Grades
PreK - 5
10+ Read-Aloud Books for the Holiday Season
Get your classroom excited for the season with these festive reads.
There’s no better time of year to bring your class together for story time fun and learning than the holiday season. Whether you're getting together to read all about the fun of snow, the lovable antics of gingerbread men, adorable penguins, or sharing the true meaning of the holidays, there's something that everyone in your class will enjoy.
Check out more December teaching themes, lesson plans, and resources.
Reading books aloud to students isn’t just a great way to get students in the holiday spirit. Fun and festive stories engage your young readers' imaginations and grow their literacy skills at the same time.
Plus, it’s a wonderful opportunity to show off the power of language — and instill a love of reading that will last through the holiday season and beyond!
Shop the best read-alouds for the holiday season below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.
Celebrate kindness and sharing in a sweet picture book about giving back! Follow a little girl and her multigenerational family as they prepare for a community meal and clothing drive. Give Back celebrates kindness, community, and the various ways we can give to those around us.
Little ones will love going on a magical Christmas adventure as they explore a candy cane forest, trek across a chocolate river, and hike over majestic ice cream mountains on a search to find the gingerbread man! But when the gingerbread man runs into a dark cave, are they ready to find out what's waiting for them inside?
Come celebrate the Festival of Lights with Hannah as she receives eight magical presents -- one for each night. There's a playful dragon, a gleaming treasure chest, some rowdy unicorns... and more. But are the gifts what they seem to be? When Hannah gathers with family and friends to light the menorah, she'll discover the true magic of Hanukkah.
Join Jack's wacky family as they try to build a gingerbread house for Santa Claus... if only they can stop eating it! Gumdrops, marshmallows, and chocolate bars fly everywhere in this sweetly chaotic tale about a multi-generational family preparing excitedly for Christmas! For a humor-filled alternative to The Night Before Christmas!
Dot may be the littlest reindeer in the North Pole, but she has a big desire to help Santa pull his sleigh! But Dot just can't seem to fly the right way, no matter hard she runs, leaps, and kicks. Will Dot learn to fly, or is the littlest reindeer just too little?
Peppa and George are at their grandparents' house when they smell something yummy coming from the kitchen! That something yummy is a potato pancake... and they're about to eat it for Hanukkah! Read along as Peppa and George eat latkes, play dreidel, and light the candles to celebrate the festival of lights.
A pipe, a scarf, two lumps of coal, branches of a tree, and of course, snow, this cold lady has an appetite for everything! With engaging sound effects and funny words, this is the perfect read aloud to get students in the winter holiday spirit.
Students learn a very important lesson from this book: they can achieve big things when they work together!
When a little boy is told by his best friend that elves aren't real, he doesn't believe it. Could his best friend be right? Or are elves hiding just out of sight? With an engaging search and find element on every page, this hilarious story is packed full of Christmas fun for kids to enjoy. The bouncy, rhyming text makes for the perfect read-aloud and Katy Halford's adorable art gives kids plenty to explore. A hilarious new holiday tale that's sure to become a family favorite!
Join Mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie as he decorates his Christmas tree in a holiday counting adventure.
Deep in a snowy wood stands a little pine tree with a special destiny: when it grows up, it's going to be a fabulous Christmas tree! The tree travels far across the sea to shine in a city square. Crowds gather to admire it, children sing carols around it, and the tree brings joy and the spirit of the season to all who pass by.
This relatable picture book beautifully captures the colors and excitement of Diwali while offering an important lesson about celebrating the people you love... even super-silly siblings!
Murray's adorable Gingerbread Man returns for the holiday season. This time, he works with his classmates to create gifts for the community workers. Not only is this a sweet book about the value of creating gifts with one's own hands, but also doing kind deeds for others. The inclusion of many different community helpers also makes it valuable book about jobs.
Clifford and Emily Elizabeth are celebrating their first Hanukkah. They love hearing the story of Hanukkah, eating latkes and sufganiyot, and playing dreidel. After dinner, Clifford and Emily Elizabeth take a trip into town to see the giant menorah. But when they get there, they discover that one light is broken. It's too late in the evening to call a handyman, but maybe Clifford is big enough to help save Hanukkah!
Want more great content? Subscribe to our Teacher Newsletter below and get teaching ideas delivered right to your inbox.
