Quick picks: our top recommendations
| Book | Author | Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Darcy and the Christmas Pudding | Check on Amazon → | |
| The Nights Before Christmas | Check on Amazon → | |
| Amelie and Nanette: Snowflakes and Fairy Wishes | Check on Amazon → | |
| The Little Dog and the Christmas Wish | Check on Amazon → | |
| Tea and Sugar Christmas | Check on Amazon → | |
| The Smallest Gift of Christmas | Check on Amazon → |
Below are 42 titles in total — we’ve highlighted our 6 favourites above. Each one links straight through to Amazon AU.
CHRISTMAS: A time for love, families, co-operation, and friendship
Mr. Darcy and the Christmas Pudding
Author: Alex Field
Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
ISBN:9781925059137
Find Mr. Darcy and the Christmas Pudding on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: New Frontier Publishing, October 2014
This book includes all the important ingredients of Christmas: flour, currants, brown sugar and cinnamon… and a touch of Christmas Spirit.
Mr Darcy’s friends are back in a new story. They all meet for Stir-Up Sunday, working together to make Mr Darcy’s famous Christmas pudding. With the help of his friends, Mr Darcy also learns that the Spirit of Christmas is about more than just Christmas pudding.
The Nights Before Christmas
Illustrator: Tony Ross
ISBN: 9781742761404
Find The Nights Before Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Koala Books, October 2014
Forget buying an Advent Calendar this year. This book is all you will to countdown to Christmas, especially if you are fond of sharing classics with your children. The collection features 24 stories, mostly Christmas classics written by some of our most recognised writers (e.g. Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Anderson, The Brothers Grimm and Leo Tolstoy). The stories are illustrated by Tony Ross and are summarised in a pictorial calendar at the beginning of the book.
Amelie and Nanette: Snowflakes and Fairy Wishes
Author/Illustrator: Sophie Tilley
ISBN: 9781408836644
Find Amelie and Nanette: Snowflakes and Fairy Wishes on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s, October 2014
Amelie and Nanette get into the spirit of Christmas, baking, crafting and preparing their fairy costumes for their school Christmas party.
When Nanette gets sick and can’t attend the party, she is heartened when she receives a sack full of cards from her school friends who missed her at the Christmas party.
The Little Dog and the Christmas Wish
Author: Corinne Fenton
Illustrator: Robin Cowcher
ISBN: 9781742032368
Find The Little Dog and the Christmas Wish on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Black Dog Books, October 2014
Little Dog gets lost on Christmas Eve. He walks past many Melbourne landmarks in his efforts to find his way home to his best friend, Jonathan.
Tea and Sugar Christmas
Author: Jane Jolly
Illustrator: Robert Ingpen
ISBN:9780642278630
Find Tea and Sugar Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: NLA Publishing, November 2014
This one is a true and historical Australian Christmas story that will warm the cockles of your heart and help you remember the wondrous Christmas is for children.
Tea and Sugar Christmas is based on the Trans-Australian Railway train that would travel across the Nullarbor Plain servicing settlements with provisions, meat, medical staff and bank services. Once a week settlers could fill their wheelbarrows and stock up, and once a year Santa would ride the carriages and bring gifts for each of the children.
Black and white pages fold out to reveal exquisite large-scale colour illustrations by renowned illustrator, Robert Ingpen. The book features photos and images taken during the Sugar and Tea Train era. It truly provides insight into an interesting aspect of Australian history.
The Smallest Gift of Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Peter H Reynolds
ISBN: 9781406349917
Find The Smallest Gift of Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher, Walker Books, 2013
Characteristic of many of Peter H Reynold’s stories, The Smallest Gift of Christmas is a simple tale of true meaning. Young Roland gets caught up in the materialistic expectation of gifts at Christmas time, but he soon learns that sometimes we can overlook our biggest and most important gifts when we focus too much on the trivial size and volume of gifts we receive at Christmas time.
http://www.thekidsbookshop.com.au/the-smallest-gift-of-christmas
Matilda Saves Santa Claus
Author: Alex Field
Illustrator: Sophie Norsa
ISBN: 978-1921928604
Find Matilda Saves Santa Claus on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: New Frontier Publishing, November 2013
Helpfulness is rewarded in this sweet story about a mouse who lives in a threadbare house. While out looking for a Christmas tree, Matilda frees Santa who has found himself stuck in the forest. The next morning Matilda wakes to a beautiful Christmas tree, a stocking full of presents and a personalised note from Santa.
My Merry Christmas
Author: Rosie Smith
Illustrator: Bruce Whately
ISBN: 978-1742838014
Find My Merry Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Scholastic Press, November 2013
My Merry Christmas is part of a series that includes My Mum’s the Best and My Dad’s the Coolest.
I tis a great book for very young children as it features a handful of simple sentences about preparing for Christmas and endearing illustrations of animals decorating branches, gathering food and singing carols.
The Gift
Author: Penny Matthews
Illustrator: Martin McKenna
ISBN: 978-1862916982
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, October 2012
This is such a special, meaningful story for Christmas time. A small, plain, little bear sits lonely on the toyshop shelf watching the other toys get purchased for Christmas gifts. But he is in for a lovely surprise on Christmas Eve because sometimes the most loved toys are not the fanciest or the most expensive.
Christmas Giant
Author/Illustrator: Steven Light
Imprint: Candlewick Press/Walker Books, September 1, 2010
ISBN: 9780763646929
Find Christmas Giant on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
This is a book that instils the notion that Christmas is more about community than material objects. It is beautiful too, from its embossed jacket flap to its variety of illustrations printed upon matte paper.
The story is about a giant and an elf who enjoy creating wrapping paper for Santa’s gift each year. One particular year they are asked to also grow the Christmas tree for the town, and when it goes missing they use their wrapping paper and work together to create a beautiful, new tree.
Suitable for ages 2.5+ (★★★★★)
IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK, YOU’LL LOVE OUR PERSONALISED CHRISTMAS PAPER ACTIVITY
Just Right
By Birdie Black and Rosalind Beardshaw
ISBN:978-0857630308
Find Just Right on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Nosy Crow (Allen & Unwin), October 2011
The underlying message in Just Right is that joy can be found in giving and that Christmas is a time to give to those less fortunate.
The story is about a soft, red and Christmassy roll of fabric, which has a life that keeps giving. Each new character who stumbles across the fabric remnants (from a king to a mouse) creates a handmade gift for someone special until every last bit of the fabric has been used. No matter whether big or small, each hand-made gift is just right and received with love.
Suitable for ages 2+ (★★★★★)
Lily’s Wish
By Barbara Pyett and Serena Geddes
EAN:978-1921042829
Format: Paperback
Publisher: New Frontier Publishing, November 2011
Publisher’s Description: A magical Christmas tale about a selfless young girl and her inspirational wish.
Lily has a special Christmas wish, but only one person can make her wish come true.
She writes him a letter and another and another. He writes back, but will he grant her wish?
Do you believe he can?
Suitable for ages 3+
When I Love You at Christmas
David Bedford and Tamsin Ainslie
ISBN:978-1921541261
Find When I Love You at Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Hare Books (Hardie Grant Egmont), October 2010
This could easily be a story of a parent as they watch the joy Christmas brings their child, but this is the story of a beloved toy. A toy sheep watches his owner closely as she gets ready for Christmas: wrapping presents, making Christmas cookies, decorating the tree, acting the nativity play, making cards, trying to sleep on Christmas eve, opening presents, sharing gifts, and saying ‘I love you’.
As usual, Tamsin Ainslie has created endearing illustrations to match this delightful story that captures the anticipation and joy of Christmas traditions.
Suitable for ages 2+ (★★★★)
The Little Drummer Boy
Author/Illustrator: Bruce Whatley
Publisher: Random House Australia, October 2010
ISBN: 9781864719901
Find The Little Drummer Boy on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Age Suitability: 3+
Annie’s grandfather carves the Little Drummer Boy from the leg of an old oak table as a Christmas gift for his small granddaughter. And throughout her life Annie’s favourite decoration travels the world with her and always hangs on the Christmas tree
I Love Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Anna Walker
Publisher: Scholastic Press, October 2010
ISBN: 9781741693317
Find I Love Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Age Suitability: 2+
Ollie loves wrapping presents, making decorations and listening for Santa’s sleigh bells! The magic and excitement of Christmas are brought to life by Anna Walker’s whimsical rhyming texts and gorgeous illustrations.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY
The Christmas Rose
Author: Wendy Blaxland
Illustrator: Lucy Hennessy
ISBN: 9781921720406
Find The Christmas Rose on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, October 2014
With rich oil paintings, Lucy Hennessy has illustrated a contemporary Christmas story based on the traditional legend of the Christmas Rose and featuring symbols and characters from the traditional Nativity story.
One Night
Author: Penny Matthews
Illustrator: Stephen Michael King
ISBN: 9781742990279
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Omnibus Books, October 2014
A unique perspective on what happened in the stable on the very first Christmas Eve.
Every farmyard animal has a special purpose on Earth, and in Penny Matthew’s latest Christmas tale they all date back to one magical Christmas Eve night many, many years ago when a special baby was born: Donkeys are strong and reliable workers, dogs and cats sit at the feet of humans for comfort, geese provide feathers for pillows, sheep provide wool for baby blanket’s, spider’s decorate with webs, doves sing babies to sleep, hens provide breakfast, cows give milk, and roosters are first to give news on Christmas morning.
Silent Night
Author/Illustrator: Juliet Groom/ Tim Warnes
Publisher: Koala Books, October 2010
ISBN: 9780864619334
Find Silent Night on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Age Suitability: 4+
Based on the famous Christmas Carol Tim Warnes: ‘Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright. All the animals gather together, Silent, harmonious, and happy forever. Sleep in heavenly peace. All together in peace.’
Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star
Author/Illustrator: Petr Horacek
Publisher: Walker Books, October 2010
ISBN: 9781406326215
Find Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Age Suitability: 1 +
When Suzy Goose decides that the Christmas tree is missing a star, she sets off on a journey to fetch the shiny star in the sky. No matter how far she travels, she never reaches it. But when she finds herself back at the tree, everyone has a beautiful Christmas surprise!
The Christmas Book
Author/Illustrator: Dick Bruna
Imprint: Hardie Grant Books
ISBN: 9781921288814
Find The Christmas Book on Amazon AU →
Age suitability: 2+
Beautifully illustrated, this book tells the timeless story of Christmas.
Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle
By Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King
ISBN:978-0733322495
Find Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: ABC Books (HarperCollins), November 2008
This is a beautiful Australian interpretation of the nativity story written with charm and superb prose. The Shepherds are a neighbouring family; the three wise men are replaced by three elderly aunties who bring plum pudding, shortbread and a crate of fruit; and the heralding angels are exchanged for a flock of cockatoos.
Applesauce, a pet pig, tries to find the true meaning of Christmas as he watches over the bushfire-ravaged land before him. As his owners welcome a new baby to their family he learns that new life, hope and joy can come at the saddest of times.
Suitable for ages 3+ (★★★★★)
Christmas: A Pop-Up Stocking Filler
Author/Illustrator: Robert Sabuda
Publisher: Walker Books
ISBN: 9781406306675
Find Christmas: A Pop-Up Stocking Filler on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Robert Sabuda’s paper engineering is breathtaking. Each page of this mini-book features one letter from the word C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S. The letters are symbolised by objects synonymous with Christmas. Toy, manger, and Santa are just a few. Although delicate this is a beautiful book to share with young children to help them learn their first Christmas words.
Suitable for all ages. (★★★★★)
IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK, YOU MIGHT LIKE OUR POP-UP AND PAPER-CUT CHRISTMAS DECORATION ACTIVITY
First Noel
By Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Walker Books, September 1, 2010
ISBN: 9780744557800
Find First Noel on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
This magical Christmas carousel tells the story of the Nativity through five exquisite cut-out silhouettes with words from the King James Bible.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★★)
The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition
Author/Illustrator: Niroot Puttapipat
Imprint: Walker Books
ISBN: 9781406302004
Find The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Age suitability: All ages
Exquisite silhouettes and a spectacular pop-up finale bring this popular Christmas poem to life!
HUMOROUS/NOVELTY Christmas Books
Santa’s Busy Reindeer
Author: Ed Allen
Illustrator: Nathaniel Eckstrom
ISBN: 978174324180
Check current price on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, October 2014
This countdown story features festive illustrations and rhyming phrases. The story sees Santa’s reindeer disappear one by one as they prepare for Christmas.
My Christmas Crackers
By Bronwen Davies
ISBN: 978-1742839585
Find My Christmas Crackers on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, November 2013
Full of Christmas-themed jokes, this would make a wonderful first joke book for children. Full-page illustrations for each joke and answer help children to understand some of the puns and homophones used in the jokes.
Where’s Santa? Around the World
By Lois Shea
ISBN: 978-1742836850
Find Where’s Santa? Around the World on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, October 2013
Where’s Santa? Around the World is another masterpiece from Lois Shea. There are over 600 things to spot in the illustrations, but there’s also a great comic-style story to follow throughout the book. Santa and Mrs Claus are set to enjoy a cruise around the world, as long as Naughty Nat doesn’t sabotage it.
Christmas Wombat
By Jackie French and Bruce Whately
ISBN:978-0732291716
Find Christmas Wombat on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia), September 2011
This is a Christmas book that will make all family members giggle. Everybody loves Christmas time, but for Mothball it’s still all about scratching, sleeping and carrots.
Only Mothball the Wombat could ignore all the Christmas festivities in favour of carrots. She finds a cosy place to nap aboard Santa’s sleigh and finds herself travelling the world on Christmas Eve.
She battles reindeer, pigeons, toucans and polar bears for carrots but arrives home feeling completely satisfied and looking forward to the reindeer’s next visit.
Suitable for ages 2+ (★★★★★)
Snowed Under and Other Christmas Confusions
Serge Bloch
ISBN:978-0864619761
Find Snowed Under and Other Christmas Confusions on Amazon AU →
Format: Small Format Hardback
Publisher: Koala Books (Scholastic), October 2011
Worried about the snow storm and whether Santa will make it, our young narrator is only puzzled by the funny thing his family are saying.
He has mum telling him that “we’re going to have to work our tails off to get ready for Christmas tomorrow.” His sister whispers to him that “Santa will probably get stuck at the North Pole.” Grandpa tells him that “time moves at a snail’s pace when you’re waiting for something.” Thankfully his Dad re-assures him that “Santa will go to the ends of the earth to find you”.
This is a funny Christmas tale full of amusing idioms. Serge Bloch’s illustrations amusingly highlight the absurdity of these commonly used phrases.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★★)
Where’s Santa?
Louis Shea
ISBN:978-1741697650
Check current price on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, 2011
A great book for lovers of I Spy and Where’s Wally? Elvy the elf has lost all of Santa’s Christmas essentials including the sleigh, toy sack, milk and cookies. And it’s the readers’ job to find them in each of the ten scenes in the book.
For fast little spotters, there’s a whole lot more to look for on each page too. It is a perfect book for the holiday season too, keeping the kids entertained for hours.
Suitable for ages 5+ (★★★)
Where Are Santa’s Pants?
Richard Merritt
ISBN:978-1921541506
Check current price on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Little Hare Publishing (Hardie Grant Egmont), October 2011
Another great book for kids that love to play I Spy. Santa’s been on a diet and his baggy, old pants have fallen off. Starting at The North Pole, there are 12 scenes in the book, and you need to find a different pair of Santa’s pants in each one plus all of Santa’s reindeer.
I think I lack the patience to successfully complete these types of tasks, so I’m thankful to find answers at the back of the book.
Suitable for ages 6+ (★★★)
Can You See What I See?: Toyland Express: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve
Walter Wick
ISBN:978-0545244831
Find Can You See What I See?: Toyland Express: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Cartwheel Books (Scholastic Books), October 2011
This is a lovely I Spy book for younger children.
Starting in the Toy Maker’s Workshop there are 12 photographs and a checklist of items to search for in each photograph.
Not only is there fun to be had in searching for the objects but children get to learn the process of toy making. After the workshop, the toys get a lick of paint before being displayed in the window. Once purchase they’re given as a gift, left in the attic, sold at a yard sale and sent in for repairs.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★)
Can You See What I see? Night Before Christmas is also available.
Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig and the Christmas Baby
Diana Neild and Phillip Webb
ISBN:978-1775430384
Find Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig and the Christmas Baby on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic, 2011
The Jigs, a family of Pigs, put on a nativity play for some important relations who come to stay. It doesn’t all go according to Emma’s (the eldest child) plan, but Granny and Grandad are impressed nevertheless.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★)
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
ISBN: 9780007363650
Find Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins, November 2010
Publisher’s Description: There′s so much she has to do leading up to the big day! Decorating the house from top to toe, baking Christmas cookies, wrapping all her presents in fancy paper and making Christmas cards for all her family…
Choosing and decorating the Christmas tree is top of Fancy Nancy′s list and it has to look just perfect! But in all the excitement disaster strikes and Fancy Nancy′s most special decoration gets broken! What will go on the top of the tree now?
Grandpa steps in just in time and with his help and a LOT of glitter, ribbons and tinsel, Fancy Nancy manages to create a very fancy alternative!
Suitable for ages 4+
Santa’s Suit
Davide Cali and Eric Heliot
ISBN:978-0980416572
Find Santa’s Suit on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wilkins Farago Pty Ltd, July 2010
This is a funny comic-style picture book featuring Santa and his pet dog, Bobo. We love its different take on Santa Claus.
Each year Santa gets caught up reading letters, making toys and keeping an eye on his elves that he forgets his washing machine needs to be fixed. When Christmas Eve arrives and he can’t find his suit, Bobo reminds Santa that it’s in the laundry basket, where it’s been for a year, waiting to be cleaned.
With no time to hand clean the suit, Bobo makes him a brand new suit using curtains and Santa promised to fix his washing machine when he gets home from delivery toys on Christmas Day.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★★)
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Whitlark
Publisher: Scholastic Australia
ISBN: 9781741694451
Find The Twelve Dogs of Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Age Suitability 2+
It’s Christmas time and all the dogs are busy getting up to hilarious mischief and decorating the Christmas tree. With fresh, funny drawings, this interpretation of the classic rhyme will have kids giggling through twelve dogs digging, eight canines skating, and nine labs licking, right back down to a fat cat in a fur tree.
The Twelve Cats of Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Whitlark
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, October 2010
ISBN: 9781741696240
Find The Twelve Cats of Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
Age Suitability: 2+
The perfect book for cat lovers. With fresh, funny drawings, this interpretation of the classic rhyme will have kids giggling through nine pussycats playing, seven Siamese sailing and two tomcats twisting, right back down to a fat mouse in a fur tree.
Olive the Other Reindeer
Author/Illustrator: J.Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 9780811857192
Find Olive the Other Reindeer on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Age Suitability: 3+
Olive thinks she is a reindeer, and while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join the their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need.
The Night Before Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Clement C Moore and Eric Puybaret
Publisher: Koala Books (Scholastic Books), October 2010
ISBN: 9780864618979
Find The Night Before Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback with CD
A beautiful hardback edition of Clement C. Moore’s famous poem, ‘’Twas the Night before Christmas’, with a musical and narrative CD featuring Peter, Paul and Mary. The illustrations are vibrant and doll like.
Suitable for ages 3+ (★★★★)
The Night Before Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Clement C Moore and Robert Ingpen
Publisher: Walker Books, October 2010
ISBN : 9781921720215
Find The Night Before Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardback
RRP: $29.95
There are many editions of this story and each of them is certainly beautiful, but Robert Ingpen brings splendour to the poem with his magical illustrations that fill the reader with both warmth and excitement.
Suitable for ages 4+(★★★★)
The Christmas Angels
Else Wenz-Vietor
ISBN:978-0863156625
Find The Christmas Angels on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Floris Books, September 2008
Publisher’s description: It’s Christmas Eve, and most people are safely tucked up in their beds. But the Christmas angels know who needs their help on this holy night and are ready to fly down to help the lost, lonely and weary.
Small children will love the row of cut-out angel heads which reveal the features of each little angel in turn. This is a beautiful and inspiring picture book that sings of the message of Christmas-loving kindness from every page.
Suitable for ages 3+
Twinkle the Christmas Star
Author: Cathie Whitmore
Illustrator: Cathy McCulloch
Publisher: Atom Children’s Books, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9806617-0-5
Find Twinkle the Christmas Star on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
For ages: 5+
Free colouring sheets are available for this book.
‘This book is made up of two stories each narrated by Ollie the Owl. The first story, Twinkle the Christmas Star, explores the magic and significance of Christmas and the Christmas Star. The second story, Twinkle Meets Santa, follows Twinkle’s very first meeting with Santa Claus and her unforgettable adventure at the North Pole with Mrs Claus and Santa’s elves.’
CLASSICS
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Author: Alison Jay
ISBN: 9781742761145
Find The Twelve Days of Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Koala Books, October 2014
Like all her books, Alison Jay has intertwined and connected the crackled illustrations in each page, giving children a beautiful visual path to follow as you read (or sing) this Christmas classic.
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Jane Ray
ISBN:978-1408307038
Find The Twelve Days of Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Orchard (Hachette Books), October 2011
Publisher’s Description: With a sprinkling of festive, illustrative magic, Jane Ray has created a timeless version of this traditional Christmas verse.
Suitable for ages 3+
Madeline’s Christmas
Ludwig Bemelmans
ISBN:978-1407110554
Find Madeline’s Christmas on Amazon AU →
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic, November 2008
A beautiful classic in which Madeline helps Miss Clavel and her friends overcome their Christmas-time colds. A rug merchant brings magic to their old house in Paris, and the girls travel home on magic carpet rugs to surprise their parents on Christmas day.
Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★★)
How we use Christmas books at home
Lila wraps a fresh Christmas book on December 1st each year and the kids open one of the wrapped pile every night until Christmas Eve. It’s the closest thing our family has to an Advent calendar. A few habits that stuck:
- Wrap them like presents and number them 1–24. Re-use last year’s books — you don’t need 24 new books every year. Half the magic is the unwrapping.
- Read by Christmas-tree light only. Phones away, lamps off, fairy lights on. The ritual matters more than the words.
- Mix Aussie and Northern-Hemisphere titles deliberately. An Australian December is hot, beachy, and noisy. Pair An Aussie Night Before Christmas with The Polar Express and a five-year-old will spend the whole holiday genuinely thinking about how different a Christmas can look across the world.
- Save the wordless titles for late nights. Wordless Christmas books like The Snowman are a gift on December 23rd when the kids are too over-stimulated for a story but too wired to sleep. Let them turn the pages and tell you the story.
- Keep one book set aside for Christmas Eve only. The team’s pick is The Night Before Christmas — same edition, same chair, every year. Tradition is just a thing you do twice in a row and then never stop.
Why an Australian Christmas-books shelf matters
Joel is on record about this: an Australian child’s default Christmas is sun, salt, sand, mangoes, and a 35-degree afternoon — not snow, sleighs, and mittens. If the only Christmas books on your shelf are American or British, you’re telling your kid that Christmas-as-they-know-it doesn’t count as the real thing. The Aussie titles on this list (Wombat Divine, An Aussie Night Before Christmas, Christmas Wombat, Last One In Is a Rotten Egg in spirit) push back on that gently.
The Northern-Hemisphere classics still belong on the shelf — they’re part of the broader culture — but read them as “the way Christmas looks somewhere else,” not as the default. That framing turns reading time into a conversation about how your family does things.
Frequently asked questions
How many Christmas books does our shelf actually need?
Our team consensus: 6–8 favourites you re-read every year, plus 1–2 new ones each December. After about 10 years you’ll have a serious Christmas library and your kids will be the friend who knows every Christmas book.
Best Christmas book for babies and toddlers?
See our companion list, Christmas Books for Babies and Toddlers. Among the books on this page, Spot’s First Christmas, Christmas Wombat, and Maisy’s Christmas Eve are the easiest to read aloud to a wriggly under-three.
Are any of these religious?
Some of these titles have explicit nativity content, others are entirely secular, and most sit somewhere in between. We’ve put a small note in each individual review where it’s relevant. If you’d like a curated nativity-only or fully-secular list, drop us a note via our contact page.
What about kids whose family doesn’t celebrate Christmas?
The Christmas-book canon is overwhelmingly Christian-Christmas, but books like The Big Book of Families from our other lists, and titles such as Light the Lights! by Margaret Moorman (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas) widen the lens. We can recommend more on request.
Shop the full list on Amazon AU
Each link below opens an Amazon AU search for that title’s exact ISBN. We earn a small commission if you decide to buy — thank you, it keeps the lights on at the Bookcase.
- Mr. Darcy and the Christmas Pudding
- The Nights Before Christmas
- Amelie and Nanette: Snowflakes and Fairy Wishes
- The Little Dog and the Christmas Wish
- Tea and Sugar Christmas
- The Smallest Gift of Christmas
- Matilda Saves Santa Claus
- My Merry Christmas
- The Gift
- Christmas Giant
- Just Right
- Lily’s Wish
- When I Love You at Christmas
- The Little Drummer Boy
- I Love Christmas
- The Christmas Rose
- One Night
- Silent Night
- Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star
- The Christmas Book
- Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle
- Christmas: A Pop-Up Stocking Filler
- First Noel
- The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition
- My Christmas Crackers
- Where’s Santa? Around the World
- Christmas Wombat
- Snowed Under and Other Christmas Confusions
- Can You See What I See?: Toyland Express: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve
- Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig and the Christmas Baby
- Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
- Santa’s Suit
- The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
- The Twelve Cats of Christmas
- Olive the Other Reindeer
- The Night Before Christmas
- The Night Before Christmas
- The Christmas Angels
- Twinkle the Christmas Star
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- Madeline’s Christmas
📚 Looking for more book lists?
We’ve curated 28 picture-book lists across six themes — Family, Christmas & ANZAC, Australian identity, Learning to Read, Gifts & Milestones, and Themes & Activities. Hand-read by the team, age-graded, and ready to use.
