Looking to keep Christmas focused on Jesus, but still wanting good books to read with your kids? Me too-keep reading to see what's on our shelf this Christmas!
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As a family we are trying more and more to keep Christmas about Jesus. And a quick look at our kids' Christmas book selection let me know that we had some work to do. Now, thankfully we didn't have too many books yet, so we are basicially developing our collection from scratch. But regardless, if you have a shelf previously lined with Chrismtas books or not, you may be thinking like us-how many of these actually tell the message we want our kids to hear?
Beware not all books are good books
As I began my search I did find a number of offerings, but I was shocked when my first book came from Amazon, and within pages of reading, I read words from the mouth of sweet stable animals (that certainly didn't mimic any Jewish stable), claiming phrases from certain agendas we didn't want in our home. Beware mama-not all "Christian books" are created equal-we've actually had children Bibles given to us that don't even have the story of the cross-a no go for me.
But evaluating your kids' books goes for more than just Christian books or Christmas time, really this goes for any book. Be the gatekeeper of your home, scout out and carefully select what books you choose to read to your kids and put on their shelves. The books I've included below are darling books, with great illustrations, great story lines, and still very gospel centered, even if they don’t all come out and share it directly, but that’s where we get to have great conversations with our kiddos about the story and keep pointing them to Jesus. I hope you give these books a try, add them to your Christmas collection, and enjoy them as much as us.
Christmas Books for Kids that are Actually About Jesus
In this cute story, one that I remember hearing as a kid, a man comes to a small town to open up a new shop. All the townspeople wonder just what this new store will be. One day a sweet little girl enters the shop to meet the storekeeper, to find out that the new store will be none-other than a candy shop! He proceeds to show her all sorts of candy, and when she doesn't recognize the candy cane, he tells her the whole story including the gopsel message. The J shape for Jesus, the red stripes reminding us of the price he paid on the cross, etc. Together the little girl and the store owner share the rest of the candy canes and the Good News with the rest of the town.
This might be one of my favorite board books of all time. I bought this one with our sweet daughter Hazel in mind. She has been loving books and their bright pictures. In this adorable story, the animals, characters and even the Christmas star, share their part in the Christmas story leading up to Christ's birth on Christmas morning. It's sweet, it's simple, it's beautiful and it even rhymes. A staple for all Christian family bookshelves in my book.
Singer songer writer Ellie Holcomb, now author, brings us a new, cute, bright book to our shelves this year. What exaclty does Joy sound like? That's the quest you enter as you open the pages of this children's book? Explore the winter season and Christmas festivies as you ponder what exactly is joy? Maybe a glimpse of joy can be found in many things? But don't forget that Chrismtas is ultimately about baby Jesus coming to make a way for us to all have a home with Him someday.
It's Jesus' birthday and little bunny is invited (well everyone is invited-as the sequel reminds us.). But what exactly does Jesus want for his birthday? Little bunny is determined to find out. He goes around to each of his forest friends to ask what gift he can bring? What does Jesus want? Well you might just have to grab the story for yourself to find out! (ok ok, it's love He wants our love). But serisouly, go grab a copy for you or a loved one.
Now, you didn't think I was going to have a Children's Christian book recommendation list without a book from the God Gave Us series did you? Now this one we had on our shelf already and I loved getting it out again to read. I read it by myself the other day, and noticed just the most darling things this time around.
Mama bear and little cub set out on a little mother-daughter time, while daddy stays home with the siblings, to go and see if they can find God. Mama bear points out to little bear all the things they see aound them in creation that remind us of our Creator or an attribute of Him.
Now I know what you might be thinking-oh no are we teaching Pantheism? I think that almost everytime I read this-I have a moment of panic-but keep reading, and NO it doesn't. It actually paints a beautiful picture of Romans 1 in action. Where Paul tells us that God's invisble qualites can be seen and known just by looking at creation. And then, what we do with that knowlege, walking toward God or dismissing it away, is the next decision to make. But thankfully, Mama and little cub, walk toward God, and I hope you and your little cubs do too as you enjoy this story together.
I hope this list inspires you to go and read with your little ones this Christmas season. And I hope that if you don't have these on your bookshelf, you will consider picking some up and enjoying them together.
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Product links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to use them I may make commission off of purchases, thanks for supporting our family if you do.
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