Banjo’s Festive Features: Making Reading Magical with Christmas Books
In our Christmas series of blogs, we are starting off with our favourite Christmas books, as well as tips for making reading magical. Reading happily is amazing for your little one’s development and can unlock whole worlds of possibility!
Christmas is a great time to get cosy with some new stories. There are plenty of absolute classics too which you might recognise from your own childhood days!
Helping your little one with reading
Check out our blog that can really help kick start your child’s love of literacy! We go through tips for family reading, encouraging older children and some resources that can really help.
Banjo’s Favourite Christmas books
Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
We all know this absolute classic about a very grumpy Father Christmas who is dreaming about summer, and certainly doesn’t want to get up in the cold to deliver presents!
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
We LOVE letters. And books about letters, too! In this classic, it’s Christmas Eve and the Jolly Postman is delivering greetings to various fairy-tale characters. Watch as your little one realises that they are reading about Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty and many more!
Mog’s Christmas by Judith Kerr
This Christmas favourite is all about one of our favourite cats, Mog, and the antics she gets up to at Christmas. Lots of laughs and a heartfelt story.
Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans
Another beautiful story based in Paris, the girls are whisked away on a magic Christmas carpet ride!
There’s An Elf In Your Book by Tom Fletcher
Get ready to sing a Christmas song and blow a Christmas kiss, but watch out for the elf’s naughty tricks! You’d better keep your wits about you if you want to make it on to Santa’s Nice List. A fun book to read together, Tom Fletcher has a number of Christmas-themed books that are great for the whole family!
How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss
With a heart two sizes too small, the Grinch is the meanest creature you’ll ever meet. He hates Christmas and the whole festive season. But when he hatches a dastardly plot to steal Christmas, he’s in for a big surprise! This is another Christmas classic.
The Night Before Christmas: A Modern Adaptation of the Classic Tale by Libby Walden
‘’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.’
This modern adaption of the masterpiece has amazing pictures as well as bold writing for your little one to read.
Banjo Robinson and the Christmas Kitten by Emily Hogan
And for a special Christmas Eve surprise, who not treat your family to our brand new picture book, Banjo Robinson and the Christmas Kitten? This delightful story of friendship, mystery and magic will surely become part of your cosy Christmas holiday traditions!
Make sure that you have a look at the Book Trust for other Christmas book recommendations too and let us know if there’s any that you think we have missed. Remember, early reading ignites creativity, sparks curiosity, and stimulates the imagination in young children. Also (and this is very important!) – it is so lovely to have a cuddle while reading a good book together!
Stay FANTASTIC!
Lots of love, Banjo HQ x
