The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2020
When it comes to building picture book lists for Dad Suggests, nothing compares to how much I enjoy compiling our favorite holiday books of the season. I love poring over all of the new spooky tales for Halloween, and I look just as much forward to all of the new heartwarming stories around Christmastime. ‘Tis the season to be jolly now, and I’m very excited to help you navigate the new holiday books out there.
Apologies if thinking about Christmas before Thanksgiving has even taken place upsets you, but I decided I’d be doing a disservice if I waited any longer this year. A list of the best new Christmas books isn’t particularly helpful if it comes out a week before Christmas. And the tradition of unwrapping one picture book every day in December is becoming more popular every year - and of course for that you’ll need to have your books all planned by December 1st.
One theme I notice when I look over this year’s crop of Christmas books is that it truly seems to be the year of the adaptation. If you know anything about me, you know that I’m a sucker for nostalgia. But I assure you that nostalgia did not overly influence my picks this year. The classic adaptations simply brought it with everything they had and truly blew me away.
I was also a little lenient with the definition of Christmas picture book this year. On this list you’ll find: an Advent calendar full of books, a graphic novel, and a book about a snow day that doesn’t mention Christmas but screams Christmastime to me anyhow. These are all the new picture books I recommend sharing with your loved ones this year. And I sincerely hope that this Christmas list comes in handy and brings you and yours a lot of joy this year.
This is currently a working list for 2020. New Christmas picture books may still be added between now and Christmas 2020.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Clicking on these links will lead you to view the books’ listings on Amazon or IndieBound.
15. Disney Storybook Collection Advent Calendar
I figure it would be good to start off with this one, since it isn’t exactly a book per se. It’s a gigantic, oversized novelty book, which is actually an Advent calendar filled with 24 little books in total. We tend to find a new Advent tradition each year and this one is a no-brainer for us. The books inside are all Disney and Pixar-themed, and it’s really going to make for a fantastic tradition this year with the kids.
Last year we wrapped up 24 Christmas picture books so we could open up one each day, but this year Disney did all of the work for us. All 24 of the books are already wrapped up like presents, and it’s been hard for our little one to keep her hands off of them. It’s very exciting and she’s already looking forward to it a lot. The size of the book/calendar is quite surprising as well. It’s very big - basically as tall as she is. So don’t be surprised when you see it in person for the first time!
14. Comet the Unstoppable Reindeer
Written and Illustrated by Jim Benton
Our son is now a huge Jim Benton fan, thanks to the Franny K. Stein series and the funny Catwad books, so Comet the Unstoppable Reindeer was a very easy sell for him. True to form, Benton provides a lot of laughs with slapstick humor - with lots of crashing into chimneys and other bodily harm. But also - being a Christmas book after all - he mixes in a good amount of sweetness with the comedy this time around.
The story centers around Comet, who needs to help Santa deliver presents on Christmas after he forgot his bag of toys. In particular, he wants to make sure he’s able to deliver a very special pink bicycle and a green pig to a special little girl somewhere in the world. Comet was definitely a big hit around here.
13. Everybody’s Tree
Written by Barbara Joosse and Illustrated by Renée Graef
The cover of this book glows in the dark, and, let’s face it, that’s always a win with kids. And the story itself is a beautiful one that really drives home the spirit of community and giving and the heart of Christmas. It tells the tale of a Christmas tree from the very beginning to the end of its life. A young boy plants the tree as a very small sapling, and watches it grow along with his family.
It’s a beautiful thought and actually drives home the point of why I likes trees so much, even if that’s not exactly the point. It’s comforting to think of them growing alongside your home like a part of the family through the generations. But in the end, when the tree is close to dying, it’s chosen as the centerpiece of a town’s celebration - much like Matt Tavares’ Red and Lulu and the tree chosen as New York’s Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. And it ties the whole story to together with a sense of purpose - bringing people together and sharing Christmas cheer with everybody who needs it.
12. Snow Friends
Written by Margery Cuyler and Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Snow Friends does not mention Christmas, but it’s literally impossible for me to separate the idea of snow days and building snow men from the holidays, so take that for what you will. Snow Friends is just as heartwarming and brings the Christmas cheer to me as much as any other book on this list, and a lot of that has to do with the incredibly beautiful and comforting illustrations of Will Hillenbrand.
If the idea of cute dogs prancing around in the snow and skating on ice sounds like an image you’d like, then do I have the book for you. The snowy spreads in this book are full of so much adorable-ness - you probably won’t be able to stand it. I’ve always enjoyed books that remind me of the magic of playing in the snow as a child, and Snow Friends has absolutely nailed it.
11. The Night Before Christmas
Written by Clement C. Moore and Illustrated by Loren Long
Everyone should have a copy of The Night Before Christmas on their Christmas bookshelf. There are a lot of versions to choose from at this point, and it’s hard to imagine what it would take to greenlight another adaptation at this point. But illustrator Loren Long has certainly come up with a beautiful new adaptation to answer that question, and it truly just works perfectly.
In his own words, Long pointed out that he wanted to create a version of The Night Before Christmas featuring children from different kinds of families. It’s all done quite subtly, so much so that I didn’t exactly realize what was going on at first or notice the choices he was making. But then I noticed that one of the many houses represented in the book was a trailer home, and that the fireplace hanging on the wall was lovingly built out of cardboard and colored by the children. It’s a beautiful idea and an important one. It makes me smile to imagine kids seeing themselves in this beautiful classic poem.
10. Billy and the Balloons
Written by Elizabeth Dale and Illustrated by Patrick Corrigan
I didn’t know what I was getting into with this one. All I knew was that Billy was going to float away on some balloons. And then his dad grabbed his leg and floated off with him. But once I saw the cow get stuck on dad’s leg, I was sold. The look on the cow’s face is absolutely hysterical. And for the first half of the book it kind of plays out like that - with things getting progressively worse and more people flying off.
But then they run into Santa Claus and the rest of the story is a Christmas tale about Billy helping to save the day. It’s a very funny book that turned out to be very sweet and enjoyable. And I don’t have enough nice things to say about the illustrations. I’m a very big fan of what Patrick Corrigan has done here, and it goes a very long way in endearing these characters to us. It really looks fantastic.
9. Mistletoe: A Christmas Story
Written and Illustrated by Tad Hills
Mistletoe probably caught my eye this year faster than any other new Christmas book. It certainly has a stupendous Christmasy cover. And the separate cover illustration inside the dust jacket is equally as beautiful and a nice surprise. You can’t underestimate how far the entire package of a picture book can go in making it special.
The story is about a mouse named Mistletoe and an elephant named Norwell. Mistletoe wants to go outside and enjoy the beautiful snow on a nice walk, but Norwell thinks it’s too cold. So Mistletoe sets out to make Norwell the perfect Christmas present. It’s ultimately a story about friendship and giving - and the main characters are so sweet it’s hard not to fall in love with them.
8. Father Christmas and the Donkey
Written by Elizabeth Clark and Illustrated by Ari Jokinen
Elizabeth Clark wrote this classic story about a donkey that helps Father Christmas in 1942, and it’s now been paired with new illustrations from Ari Jokinen. It was published in the UK last year and this year in the US. It’s always a blurry line to me whether that is supposed to qualify as “new”, but it’s probably new in a bookstore near you, and it’s definitely worth a look for this Christmas.
The classic story is a beautiful one. A lonely donkey is suddenly visited by Father Christmas - simply because he heard him calling and he wanted to help. The donkey actually gets to help Father Christmas deliver his last presents, and then he very sneakily leaves the donkey with a family that he can love and live with. The illustrations of the dark, snowy landscapes are beautiful, and I love having our very own copy of this classic.
7. Little Red Sleigh
Written by Erin Guendelsberger and Illustrated by Elizaveta Tretyakova
Little Red Sleigh is another book with fantastic design on both the cover and the dust jacket - which truly goes a long way in making it feel like a special gift. And, lucky for us, the art inside is equally as magical. And the story itself turns out to be a great lesson in believing in yourself and chasing your dreams - and I’m always on board for that.
Little Red Sleigh has a dream - to grow up to be Santa’s sleigh. The other toys in her shop don’t believe in her though. She’s too slow, too small, and she can’t fly they all say. But she’s determined and she goes on a grand adventure to make her dream come true. And when she’s discovered by children, she discovers her true purpose in life - bringing magic and Christmas joy to others. It’s a sweet story with a memorable new Christmas character we won’t soon forget.
6. Mouse’s Night Before Christmas
Written by Tracey Corderoy and Illustrated by Sarah Massini
Mouse’s Night Before Christmas picks up right after the first line of Clement C. Moore’s classic poem: Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. But it turns out that wasn’t quite true. There was a little mouse still awake, and he was wishing he had friends to spend Christmas with. Santa hears his wish, and takes him along as he delivers his presents.
When they’re done, Santa gives him a present of 4 ice skates, and the little mouse doesn’t quite understand what he would need 4 ice skates for. But Santa tells him to follow the map and he’ll understand. It’s such a heartwarming ending - I highly recommend this book. The art is fantastic and it’s by far one of the very best original Christmas stories of the year.
5. Peppermint Post
Written by Bruce Hale and Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis
One thing that really stands out to me about new Christmas books or movies is when something comes out that seamlessly adds to canon. In the case of Peppermint Post, we’re provided with the delightful idea that the busiest post office in the entire world is the one at the North Pole entirely responsible for handling all of the letters to Santa Claus.
The Peppermint Post is run by a polar bear postmaster named Buck, and he’s the hero of the tale. Buck finds a misplaced letter after Santa has already left, and he sets out to get the gift to Santa before it’s too late. It’s really spectacularly adorable and expertly brought to life by the illustrations. It would honestly make a fantastic Christmas TV special too if anyone is listening.
4. 5 More Sleeps ‘Til Christmas
Written by Jimmy Fallon and Illustrated by Rich Deas
Jimmy Fallon has done it again and crafted a kids book that both kids and adults will undoubtedly enjoy quite a bit. Just like with his previous bestselling board books - the art is a very big selling point. It’s a remarkably good looking book, and it catches that pure essence of a child’s anticipation of Christmas better than anything else.
It’s a simple story with a countdown structure that makes it a good read aloud for little ones. It certainly has humor, and the Christmas atmosphere is just perfect - but by far my favorite part is how kids everywhere are going to relate to the building anticipation as the big day approaches. There’s nothing like that feeling, and we often forget what it was like. But this book bottles it up and kids are going to love it. And did I mention how truly amazing it looks?
3. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
Adapted and Illustrated by Natalie Andrewson
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is actually a 137-page graphic novel, and rather than get into a debate about whether a graphic novel is a picture book, I just wanted to point that out for you and let you decide for yourself. I was so excited when I saw this book released, and I was so excited to share it with my 8-year-old son - who is falling in love with graphic novels right now.
Andrewson does an amazing job bringing this classic story to life, and I adore her explanation of her inspiration in the back of the book. She describes how she grew up with an imagination she was told to suppress, just like Marie. And she was hurt by adults who treated her imagination like a sickness that needed medicating. And she wanted to be a part of encouraging kids everywhere to pursue their own dream worlds.
2. It’s A Wonderful Life
Adapted by Paul Ruditis and Illustrated by Sarah Conradsen
Did I mention how this is the year of the adaptation? I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a picture book version of It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s by far one of the best Christmas movies ever made, and it’s an amazing feeling having a version to read to the little ones now.
And I’m so happy to report just how amazing a job Sarah Conradsen did illustrating this classic story. The cartoon illustrations basically look like the movie was in fact turned into a very professional and beautiful animated movie. In fact, I’d very much like to see that. This is a remarkable work of art and such a treasure for fans of the movie. I couldn’t have hoped for a more special adaptation to help us tell this amazing, timeless Christmas tale to our kids.
1. Elf
Adapted by Rebecca Gyllenhaal and Illustrated by Kim Smith
Every single Christmas our family makes sure to watch 2 movies - The Muppet Christmas Carol and Elf. 2019 gave us the picture book version of The Muppet Christmas Carol, and now 2020 has given us Elf. It’s a Christmas miracle! And, what’s even better, Elf was crafted by Kim Smith and Quirk Books as a part of their amazing Pop Classics series. We have a deep love for the Pop Classics books, and I couldn’t possibly imagine leaving Elf in better hands.
Smith has a real knack for highlighting the very best parts of movies - those essential, endearing moments that make it what it is. I’m delighted to report that in the case of Elf, she included the Narwhal saying “Bye, Buddy! Hope you find your dad!” as well as Buddy answering the phone “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”. Quite honestly, this might be the very best adaptation yet in the entire Pop Classics series, and that’s truly saying a lot. The spirit of this hilarious and cheerful Christmas story is absolutely perfectly captured, and if you were looking for one book to place under the tree this year, this has to be it.
For more Christmas picture book ideas, make sure to check out:
The Best Christmas Picture Books of All Time
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2019
Have you discovered any new favorite Christmas books this season? Have you read any of the books on our list? Let us know in the comments! And Merry Christmas to you and yours!
