Sunday, November 1, 2015

Three 2015 Christmas Books to Excite Kids’ Holiday Cheer

Maybe the title is a bit wrong because I have never, ever met a youngster who needed a nudge into getting excited about Christmas. However, I have met quite a few who need a reason to stay excited, especially when the anxiety of Santa Claus and his impending arrival is looming ever closer. This is where bedtime stories and holiday cheer come in.

This year, holiday stories have taken on new spins with new characters and new scenarios, but seasonal excitement and holiday cheer have always been the two story-time constants.

The following three among the best 2015 Christmas books for kids have been handpicked to excite and delight both kiddos and adults.

______________________________

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

Bear has been having a hard time this Christmas because he really, really wants to stay up for all the usual holiday activities, like baking Christmas cakes…and of course, eating Christmas cakes. He tries and tries to fight his natural instincts to hibernate, but he instead falls right to sleep on Christmas Eve. Oh no!

Fortunately for Bear, his forest friends want him to experience the greatness of Christmas too, which means poking and prodding Bear to wake him up. When they succeed, this grumpy, fur-covered cutie helps ring in the holiday with his favorite woodland friends.

______________________________

The Nightmare Before Christmas (20th Anniversary Edition) by Tim Burton

The Nightmare Before Christmas has been around for 2 decades. Can you believe it? We were first introduced to this amazing Tim Burton concept in movie format and it has BOOMED, becoming one of the must-watches every Halloween and Christmas.

The book is a bit different than the movie in terms of shorter dialogue and not as much character explanation, but it is an instant classic in its own right. We are still introduced to Jack Skellington—the pumpkin-headed king of Halloweenland who longs for something more, something better. To make his life a little more interesting, Jack concocts a plan to steal Santa Claus and take over Christmas for himself.

______________________________

The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

Pout-Pout Fish has a perpetual pout—it is just how his face looks. However, just because he is always pouting does not mean he is always unhappy. On the contrary, Pout-Pout Fish is full of love and has tons of friends, most of whom he is have trouble shopping for in this book.

To turn his internal frown upside down, Pout-Pout Fish enlists the help of his friend Miss Shimmer to assist with finding the perfect presents for his list of sea-dwelling buddies.

______________________________

If you're on the hunt for some great kids' Christmas books - here is a video short with some tips: