Christmas. That time of the year when your children ask for 500 presents, most of them costing more than $100 each, and all of them noisy and ready to drive you insane.
This is why I’d like to introduce you to the idea of filling your child’s stocking with a few books this year. And children just love to read, with reading representing an important bonding time between parent and child.
And because time is sparse between now and The Big Day, I’ve gone and created a list of the top 14 books from Candlewick your child should read this Christmas to save you a whole lotta time. From classic tales to educational nonfiction, everything here is covered. You may even get a bit misty-eyed and think back to Christmas 1985 (or however old – ancient – you are) when I mention Roald Dahl.
Compilations:
Your Favourite Seuss by Dr. Seuss
At least one book by the beloved Dr. Seuss is probably perched on every child’s bookshelf right across America. Many of us know the famous titles, such as Horton Hears A Who! and The Cat In The Hat. In Your Favorite Seuss, every single Dr. Seuss story for kids is gathered into one volume, from the ones you know to the ones you and your kid are just dying to discover this Christmas.
The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury by Janet Schulman
Edited by Janet Schulman, this carefully selected anthology of heartwarming tales for children comprises timeless classics, such as Winnie The Pooh and Madeline to a fine array of picture books that cater towards children’s reading needs and which are jam-packed with the kind of childhood themes all children will relate to. Full of escapades, great characters and oodles of fun.
Barbie Bedtime Story Collection by Mary Man-Kong
I have a 6 year-old daughter, and this is among her favorites at the moment. Its 320 pages feature faithful literary adaptions of Barbie’s movies, including BarbieTM in the Pink Shoes and BarbieTM in a Mermaid Tale. If you have a daughter aged 3-7, you can’t go wrong this Christmas with this book. Any young girl aspiring to be a princess will love it and it represents great value for money too!
Disney Junior: Nine Favourite Disney Tales by RH Disney
If you have a child who absolutely loves Disney Junior shows as much as my 2 year-old son, this book is worth buying this xmas. All the best characters from Disney Junior’s most popular shows are here, such as Sofia The First and Doc McStuffins, with a whole bunch of new stories and capers that give your child a chance to experience their favourite characters in a different medium.
Disney: Nine Classic Tales by Various
This charming book relives the adventures of Pinocchio, Bambi as well as Alice In Wonderland and many, many more! We read this a lot in my house, and I personally get a bit more involved than my kids because I remember and love all the characters! It comes with a beautiful good spine which makes it a fairly exquisite gift this Christmas.
Story Books:
Doc Is The Best Medicine! by Andrea Posner-Sanchez
Adapted to book-form from the popular Disney Junior show, Doc McStuffins is here to make your children laugh along with her as she restores her toys to full health. Perfect for boys and girls aged 3-7, this book contains 2 stories, as well as activities and tips that will bring a smile to your kids’ faces this Christmas.
Bubble-rific! by Andrea Posner-Sanchez
Part of a series of children’s books featuring the popular Doc McStuffin, Bubble-rific! charts the story of Bubble Monkey who needs to be taught a lesson in hygiene. Perfect for any child who just loves the adventures of Doc McStuffins.
Nickelodeon Story Time Collection by Random House
This is a bumper 320-page storybook from Random House that really hits the spot with boys and girls aged 3-7 who have been growing up with the Nickelodeon favourites. Featured in this book are adventures with SpongeBob Squarepants, Dora The Explorer and Bubble Guppies among others. Brand new for this Christmas, it’s packed with awesome stories, sticky situations for the characters – and a whole bundle of fun!
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I think every child should be reading the wonderful Roald Dahl, and I introduced my daughter to Charlie And The Chocolate Factory earlier this year. She absolutely adores Quentin Blake’s artwork and Dahl’s special way of telling imaginative stories aimed at children. From the Wonka Factory to the greedy Augustus Gloop, it’s an absolute joy to read, and will without doubt help your child’s imagination sparkle this Christmas.
Junior Nonfiction:
Who Needs A Reef? by Karen Patkau
Who Needs A Reef? is a truly captivating and engrossing slice of junior nonfiction that gets kids interested in the world around them – in this case, environmental science. If you think that sounds too heavy for a child, my six year-old daughter and I have read this book through a few times. She’s learned all about coral reels, from how they’re formed to why they attract so much life. The book is simple and engaging for kids and ,more than anything, fantastically rewarding. Perfect for any young scientist!
National Geographic Little Kids Look And Learn: Things That Go by National Geographic Kids
The hugely popular Look and Learn series is probably the best in junior nonfiction that encourages kids to learn – and remember what they’ve learned. Things That Go is a fantastic addition that features an array of fun but educational activities and helps kids improve their skill set this Christmas. Informative, engaging and always entertaining – your kids will love to learn.
Maisy’s Castle by Lucy Cousins
This is a delightful pop-up-and-play book that features a 3D castle through which your kids can entertain themselves for hours as they joust, indulge in archery and dress up the cute characters in all kinds of medieval costumes. My daughter and 2 year-old son had so much fun playing it earlier this year that I cannot recommend it highly enough as an interactive gift to cherish this Christmas.
Color For Baby by Yana Peel
There is no better junior non-fiction book out there that encourages kids to learn about colour and art than Colour For Baby. In here are fold-out works by a few giants of modern art, among them Matisse, Hirst, Kloons and Warhol. If you think it all sounds a bit high brow, the value lies in the repetitive method that teaches your child all they need to know about colours. You never know, buying this book might be the start of a financially lucrative career of a baby artist!
ArtCards: Fashion by Jenny Broom
My daughter loves fashion, dressing up and playing with costume cut-outs, so we got her this, which is a fantastically imaginative book that allows your child’s creativity to go wild. Filled with 350 stickers they can decorate according to their tastes and personal styles, it sets the ball rolling for a career designing clothes for Versace. Either that or the most fun Christmas Day ever. We’ll settle for the latter.
**Disclosure: I received a sample of the product to facilitate this post. No other compensation was provided and all views and opinions stated on this post are 100% my own.