
The illustrations are so cute, and I loved the cartoony art style. The best thing about this book is the little snippets about animals in the background of each scene. There is a fish and oyster restaurant run by a pelican. The monkeys run the trolley service in the city. A group of lobsters have a salon where they cut hair with their sharp claws. There is a poster for “Magpie Jewelry, Because We All Deserve Shiny Things”. There are tons of clever little things like this that made me laugh!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
We Disagree About This Tree
by Ross Collins
Bear brings home a Christmas tree, but he and Mouse disagree on how to decorate it. Mouse puts on ornaments that are much too large. Bear puts on way too many twinkle lights. Mouse wants loads of tinsel. Bear wants to put real candles on the tree. Mouse tries to fit a huge manatee fairy at the top instead of a star. Bear actually tries the upside-down Christmas tree trend with disastrous results. In the end, the two friends decide that the important thing about Christmas is just that they are together, enjoying the season in peace and harmony.
This book is so funny! I was laughing through the entire thing. These two friends get up to some hilarious Christmas antics. I really loved the rhyming text. It’s very cleverly written and lovely to read out loud. I love the silliness in this book!
The illustrations are fabulous! I love the art style and the bright festive colors. The expressions on the animals’ faces brings even more comedy to the story. It’s so funny to see them trying to grapple with this Christmas tree, and giving each other looks of disgust and annoyance when they don’t like the way the other one is decorating it. So adorable!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
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