We’re quickly approaching the holiday season – a perfect time to come together with friends, family, and all the people we care about. Bringing Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Hour of Code, the month of December gives us plenty of reasons to celebrate. Whether it’s with dinosaur Santa, Mrs. Maccabee’s sons, or coding memes, ring in the holidays with one of our favorite festive titles!
Christmas (December 25th)
Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Craftiest Christmas Ever! by Chris Monroe
From the Monkey with a Tool Belt Series
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
Chico Bon Bon’s epic Christmas party is three days away! Is our intrepid monkey ready? Of course not!
But thanks to his trusty tool belt and plenty of ingenuity, Chico helps his friends decorate, turns a pile of junk into a bundle of gifts, and finishes preparing for the party just in the nick of time. WHEW!
The latest installment from author and illustrator Chris Monroe is packed full of fun, friendship, and holiday cheer!
Twelve Little Festive Frogs by Hilary Robinson, illustrated by Mandy Stanley
- Interest Level: Preschool
“On the first day of Christmas, one frog gave to Bea, a package from a pear tree.” Celebrate the twelve days of Christmas with these fun and delightful Little Festive Frogs.
Based on the traditional verse, The Twelve Days of Christmas, this charming version will have everybody singing in the Christmas spirit in no time. This book is an engaging and innovative introduction to ordinal and cardinal numbers as well as counting.
With stunning festive scenes, there’s lots to spot, see, and say on every page, enhancing language development and memory skills. Let the festive frogs take you to their magical winter wonderland!
“A cheery singalong to share.” — Kirkus Reviews
My First Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott
From the Dino Board Books Series
- Interest Level: Preschool
Here comes Santa Claws! Get ready to celebrate the holidays . . . dino-style.
Rhyming text and vivid illustrations show dinosaurs decorating cookies, playing in the snow, dreaming of presents, and more!
There’s tons of dino-fun for everyone in this high-energy board book series. Dinosaurs face off on the field, battle on the court, and rally in the rink, then gather together to celebrate their favorite holidays!
Crayola® Christmas Colors by Mari Schuh
From the Crayola® Holiday Colors Series
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 3
Green, silver, white, and red—Christmas is full of color and cheer! What colors will you use to make Christmas merry and bright?
In this book, young readers discover the many colors and symbols that fill Christmas with cheer. Vibrant, colorful photos and lively text highlight the colors, symbols, and customs of Christmas. Crayola® colors and a reproducible coloring page inspire readers to notice and celebrate the colors of their world.
★ Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Chuck Groenink
A Junior Library Guild Selection
- Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
You know that Santa can fly a sleigh, squeeze down chimneys, and circle the globe in a night. But did you know that another of his talents is writing haiku?
“December 1: White envelopes float / from my overfilled mailbox— / December’s first storm.”
“December 24: Which is packed tighter / the sack full of toys or the / red suit full of me?”
These twenty-five short poems—composed by Santa himself—give you a peek into life at the North Pole as the December days tick down to Christmas. See the hustle and bustle of the elves’ workshop, feel the serenity of moonlight on fresh snow, and find out how Santa and Mrs. Claus keep busy as Santa’s big night draws near.
“The poems capture the sounds and sights of the season, indoors and out, while conveying the personality of the gentle, perceptive poet and his loving bond with Mrs. Claus….This is Christmas from the heart—with scarcely a toy in sight.” — starred, Publishers Weekly
Hanukkah (December 7th-15th)
The Mexican Dreidel by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Ilan Stavans, illustrated by Maria Mola
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
Danielito loves Janucá, especially playing dreidel. This year, he is old enough to visit Bobe by himself. Piñatas hang from the trees, and the kids in Bobe’s neighborhood play with Mexican tops called trompos. Danielito does not have a trompo, but he has a dreidel. “What is that?” “¿Qué es eso?” the other kids ask, as they invite him to join their game. The trompos follow the dreidel as it spins through the neighborhood. And Danielito invited his new friends, nuevos amigos, to Bobe’s house to celebrate Janucá.
“A heartwarming story celebrating friendship across cultural lines.” ― Kirkus Reviews
Mrs. Maccabee’s Miracle by Elka Weber, illustrated Amélie Videlo
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
The Maccabee home was a happy one, but Mrs. Maccabee’s five sons were often losing things. “Mom, have you seen my spear?” one would say. “Your things don’t grow legs and walk away,” Mrs. Maccabee would sigh, pointing to the missing items. “Where you leave them is where they stay.” When her five sons go to war against the Greeks, Mrs. Maccabee’s lessons stay with them. Recalling their mom’s words, the brothers remember where they’d last seen the oil for the Temple menorah. A miracle indeed.
“A welcome and cozy take on the Hanukkah story.” ― Kirkus Reviews
A Wild, Wild Hanukkah by Jo Gershman and Bob Strauss
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 2
On the first night of Hanukkah, the door flies open and a perky polar bear walks into the house, shaking the snow from his fur. On the second night of Hanukkah, two crusty, crying crocodiles peel onions, followed the next night by three toothy tigers who’ve come to pluck potatoes from a sack. Every night more wild animals join the party, singing, making latkes, and spinning dreidels. As Hanukkah comes to an end, the stars twinkle, and the candles burn out. Then it’s time for bed.
“The fantastical art is striking. A pleasant addition for libraries in search of unusual Hanukkah stories.” ― School Library Journal
The Hour of Code (December 5th-11th)
Ada Lovelace and the Start of Computers by Jordi Bayarri
From the Graphic Science Biographies Series
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Ada Lovelace turned her powerful imagination into a vision of the future, predicting the impact of computers on human life. Lovelace had a unique education and embraced mathematics. She became one of the biggest believers in engineer Charles Babbage’s ideas for calculation machines. This graphic biography shows how Lovelace helped spread awareness of what an early computer could do and how she became one of the first computer programmers. It also shows how Lovelace pushed back against doubts about calculation machines and against her own self-doubt.
“[A] fine introduction to Lovelace and her work. Inspiring and informative.” — Kirkus Reviews
The Robot Makers Series
Learn about the history of robotics, the building blocks of a robot, the basics of coding, and more in these humorous, high-energy manhwa graphic novels. When soccer fanatic La Ion transfers to a new school, he only wants to find his next teammates. But a sign for a soccer club leads him to a robot soccer crew, with human students behind the controls. The mix-up draws La Ion into a rivalry with a club of battle-robot makers and a series of intense competitions. La Ion might join kicking and screaming, but he’ll step up to the challenge—and discover the concepts behind robotics, coding, and more.
Crayola® Art of Coding: A Celebration of Creative Mindsets by Mari Schuh
- Interest Level: Preschool – Grade 3
Shiny gold, bright yellow, soft green, and dark blue—artists use many different colors to create beautiful paintings. What do the colors mean? How do they make you feel? What stories do colors tell? Encourage readers to create their own art and discover the colors in artwork through bright photos and lively text.
“An interesting collection of coding ideas presented in a fresh way, with historical context and activities that do not require advanced technological expertise.” — School Library Journal
Vidcode Coding Hacks Series
Readers learn how to code with quick, customizable projects! Create filters and memes, use special effects, animate stories, and more while learning important building blocks of code. Page Plus links to hands-on coding activities are included. These project-based titles are created in partnership with Vidcode, a rigorous and creative online coding platform designed for grades 4 and up that appeals as strongly to girls as to boys.
Mission: Code Series
Dive into the fascinating world of coding languages! These titles walk new programmers through the basics of creating their own code. Hands-on learn-to-code activities accessed through an online Page Plus link add to the fun!