Boost your Xmas spirit
Boost your Christmas spirit with these festive new titles, says
WHEN it is cold and dark outside, nothing beats snuggling up for a story.
There are lots of fantastic children’s books available, from heart-warming tales of friendship with beautiful illustrations to laugh-out-loud stories of hungry unicorns and thrill-seeking frogs.
The characters may be different, but their stories all have one thing in common – a feelgood Christmas message for all the family.
THE SNOWIEST CHRISTMAS EVER! by Jane Chapman, £11.99, Little Tiger
WHEN snowflakes start to swirl around their cosy cabin, brown bear cubs Button and Mungo are delighted.
As the snow gets deeper and deeper, it plops through their letterbox and even fills up the chimney.
The young bears and their dad have fun in their indoor winter wonderland but, as night draws in, they realise they must clear their chimney so Santa can visit!
Beautiful illustrations on every page bring this fluffy, baggy, huggable bear family to life for young readers.
It is longer story than you would expect for a picture book, which means it works for independent readers too.
OSCAR THE HUNGRY UNICORN EATS CHRISTMAS by Lou Carter and Nikki Dyson, £6.99, Hachette
IT’S Christmas Eve and Oscar the Unicorn is hungry.
He’s eaten the decorations, the tree, the cards and the stockings. But surely he wouldn’t eat the magic reindeer food which makes Santa’s reindeer fly. Would he?
Oscar must step in to save Christmas, with some help from princess Oola.
This is a feast of visual jokes – there’s a healthy scattering of underpants throughout and everything has Oscar’s bitemarks in – candles, presents, cards, stockings and even furniture.
Look out for the reaction from Pat The Cat to Oscar’s antics, too... he definitely doesn’t approve. A funny, rainbow-coloured frolic throught the festive season for five to sevenyear-old boys and girls.
THE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA HOTEL by Tracey Corderoy and Tony Neal, £6.99, Little Tiger
BEAR is ready for a calm Christmas. Cue Frog, who turns up on his doorstep ready for a tinsel-tastic celebration at the Extravaganza Hotel.
Realising he has his map upside down, and has come to the wrong side of the world by mistake, frog bursts into tears.
Determined to help the devastated little amphibian, bear sets about making a happy Christmas for him. Bear shows frog the beauty of the natural world, proving that you don’t need lights, bows, ribbons and white-knuckle rides to make Christmas special.
A charming message with very cute, detailed pictures make this a book you will look forward to reading year after year.
THE TREE THAT’S MEANT TO BE by Yuval Zommer, £12.99, Oxford Children’s Books
A LITTLE fir tree which is too small and imperfect to be chosen by families at Christmas time is left all alone in the forest.
But when the animals gather around the lonely tree to cheer it up, it finds festive love and warmth in the chilly weather.
This is a beautifully illustrated book with a charming tale about love and embracing what makes us different.
THE CHRISTMAS UNICORN by Anna Currey, £6.99, Oxford Children’s Books
CHRISTMAS is only days away when lonely Milly meets a unicorn. He patters softly into Grandpa’s house on a snowy nights and suddenly Milly’s world is filled with magic, friendship and happiness.
A heart-warming story for those who believe in the magic of Christmas.
WINNIE AND WILBUR: THE SANTA SURPRISE by Laura Owen and Korky Paul, Oxford Children’s Books, £6.99
WINNIE and her cat Wilbur have just opened the latest door on their advent calendar when they wonder ‘who gives Santa a present’?
This thought leads to an epic quest involving flying trains, broomstick sledges and Father Christmas himself.
A wonderful story with beautiful artwork throughout.
THE SNOW QUEEN by Geraldine McCaughrean and Laura Barrett, Orchard, £12.99
WHEN her best friend Kai goes missing, Gerda sets off on a chilling adventure to bring him back.
He has been whisked away on the Snow Queen’s sleigh to a far away castle made of ice and snow.
Lots of wonderful characters help Gerda on her quest to bring Kai home, including a talking crow, a robber’s daughter and her very own reindeer.
Can she help Kai solve the wicked queen’s puzzle and thaw his heart?
Intricate and beautiful silhouette illustrations in shades of silvery blue bring this magical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale to life for little ones.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, retold by Tony Mitton and illustrated by Mike Redman, Hachette, £6.99,
CHRISTMAS means nothing to Ebenezer Scrooge.
He begrudges giving his long-suffering employee, Bob Cratchit, the day off to spend December 25th with his family. He growls at those who collect money for the poor and lives alone in a cold, dark townhouse.
He even refuses to have Christmas dinner with his nephew – he would rather spend Christmas counting his mountain of gold coins.
But when Scrooge is visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve, he is told he must change his miserly ways... or meet a lonely end.
This rhyming version of Charles Dickens’ quintessential Christmas tale rattles through the story of Scrooge and co, but still keeps the atmosphere. Read it by candlelight on Christmas Eve for dramatic ghostly moments followed by a huge dose of feelgood, festive cheer.
THE PUG WHO WANTED TO BE A REINDEER by Bella Swift, Hachette, £5.99
PEGGY the pug has been part of Chloe’s family since they adopted her last Christmas.
December is always Peggy’s happiest time but things aren’t going right this year. Chloe’s best friend at school has gone off with another girl, Ruby is afraid of her new nursery teacher, Finn’s guitarist has quit his band and mum’s cafe isn’t doing too well.
There are grumpy faces all around so Peggy decides she must do something to help. Can she find Santa and ask him to help her family recover their festive spirit?
A charming tale about a big-hearted little dog who sets off on a Christmas quest and the many friendly animals and humans who help her along the way. The line drawings are full of character in this heartwarming tale which will become a favourite for independent readers.