Russell's Christmas Magic by Rob Scotton

Russell the Sheep is finishing putting up the Christmas decorations, when suddenly there is a loud crash in Frogsbottom Field. Santa has crashed his sleigh and is afraid that Christmas will have to be canceled. Russell comes to the rescue by helping to fix the sleigh and making sure that Santa and his reindeer and sent safely on their way. It's a beautifully illustrated book, with expressive and detailed drawings. It's a great book for preschoolers, young school aged children, and anyone else who still believes in the magic of the Christmas spell.

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

This is a story of a dear and bumbling Wombat who loves everything about Christmas, especially the Nativity play. When he is finally old enough to try out, the parts all seem to go to other animals. This is a touching story about how Wombat finally gets to participate in the play of his dreams and sends a Christmas message of joy and hope to all. It's a timeless story for preschoolers and older children that encourages you never to give up on your dreams.

The Nativity illustrated by Julie Vivas

This is a beautiful and biblically accurate portrayal of the story of the birth of Christ. The illustrations are delicate water colours that capture the tenderness of the story of a birth of a child. The text of the story comes from the King James Version of the Bible and the artwork is soft and enchanting. If you are looking for a story of the nativity, this is a must have for any bookshelf. What makes the story so brilliant is that the tale of the birth of Christ can be retold just through the pictures for younger children.

Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold & Vivian Walsh

This is a charming holiday tale about a little dog named Oliver, who after hearing the line of a song (All of the other reindeer....) thinks she must be a reindeer, not a dog. So Olive heads to the North Pole to help Santa and his reindeer deliver their presents to boys and girls all around the world. The other reindeer are a little confused by Olive, but soon learn to appreciate her special talents. This is an excellent Christmas story for toddlers and preschoolers alike.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

This is a Christmas installment in a great series of books by Laura Numeroff. It's a perfect holiday tale for older toddlers and preschool aged children. The story follows a mouse who goes to the movies and gets popcorn, which he then wants to use to decorate his Christmas tree. This energetic little mouse frolics through a host of different holiday activities. The story follows the same predictable pattern as all of the other "If you give a...." stories, but it's a great holiday offering that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett

This is a story about a little girl named Treva who loves to decorate and get ready for Christmas. However, this year Treva notices that some of the presents she has wrapped and decorations she has made are disappearing. One morning she sees a small creature scurrying away with a Christmas pudding, so she follows it into the forest where her adventures just begin. This is a whimsical story about Christmas that would be delightful to children of all ages and once again Jan Brett's illustrations are beautifully detailed and tell a charming story all of their own.

Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera

This is a unique take off on the traditional story of Santa Claus that would be perfect for an older preschooler or young school aged child. The story focuses on a little girl named Sophie Kringle whose family loved Christmas and kept their decorations up all year long. Auntie Claus, who loved Christmas most of all, went away on a mysterious trip every October and didn't return until after Christmas, so one year Sophie decided to follow her. What results is a tale that makes you rethink everything you think you know about Santa Claus. It's a nice unpredictable tale that makes children realize that there is more to Christmas than just receiving lots of presents.

Dream Snow by Eric Carle

This is not your traditional Christmas story. It's the tale of a farmer and his animals named one, two, three, four, and five, and a tree named tree. The farmer is waiting for the first snow fall and when he falls asleep he dreams that he is being covered by a blanket of soft white snowflakes. What makes this is an interesting book is that each page has a plastic overlay with a white blanket that covers the picture underneath. Gradually all of the animals are revealed under their white blankets. The farmer wakes from his dream and delivers presents to all of his special animals, and decorates the tree as well. This is a lovely book for young children and the simple story is one that promotes counting and animal identification skills.

The Night Before Christmas by Jan Brett

This is a beautiful retelling of the classic Christmas poem, The Night Before Christmas, by Clement Moore. The illustrations are rich with detail and could tell the story, even without the help of the text. Jan Brett's illustrations, as usual, provide foreshadowing of the story as it unfolds and her attention to detail is astounding. The book would be more effective for preschoolers and older children, but it's a great story to read on Christmas Eve as part of family tradition.