Best Christmas picture books for toddlers 2026
A Christmas book for a 1 year old looks very different from one for a 3 year old. At one, a book is something to touch, chew, open and close. At two, flaps and short stories win. From three, a real story with a plot can hold a child for a whole read. This list is sorted by age, with gift tips for parents and grandparents who would rather give books than more toys.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Our Amazon links go to Amazon UK (amazon.co.uk). This guide is run by Amor Picture Books (Nova Group), publisher of the Amor books. Our own books are marked Our book. How we choose.
How to use these books
Show 5 tips
- 1
Match the book to the hands
Touch-and-feel pages for around 1, flaps and tabs for around 2, a story with a plot from about 3. The age in the table helps you choose.
- 2
Make a December book basket
Wrap a few books you already own or have borrowed, and open one on chosen evenings. The surprise matters more than the number of books.
- 3
Write in the gift book
A short line inside the cover turns a book into a keepsake: "To our little reader, Christmas 2026. Read it with me again?"
- 4
Grandparents: ask first
A quick message to the parents about which books the child already has avoids two copies of the same favourite.
- 5
Read the same short book every night
Repetition is the point at this age. Let your child finish the lines: "Where is the reindeer hiding?"
New for Christmas 2026
Five new board and picture books for this Christmas. Age, pages and format for these come from the publisher's own page.
1. Five Little Elves
Alex Barrow
- Age 0-2 years
- 8 pages
- Board book
- About 2 min read-aloud (est.)
Five little elves play hide and seek on Christmas Eve, counting down from five to one. A rhyming board book based on Five Little Ducks.
Pick this one if your child is under 2 and loves counting rhymes.
Publisher: Nosy Crow
View on Amazon UK2. Pip and Posy: The 12 Days of Christmas
Jennifer Renn, Axel Scheffler
- Age 2-5 years
- 16 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
A festive singalong board book counting down the twelve days with Pip and Posy. The publisher includes a free audio version.
Pick this one if your child likes singing along.
Publisher: Nosy Crow
View on Amazon UK3. Old MacSanta Had a Farm
Katrina Charman, Georgie Birkett
- Age 2-5 years
- 32 pages
- About 8 min read-aloud (est.)
A Christmas twist on Old MacDonald, with elves, reindeer and presents, and a fold-out ending.
Pick this one if your child knows Old MacDonald and likes a surprise ending.
Publisher: Nosy Crow
View on Amazon UK4. Ready, Steady, Race! Christmas
Teresa Bellón (illustrator)
- Age 2-5 years
- 10 pages
- Board book
- About 3 min read-aloud (est.)
Tilt the book to make Christmas characters race across the page. A different ending each time.
Pick this one if your child loves to tilt and slide things.
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
View on Amazon UK5. Pick a Pine Tree
Patricia Toht, Jarvis
- Age 1-3 years
- 32 pages
- Board book
- About 8 min read-aloud (est.)
A family picks a tree, brings it home and decorates it. New board book edition, autumn 2026.
Pick this one if you want a board book about decorating the tree together.
Publisher: Walker Books
View on Amazon UK
Around 1: touch, feel and lift
Thick pages, textures and flaps. Made to be explored on your lap.
Show 6 books
6. That's Not My Santa
Fiona Watt
- Age 1 - 3 years
- 10 pages
- Board book
- About 3 min read-aloud (est.)
A touchy-feely board book with a different texture to find on every page. Made for small fingers.
Pick this one if your child is around 1 and explores books with their fingers.
View on Amazon UK7. Baby Touch and Feel Merry Christmas
DK
- Age Baby - 2 years
- 14 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
Photos of Christmas things with something to feel on each page. Good for pointing and naming together.
Pick this one if you want photos to point at and name together.
View on Amazon UK8. Where's the Snowman?
Ingela P Arrhenius
- Age Baby - 2 years
- 10 pages
- Board book
- About 3 min read-aloud (est.)
Felt flaps hide Christmas characters, with a mirror at the end. Easy for little hands to open.
Pick this one if little hands love opening flaps.
View on Amazon UK9. Busy Christmas
Campbell Books
- Age 1 - 2 years
- 10 pages
- About 3 min read-aloud (est.)
Tabs to push, pull and slide on each page. Lets a 1 year old make things happen.
Pick this one if your child likes to make things happen with tabs.
View on Amazon UK10. Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La!
Sandra Boynton
- Age Baby - 5 years
- 16 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
Boynton's silly animals celebrate the season. Short and fun to read aloud.
Pick this one if you want something silly to read aloud with a very young child.
View on Amazon UK11. Christmas in the Manger
Nola Buck
- Age Baby - 4 years
- 16 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
A gentle, simple telling of the nativity for little ones.
Pick this one if you want a gentle nativity story for the youngest.
View on Amazon UK
Around 2: flaps and short stories, good as gifts
Sturdy enough for small hands, with a little more story. Most of these make an easy gift.
Show 7 books
12. Dear Santa
Rod Campbell
- Age 1 - 3 years
- 14 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
A lift-the-flap book: a child writes to Santa and opens one present after another. Short and hands-on.
Pick this one if your child loves opening presents, even pretend ones.
View on Amazon UK13. Where's Mrs Reindeer?
Ingela P Arrhenius
- Age Baby - 3 years
- 10 pages
- Board book
- About 3 min read-aloud (est.)
Soft felt flaps hide Christmas characters. A small board book made for lifting and peeking.
Pick this one if your child likes soft felt flaps and peekaboo.
View on Amazon UK14. Spot's First Christmas
Eric Hill
- 20 pages
- Hardcover
- About 5 min read-aloud (est.)
Spot celebrates his first Christmas, with flaps to lift on every page.
Pick this one if your child already knows and loves Spot.
View on Amazon UK15. Little Blue Truck's Christmas
Alice Schertle
- Age Baby - 4 years
- 24 pages
- Board book
- About 6 min read-aloud (est.)
The little truck delivers trees to animal friends. Counting and sounds that toddlers can join in on.
Pick this one if your child loves trucks and counting along.
View on Amazon UK16. Llama Llama Jingle Bells
Anna Dewdney
- Age Baby - 3 years
- 14 pages
- Board book
- About 4 min read-aloud (est.)
A short board book about getting ready for Christmas with Llama Llama.
Pick this one if your child knows Llama Llama from other books.
View on Amazon UK17. Merry Christmas, Mouse!
Laura Numeroff
- Age Baby - 4 years
- 24 pages
- Board book
- About 6 min read-aloud (est.)
Mouse gets the house ready for Christmas. Many small things to point at and name.
Pick this one if your child likes spotting small things on each page.
View on Amazon UK18. Stick Man (Board Book + Greetings Cards Gift Pack)
Julia Donaldson
- Age 1 - 5 years
- 30 pages
- About 8 min read-aloud (est.)
Stick Man tries to get home to his family tree in time for Christmas. This pack comes ready as a gift.
Pick this one if you want a book that already comes as a gift pack.
View on Amazon UK
From 3: longer Christmas stories
Real stories with a plot, to read aloud on December evenings.
Show 4 books
19. Bear Stays Up for Christmas
Karma Wilson
- Age 1 - 4 years
- 40 pages
- Paperback
- About 10 min read-aloud (est.)
Bear's friends help him stay awake for Christmas. Warm, rhyming and about giving.
Pick this one if your child is ready for a rhyming story with friends.
View on Amazon UK20. Construction Site on Christmas Night
Sherri Duskey Rinker
- Age 3 - 5 years
- 40 pages
- Hardcover
- About 10 min read-aloud (est.)
The trucks build a special gift, then settle down to sleep. A calm bedtime read for vehicle fans.
Pick this one if your child loves trucks and needs a calm bedtime Christmas story.
View on Amazon UK21. Dream Snow
Eric Carle
- Age 3 - 7 years
- 32 pages
- Hardcover
- About 8 min read-aloud (est.)
A farmer dreams of snow before Christmas, with Eric Carle's collage art.
Pick this one if your child likes snow and bold collage pictures.
View on Amazon UK22. Amor and the White Christmas Our book
Samaher Thabit, Martin Törnell
- Age 3 - 8 years
A snowy Nordic Christmas special with Amor the kitten, for children aged 3-8. Coming this season, not on Amazon yet.
Pick this one if you want to meet Amor the kitten this Christmas.
More on amorstory.se
Books with a "Publisher" link: age, pages and format come from the publisher's own page. Other ages come from the Amazon UK page for the edition linked. Pages and format refer to the edition linked. If we could not verify a detail, we leave it out. Details checked 26 Oct 2026. Estimated read-aloud time is based on the page count shown, about 1 min per 4 pages, rounded. Real reading time varies with the book and the child.
Questions parents ask
What are good Christmas books for a 1 year old?
Short board books with thick pages, things to touch and flaps to lift. A 1 year old usually enjoys exploring the book more than following a story. Felt flaps are made for little hands, but read them together and check the book now and then for wear.
What makes a good Christmas book gift for a 2 year old?
Sturdy pages, something to touch or lift, and a short story. Pop-up pages are more fragile and are best read together with a grown-up.
What Christmas book suits a 3 or 4 year old?
Longer stories with a plot, such as Bear Stays Up for Christmas or Construction Site on Christmas Night.
Should a Christmas gift book be about Christmas?
It does not have to be. A Christmas story is fun in December, but a classic the child can read all year may get more use.
Why is Amor and the White Christmas listed without an Amazon button?
It is our own holiday special, for children aged 3-8. It is coming this season and is not on Amazon yet, so we link to amorstory.se instead.