Sure we’ve all read The Polar Express and How the Grinch Stole Christmas a hundred times…but there are a ton of other amazing Christmas books out there for kids, many of which teach children about celebrations around the world.
From a feminist take on the three wise men to stories about those who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, here are 15 multicultural Christmas books to add to your family reading list!
15 Multicultural Christmas Books for Kids
Light the Lights!: A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah & Christmas
A delightful picture book captures the warmth of family tradition as Emma and her family celebrate two holidays–Hanukkah, a time to light the menorah and play dreidl games, and Christmas, a time to sing carols and open presents.
The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story
A particularly irate latke is the star of The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming, but many other holiday icons appear and even speak: flashing colored lights, cane-shaped candy, a pine tree. Santa Claus is briefly discussed as well. The ending is happy, at least for some!
Grace at Christmas
Grace loves Christmas – acting out the nativity story, opening presents, celebrating with Ma, Nana and Paw-Paw. But this Christmas Nana announces they will have visitors from Trinidad. Grace is horrified! She does NOT want to share the day with another little girl she doesn’t even know. But after some wise words from Nana, Grace’s generous spirit shines through.
Yoon and the Christmas Mitten
When Yoon’s teacher lends her a book about Santa Claus, Yoon can’t wait to show it to her parents. To Yoon’s disappointment, though, her mother responds, “We are not a Christmas family.” As Christmas Eve approaches, Yoon learns more and more about this exciting holiday. But no matter how hard she tries to convince her parents to sing Christmas songs or put up Christmas stockings, they always say no. A determined Yoon soon realizes that she must use her own “Shining Wisdom” to persuade her parents that they can indeed be a Christmas family.
Too Many Tamales
This is the story of a treasure thought to be lost in a batch of tamales; of a desperate and funny attempt by Maria and her cousins to eat their way out of trouble; and the warm way a family pulls together to make it a perfect Christmas after all.
Tree of Cranes
As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy’s very first Christmas.
La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story
Nina is visiting her grandmother in Miami for Christmas. Usually she spends it in snowy New England with her mother and her family, but this year is different. She isn’t certain what to make of a hot and humid holiday, until she learns the traditions of her father’s side of the family from her Cuban grandmother.
The Trees of the Dancing Goats
Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah, when her mother stays home from work, her Babushka makes delicious potato latkes, and her Grampa carves wonderful animals out of wood as gifts for Trisha and her brother. In the middle of her family’s preparation for the festival of lights, Trisha visits her closest neighbors, expecting to find them decorating their house for Christmas. Instead they are all bedridden with scarlet fever. Based on a long cherished childhood memory, this story celebrates the miracle of true friendship.
The Snowy Day
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snow Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.
Three Wise Women
Three wise women follow a bright star to find a very special newborn baby in a stable, where each of them is able in her own way to give the child a gift, in a feminist adaptation of the Nativity story.
N is for Navidad
From the angel hung above the door to the zapatos (shoes) filled with grass for the wise men’s camels, each letter in this festive alphabet introduces children to a Spanish word, and each colorful page takes them through another joyous aspect of the 22 days of the traditional holiday.
The Legend of Old Befana
This is a delightful reading of the favorite Italian Christmas story about an eccentric old woman and her never-ending search for the Baby King.
The Spider’s Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story
Although Katrusya’s family cannot afford to celebrate Christmas, they cut a small pine tree in the forest, decorate it with buttons, and when baby spiders hatch in its branches, they especially enjoy the silvery webs that appear.
Coyote Christmas: A Lakota Story
On Christmas Eve, Coyote wants to find some people to trick out of a hot meal. Sneaky Coyote is known in the Native American tradition as the Trickster. He knows that there’s one character people can’t refuse on Christmas Eve: Santa Claus! Using straw for a jolly belly and wool for his Santa’s beard, the Trickster fools a family into welcoming him to their Christmas meal. But just when he thinks he’s gotten away with his ruse, he’s foiled by a strange occurrence. Could it be a Christmas miracle?
Join children on a Christmas sleigh ride around the world as they discover traditions from Mexico, Sweden, the Philippines, Poland, Italy, Kenya, and the United States. Festive illustrations show the customs and foods that each country has to offer. Music and lyrics are also included.
Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.