My Favorite Advent Books for Children
The season of Advent is the time when we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. It is also a time of great anticipation and joy. Reading special children’s books about the season is one of my favorite ways to prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus and build a sense of great anticipation.
There are so many beautiful books specifically about Advent and the long period of waiting before the birth of Christ. The books that focus primarily on the Nativity can be saved for the Christmas season, when we move from waiting for the Savior to rejoicing that He has come.
We kept our favorite Advent books in a box in the attic all year long. On the first Sunday of Advent, I would bring the books and place them in a basket in the living room. The kids were always so excited to see these books that had been stored away! They would “ooh” and “aah” and yell, “I remember this one”, or “I love this one” with total delight! Each child would grab their favorite, and for the next couple of hours, there would be complete silence as they looked through the books.
There were books we read aloud, books we shared as a family, and books the children returned to on their own throughout the season. Because these books appeared only during Advent, they became part of the anticipation of the season itself.
If you choose to purchase Advent books, they won’t be read once and forgotten. The intention is to bring them out year after year, so that they become keepsakes that carry memories from one Advent to the next and traditions that your children may one day share with their own families. You certainly do not need to buy them all, or even buy any of them, to begin this tradition. Many can be borrowed from your local library, allowing you to discover which stories your family loves before deciding which ones you would like to add permanently to your collection.
Today, I am sharing some of my favorite books to use with your children during the season of Advent:
Around the Circle: Celebrating the Church Year by Laura Alary
Laura Alary is one of my favorite liturgical children’s book authors. She has a series of books covering each season of the church year and has just come out with a brand new book on the liturgical year as a whole. It is beautifully illustrated and would be a great read at the beginning of each new season to remind your children that they are walking through a whole cycle of seasons and where Advent falls in that year.
Look!: A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas by Laura Alary
And now, here is Laura Alary’s book on Advent and Christmas that I absolutely love! Look! A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas presents Advent as a special time for waiting and watching—paying attention—to the ways God comes to us. Told from the point of view of a child, the story weaves together familiar Advent traditions like the Jesse tree and the Advent wreath, biblical stories and characters, and reflections on what these stories call us to do and be. This book reassures children of the presence of God in all times and places and invites them to become part of the holy work of making Christ present in the world.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
This is probably my favorite Advent book. I read this book to my children every year during Advent, and, even though I knew what was coming, I always started crying when I got to the end. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is about the Herdman siblings, who are “the worst kids in the history of the world,” and how they took over the annual Christmas pageant. It is hilarious, but it is also so profound and beautiful. I always tried to time reading it so that it ended right before Christmas Eve. That way, my children’s hearts were really open to the true meaning of Christmas.
Glenys Nellist, like Laura Alary, has so many incredible liturgical books for children. ‘Twas the Season of Advent is her 25-day devotional containing beautiful devotions and stories for you to read with your children during the season of Advent. It is so beautifully written, and the illustrations are gorgeous! She also offers a free, really cool activity pack that is available HERE.
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
Did you know that the candy cane has a Christian meaning? I didn’t know until we were given this book! This is a sweet board book explaining the importance of the birth of Jesus and the Christian roots of how the candy cane was created.
The Jesus Storybook Bible Advent Activity Book: 24 Guided Crafts, plus Games, Songs, Recipes, and More by Sally Lloyd-Jones
This is a fun guidebook filled with crafts, games, recipes, songs, and activities for every day of Advent. The Jesus Storybook Bible Advent Activity Book highlights the significance of the Nativity and the meaning of God’s most precious gift.
Manger by Lee Bennett Hopkins
This is the cutest book! It is based on a legend that, at midnight on Christmas Eve, all creatures are granted the power of speech for one hour in order to celebrate the birth of Christ. In this beautifully illustrated book, a poet imagines what responses the animals might offer. The poems represent a diverse group of animals, but they all come together with one singular purpose: celebrating the joy of the birth of Jesus.
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
I love anything by Tomie dePaola. He is a Newbery and Caldecott-winning author. In this beautifully illustrated book, he tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl’s unselfish gift to the Christ Child.
The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
Another wonderful book by Tomie dePaola. In this book, he tells of Las Posadas, the Mexican tradition in which Mary and Joseph go from door to door seeking shelter at the inn on Christmas Eve.
I hope that these books are a blessing to your family and that they help you bring the season of Advent into your home!
Do you have a favorite Advent book for children that’s not on my list? Comment below. I’d love to know what it is!
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