A collection of recommended picture books to read with 4-year-olds that will make the wait for Christmas exciting

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

Christmas is just around the corner! For 4-year-olds, it’s a special season filled with excitement as they look forward to Santa and presents.

What makes the magic of Christmas shine even brighter is discovering heartwarming picture books.

They can comfort children as they wait for their gifts, or introduce them to little-known stories about Santa.

We’ll introduce a variety of wonderful, fun picture books that are perfect for this time of year.

Enjoy the unique world of Christmas stories together with your 4-year-olds!

Books to Read with 4-Year-Olds! A Recommended Collection of Picture Books That Will Make You Excited for Christmas (71–80)

Santa the Cold‑Sensitive

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This picture book warmly portrays Santa’s work of delivering presents to children on Christmas Eve.

It realistically depicts Santa diligently making his deliveries while deepening his connections with people in the community.

In this story, Santa is a relatable character who doesn’t handle the cold well and loves a good drink, making him feel familiar to children.

It also shows Santa enjoying his own Christmas after he finishes his work.

Through this picture book, children can experience a day in Santa’s life and feel the magic of Christmas up close.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Absolutely Do Not Open? Larry’s Christmas

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When it comes to Christmas, one of the things kids are most curious about is the presents, right? But what if a present is something you absolutely must not open… That just makes you want to open it even more, doesn’t it? Even if you don’t open it, this playful picture book features a present held by Larry the Mischief Monster that changes just by touching it—the box gets smaller, turns tall and narrow, or becomes comically huge.

With a new twist on every page, it keeps children excited and engaged.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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gloves

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Gloves that come in handy in winter.

It’s great that they keep you warm, but it’s also easy to lose just one of them.

This story is about a lost glove that animals begin to move into, with more and more of them joining.

At first, a mouse and a frog slip inside, but then animals of impossible size find their way in too, and the glove is about to burst at the seams.

In the end, the owner of the glove returns, and everyone runs away.

It’s a delightful picture book that contrasts the snowy world outside with the cozy warmth inside the glove.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Books to Read with 4-Year-Olds! A Collection of Recommended Picture Books That Will Make You Excited for Christmas (81–90)

Nezumi-kun’s Christmas

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This picture book is the Christmas edition of the popular Nezumikun (Little Mouse) series, which centers on kindness toward friends.

The tree that Little Mouse makes seems small to the other animals.

And the trees made by the other animals, in turn, feel small to animals bigger than they are.

While everyone is busy showing off ever larger trees, the smallest of all, Nemi-chan, has made a big Christmas cake for everyone.

It’s a heartwarming story about shifting your perspective from yourself to others.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Grandma Baba’s Christmas Decorations

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This is the Christmas edition of the popular “Baba Baa-chan” series, in which the story unfolds while explaining how to make things.

It’s packed with ideas for making Christmas decorations, trees, and more.

It’s a picture book you can enjoy twice: fun to read and fun to make.

As nuclear families become more common, there may be fewer opportunities for people of different generations—like grandmothers and children—to work together.

This is a book we especially want children to read so they can discover the joy of spending time with a grandmother.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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