Llama Llama Holiday Drama - By Anna Dewdney

With only 2 years under this story's proverbial belt, Llama Llama Holiday Drama has reached the number five spot on a list of the top 10 Christmas books for kids. Best read to children of ages 3 and up, this books tells the tale of Llama Llama as he stresses over the preparation for Christmas. "Just how many days to go. Llama Llama wants to know!" He's filled to the brim with excitement, turning to impatience and anxiety over what still has to be done for the holidays. This is a book that strives to teach children a moral lesson through the perspective of a relatable creature. Rife with messages and life lessons, Llama Llama Holiday Drama educates children on the importance of patience and keeping calm.

What is Llama Llama Holiday Drama all about?

Llama Llama is a young Llama who has a problem with patience. He wants Christmas to hurry up and come -- but as it gets closer, he panics and becomes overwhelmed by all there is to do. He revels in how stores are preparing for the holidays with their, "Fluffy snow and funny elves. Goodies piled high on shelves."

He and his mother go through the usual preparations of unpacking Christmas decorations, such as stockings and special silver trays for holiday parties. Still, Christmas isn't coming fast enough as, "Llama Llama waits, waits, waits." Llama Llama eases his anxiety by making sugar cookies with his mother.

Towards the end of the book, Llama Llama's mom snuggles and cuddles her little Llama, reassuring him that Christmas will come sooner than he thinks. It's a story of love and understanding, as the mama Llama never loses her patience with Llama Llama. Instead, this book dives into the mentality of smaller children to offer kindness and a message of patience when their excitement is overwhelming.

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To find this and other great picks among children's Christmas reading this year, visit:

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - By Dr. Seuss

One of the best Christmas books for kids is Dr. Seuss's "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" -- hands down, a tale full of everything that makes Seuss a timeless treasure. One of the go-to books for the holiday season, stories of the Grinch and his treacherous plans to thwart Christmas are available in multiple languages, encouraging children from all cultures to discover and love Seuss books. This is a book that sticks with someone through their entire lives, bridging the gap between generations as a story that parents can pass on as a beloved favorite to their own offspring.

What's so special about "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!"?

The act of some spiteful creature impersonating Santa Claus is an old story. It's been done, but never quite like Dr. Seuss did it. The Grinch is a mean, green beast of a thing who despises the seasonal holidays; all because the Whos down in Whoville have fun opening their presents and preparing for the big day.

Christmas is a big deal in that little town, and big deals can get pretty loud -- which means annoying for The Grinch. Told in rhyme, The Grinch dresses up like Santa to frolic down from his mountain in the middle of the night and steal all of the Christmas goodies from each Who's house. "He took the Who's feast! He took the Who pudding! He took the roast beast!"

In the end, The Grinch takes everything from the Whos -- all the things about Christmas that he thinks will ruin the holiday for them. As the sun rises, the Whos start singing and The Grinch realizes, "Christmas came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!" His heart fills with an emotion he never knew he had, growing "three sizes that day!" The ending is meant for warm, fuzzy feelings as The Grinch joins all the Whos in Whoville for their Christmas feast -- "And he, he himself, The Grinch...carved the Roast Beast!"

Disney's The Jungle Book - Little Golden Book

Released on October 18, 1967, Disney's The Jungle Book leapt to overnight fame in film format, amongst children and adults of all ages. In 2003, Little Golden Books condensed the movie into a shorter written version of the animated movie, allowing for quicker reading of a timeless tale at bedtime. Over the past decade (almost), The Jungle Book from Little Golden Books has become one of the best Disney books for kids; a staple on the bookshelves of every family home.

What happens in Disney's The Jungle Book?

The concept in the book version is the same as in the film, only abridged. Mowgli is a little boy who has grown up around animals in the jungles of India. He lives with a pack of wolves with whom he's grown up, after his adopted wolf mother found him as an abandoned infant and raised Mowgli as one of her own. However, he's cast out for his own safety -- his pack believes it's time for him to return to the man-village to live his path as a human.

His protectors are charged with his safe journey. They include a black panther named Bagheera, and an amusing bear named Baloo -- both of whom steer him clear of enemies, such as the tiger (King of the Jungle), Shere Khan, and a squeeze-happy Indian Python, Kaa.

The whole tale is quite dramatic, with bits of humor tossed in here and there. The key elements represented in the Little Golden Books version include -- when Mowgli becomes hypnotized by Kaa, when he faces off against Shere Khan, and when he meets the jubilant and devious Orangutan King, Louie. Disney's The Jungle Book ends in a bittersweet way as Mowgli follows a little girl into the man-village, where he decides to stay. His protectors turn to leave, knowing Mowgli is content and safe within the village.

Disney Princess Collection Book - Behind The Scenes

Beginning with the first princess ever created by this timeless franchise, Snow White takes the forefront of the Disney Princess Collection Book. She's followed by Cinderella, Arielle, and Belle, to name a few -- all with different stories to tell that have never been told before. Polled as one of the top 10 Disney books since 2009, these tales feature princesses who pre-date Disney's newest additions, such as Tiana or Rapunzel.

Written for ages 3 and up, the stories represented in this book are ideal for children who don't have the patience to sit through the length of a Disney movie. It gives kids the chance to 'get-to-know' the Disney princesses outside of the animated films.

What should I expect from the Disney Princess Collection Book?

The best part about these stories is the way in which their told, directly from the perspective of the featured princess. Rife with colorful and magical illustrations, this book relies on the written word -- which compromises 80% of the pages to help kids along with their reading and vocabulary. While there are new stories told from the POV of each princess, there are also shorter versions of each film. For example, the background of Aurora is given in a condensed manner, with all of the main elements and key points conveyed without the fluff that would be in the movie. The main stories are then followed up by mini-tales, perfect to read right before bed.

For a mash-up of all Disney princesses in one convenient location, the Disney Princess Collection Book is amazing. The exterior of the book is shining with silver, gleaming with the promise of beautiful tales. The interior pages are glossy and stain-resistant, allowing kids to be their messy selves without fear of severely damaging the book. However, as with all things, this collection is best kept clean and cherished.

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A Christmas Carol (Little Master Dickens) - By Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver

You wouldn't expect classic literature to be lumped in with the best Christmas books for kids 2012, but Jennifer Adams thinks outside the box when it comes to babies and their board books. Told in a direct manner with simple terms and beautiful illustations, A Christmas Carol is part of the Little Master Dickens series; a group of board books for children who wouldn't yet understand the timelessness of Charles Dickens and his stories of Scrooge.

What can I expect in this version of A Christmas Carol?

This book is condensed into a board book, perfect for children 3 and up. The key elements of the larger written version are detailed through colorful pictures and few words, allowing kids to get the 'jist' of the tale without feeling overwhelmed by extensive vocabulary. The tale introduces Ebenezer Scrooge -- a crochety old man with a penchant for overworked employees, strict conditions, and no compassion. He's visited by the usual ghosts -- past, present, and future. The tale skips quickly along through creative pictures and limited word usage, detailing how Scrooge's outlook changes to reveal a remorseful and kinder man.

This version of A Christmas Carol is less morose than the original, because it's meant to entertain children -- not scare or depress them. The ghosts aren't terrifying, but they retain their reflective manner -- while Scrooge keeps his "Bah Humbug!" declaration without the mild profanity from the Dickens novel.

Clever, simple text teaches toddlers how to recognize certain words, while bold illustrations offer understanding. This is a board book of a different breed, since parents usually don't consider the lengthy versions of A Christmas Carol to be attention-appropriate for their growing children. However, Jennifer Adams believes kids shouldn't be left out of the magic of classic literature. With these easy-to-understand board books, Scrooge can become an integral part of your brilliant toddler's seasonal to-read list.

A Bad Kitty Christmas - By Nick Bruel

Nick Bruel has created a classic series with Bad Kitty, including his newest, less-than-a-year-old addition, A Bad Kitty Christmas. One of the newer tales to be dubbed one of the best Children's Christmas books of the last decade. It's also been noted as educational, humorous, and great for teaching kids how to read and understand the English language; the alphabet is covered at least four times in this book -- all in entertaining and interesting ways.

What happens in A Bad Kitty Christmas?

This book is 80% pictures, because as the old adage goes, "a picture's worth a thousand words." This is the case for Bad Kitty as children see she's upset about not getting everything she wants for Christmas. The tagline of, "Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the city, not a creature was stirring.... except for Bad Kitty!" starts the whole book off with a bang.

She wreaks havoc on her home before being tossed out into a snowy Christmas morning where she makes a new friend, followed by reuniting with an old friend. Together, they rediscover the true meaning of Christmas -- at least that's what Bad Kitty wants her readers to believe. It's believed that while Bad Kitty warmed up to the idea of a Christmas without greed, she'll likely return to her old ways to the delight of her readers.

If A Bad Kitty Christmas teaches children anything, it's how to have patience and be thankful for what you're given. The true meaning of Christmas is more than packages and vibrant boxes with silky ribbons -- it's about family, friends, and the love of the season; all things that Bad Kitty comes to realize towards the end of the book. Kids will appreciate the colorful illustrations that go along with each catchy rhyme, while parents will find the kitty's capers to be amusing and enjoyable.
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For more top picks in kids' Christmas books this year, visit:

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Zoobooks Magazine - The Specifics

Some of the best magazines for kids will feature interesting facts, appealing activities, and amazing photography; all things that children will appreciate because of the amusing, entertaining, and accurate information within every issue. Zoobooks Magazine is just what children and their parents have come to expect from a monthly circular. Instead of filling a child's head with nonsense about nothing, this magazine strives to be informative and helpful when it comes to animal facts -- such as habitats, pet care, and culture.

What can I expect from Zoobooks Magazine?

As we've mentioned, Zoobooks is full to overflowing with animal tidbits and awe-inspiring photography. The writers and photographers have worked hard to put together issue upon issue each month. Some adults will remember these magazines from when they were growing up, complete with those 3 ring binders where all the back issues were kept for repeated reading. This is a magazine that children and their parents can read over and over again without getting tired of the information. Plus, kids can surprise their teachers and friends with how much they know about specific animals.

The one thing that parents might be concerned with is the images of predators with their prey. For example, there could be a picture of a lion engrossed in eating a zebra. While the pictures aren't intensely graphic, some parents might not feel comfortable with letting their children see that sort of thing at such a young age, especially when it comes to later answering questions about the food chain or the crueler side of nature.

Zoobooks Magazine is reading material that stays with kids as they grow up, morphing from just a great magazine to something passed down from parent to child. The price is a constant $29.95 for a year's worth of issues -- each featuring a specific theme per issue (such as Nocturnal Animals) with posters, stickers, and tear-out cards inside.

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For more subscription options or a look at some other top picks in magazines for children this year, visit:

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