We love living in our house in the woods during Christmas time. Surrounded by snowy trees, it’s like living in a snowball.
However, Christmas doesn’t look like that in most parts of the world! Fortunately, there are wonderful Christmas picture books all over the world that have allowed my children to learn how other cultures celebrate Jesus’ birthday!
You are reading: Christmas around the world books for preschoolers
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the best illustrated books about Christmas around the world
Christmas is coming: traditions from around the world by monika utnik-strugala
new for fall 2021! This is definitely a children’s Christmas picture book about Christmas in other countries, however it is quite long. I can’t imagine anyone sitting down and reading it to the kids in one sitting.
There are 39 sections, each a few pages long, with full color illustrations. It is not based on faith at all, but explains the meaning of some religious traditions in different countries. one thing that makes this book unique is that rather than being divided by country, many of the sections are more thematic. for example, there is a section on who gives gifts in different countries. (So, mind you, it’s pretty clear in this book that Santa isn’t real. FYI, if you’re not ready to spill the beans yet.)
This is a really lovely Christmas book for kids of all ages, but I think the sweet spot is probably first through third grade.
12 days of christmas illustrated by rachel isadora
Rachel Isadora has created beautifully stylized illustrations to accompany each of the gifts from the classic Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. the photos are all of people and animals in africa. the pictures are gorgeous!
This is a much loved book in our house! my kids love to sing along to the song as we turn the pages. I love the fact that the images show a part of the world that we haven’t been able to visit!
Related: Check out other secular books in this list of Christmas picture books that aren’t about Jesus.
silent night, a mouse tale by betsy hernandez and donny monk
This beautifully illustrated Christmas picture book tells the true story of the classic Christmas carol Silent Night, with a bit of fiction thrown in. In history, Christmas has come to the Austrian Alps. A little mouse ends up “helping” Franz Gruber when he needs a new song for the Christmas Eve service.
The book is about Jesus’ birthday, but it also brings up deeper truths about God and his great love for us.
Silent Night was published in paperback in 2017, so even though it’s an older story, it’s pretty easy to find in both paperback and original hardcover.
I can’t recommend it highly enough. I think it should be front and center on your Christmas shelf!
grace at christmasby mary hoffman
technically, the story is not from the whole world, but the family is from the gambia and recently came to the united states, so I’m telling it.
grace at christmas is about grace and her family as they welcome strangers into their home for christmas. They talk about who they can’t say “no room” at Christmas. The story of Jesus’ birth is reenacted several times in history.
Note that Grace’s parents are divorced and that comes up in the story. one of the best things about the story is that it is true to how children act and feel. the colorful illustrations are wonderful too!
This is a standout book on this list. is a must-have holiday book, especially for those trying to diversify their picture book collection!
christmas on king’s island by jean rogers
When the ice closes around King Island in the Bering Sea, the Eskimos who live there are cut off from the rest of the world. Normally they don’t mind, but this year they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new priest! Will he get to the island before the water freezes?
In our church we don’t have a priest we call father, so I changed the terminology so my children would understand that this was a new pastor. it’s beautiful how all the people work together to welcome a new spiritual leader to their island in time for christmas! It’s also amazing to think of the men and women who went to places like King Island to teach people about Jesus. There aren’t many things more Christmassy than that!
what a morning! curated by john langstaff
what a morning! tells the Christmas story through African-American spirituals. There are also Bible verses that tell the Christmas story that correspond to each of the songs.
Because I’m not familiar with most of the songs, I look them up online to listen while we look at the pictures. I like the golden gate quartet, but most of the songs have several wonderful artists covering them. Just so you know, due to how historic these spirituals are and how they have been passed down, often the arrangements you will find will not match the sheet music provided in the book. however, it has never bothered my kids!
For most songs there are three pages of full color images to look at. This book is a unique look at the Christmas story, and it’s a beautiful way to celebrate the season. There isn’t a single person in the book who looks like my children, but since the baby Jesus didn’t have almost exclusively Dutch and German ancestry like my children, that’s probably a good thing!
a christmas island by lynn joseph
Christmas on an island is all about Christmas in Trinidad. Rosie tells the story as her family prepares for the holidays. since rosie is the narrator, the prose has her accent and way of speaking. that confused me a bit when I first read it aloud to the kids, but eventually I figured it out.
The family goes to church and it is clear that Christmas is about the baby Jesus. however, the story is not openly based on faith. it is more about family, island traditions and giving. It’s a fun story about a part of the world that looks very different from our snowy woods at Christmas!
the holiday cookie gift by dandy daley mackall
the gift of the holiday cookie is set in the united states during an age of steam trains. however, it speaks to the ancient Scandinavian tradition of creating Christmas cookies to count Jesus’ birthday. therefore, it counts as a book about Christmas around the world.
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In the book, there are beautiful full-color illustrations and a simple story of a struggling family at Christmas. however, they can remember the reason for the season through the tradition of Christmas cookies.
It’s a bit heavy on the moral of the story, so if you’re looking for a subtle way to share the gospel, this isn’t it. However, if you’re looking for a clear presentation of why Jesus coming to earth was such a big deal, this is a great option!
Related: These are the best Christmas picture books about Jesus
december gift from ashley smith-santor and stasie bitton
I was looking for a book that would simply explain Hanukkah to children so they would understand it in the larger context of Christmas. I don’t know if this sweet picture book does all of that…but it comes pretty close!
In this book, Clara celebrates Hanukkah with one grandmother and Christmas with the other grandmother. the simple explanation of each holiday is easy for children to understand. I learned some things about Hanukkah that I didn’t know either!
Note that the book treats both celebrations as equally special traditions. The book talks about the baby Jesus, but does not delve into the spiritual aspect of Christmas.
crane tree by allen say
You may not have realized it, but there aren’t many books about Christmas in Asia! which makes the crane tree stand out. is the story of a Japanese boy who learns about Christmas from his mother.
Note that there is no mention of Jesus or why we celebrate Christmas. the story focuses on peace, generosity and family, but not on the savior. the illustrations are beautiful. is a calm and peaceful story, great to read aloud on a cold day.
the legend of christmas eve by tomie depaola
This Mexican legend tells how the beautiful poinsettia became a Christmas flower. lucinda wants to bring a gift to the new baby in the manger. her generosity is the theme of this beautiful story.
Please note that this is certainly a legend and not based on scripture. however, it is a beautiful story that explains some of the rich symbolism that is so important in many Christmas celebrations around the world.
bonus: book on Christmas traditions around the world for adults
the atlas of christmas by alex palmer
The subtitle says it all: “the happiest, tastiest and most extravagant holiday traditions from around the world.”
This chapter book is a lighthearted look at holiday traditions from around the world. it certainly focuses on the weirder traditions. There aren’t many illustrations, just a handful, so it’s not for kids, but you can use it to accompany any other picture book or a holiday homeschool unit around the world. the sections are short, so it could be read aloud to children as a kind of advent reading.
Also, there are some typos… I hate that. but I still recommend it because it’s accessible, not academic. It would be a fun book to sit through December and peruse when you feel like learning a bit, or when another country is referenced in a Christmas book or movie.
See Also: 14 Books To Read For Their Really Beautiful Imagery