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Cover of Once Upon a Kwanzaa. There are several children holding candles lined up in the center of the cover. Behind them is a colorful quilt background with the colors of Kwanzaa.

Holiday Picture Books

Written by alamancelibraries on . Posted in Book Reviews.

Curl up with your favorite little kid to read these beautiful books about winter holidays!

Cover of Once Upon a Kwanzaa. There are several children holding candles lined up in the center of the cover. Behind them is a colorful quilt background with the colors of Kwanzaa.

Williams, Nyasha. Once Upon a Kwanzaa. Philadelphia : Running Press Kids, 2025.

This book wins for the most beautiful cover of the season! This book will help your family learn about the celebration of Kwanzaa through 8 families who are lighting the Kinara, sharing meals, and talking about the principles Kwanzaa celebrates – Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.

Cover of The Book Of Candles. There is a child looking at a menorah in the window of their house. The cat is on the other side of the menorah, and outside the window, you can see snow falling and other houses with lit windows.

Snyder, Laurel. The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah. New York, NY : Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2025.

This book of simple poetry tells the story of celebrating Hanukkah through a child’s eyes.  Each poem shares a bit more about celebrating each of the eight nights, and why Jewish people say certain words or light the candles in a certain order. The illustrations feel warm, inviting everyone to join them in front of the menorah.

Cover of The 13th Day of Christmas. There is a very confused looking man holding a partridge in a pear tree and several birds, with a dancer and a drummer behind him.

Rex, Adam. The 13th Day of Christmas. [New York, New York] : Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House Publishing, Inc., 2025.

Singing the 12 Days of Christmas can be… well, boring. But this book about a young man receiving some strange gifts (who gives their boyfriend birds and a pear tree?) will make your kids (and you) laugh! It also shares a wonderful message about the true meaning of Christmas and the joy these gifts bring to the community.

Cover of Merry Mittens. Four cute cats are decorating a large Christmas tree, with a beautiful star lit up on the top of the tree.

Morris, Jordan. Merry Mittens: a Moontime Cats Christmas Story. Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2025.

When cat friends sneak out to cause a little mayhem, they find a thief’s stash, complete with tinsel, a star, ornaments, and other items. But there’s also a special gift wrapped up in a box that needs a home where it will be loved. This book has a lot of great noise words that kids will love hearing read as well as great illustrations of cats!

Cover of Winter: A Solstice Story. Cover is a textured white snow, with forest animals celebrating together. There is an owl flying through the sky, with feathers, berries and nuts in a circle of wind perhaps.

Gross, Kelsey E. Winter: A Solstice Story. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2023].

This gorgeous book about the winter solstice in the forest will enchant your children, and you as well. The animals gather on the longest night of the year around a tree in the forest that is lit by the moon and the stars. The animals are there to share their message of hope and celebrate the solstice.

Cover of A Little Like Magic. Cover is a deep blue, with a whale wrapped around a child in a wheelchair.

Kurpiel, Sarah. A Little Like Magic. New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024.

A winter trip to an ice festival goes wrong when the young narrator loses her prized horse figurine. She didn’t want to go to that cold, uncomfortable festival anyway! But she and her mom go back the next night to see what the artists have created, and she finds the magic of winter.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

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