Picture books to read at Christmas! A collection of picture book ideas that will move adults, too.

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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

On Christmas night, many of us want to spend a special time with our children.

Christmas trees and presents are wonderful, but curling up in a warm room, opening a picture book, and immersing yourselves in a world of stories creates memories that will stay in your hearts for years to come.

In this article, we introduce picture books that are perfect for Christmas.

We’ve gathered titles filled with heartwarming stories and beautiful illustrations, as well as books with delightful twists that will bring out smiles—great for both read-aloud time and independent reading.

This Christmas, gather around a picture book with someone you love and savor an irreplaceable moment together!

Picture books to read at Christmas! A collection of picture book ideas that will move adults too (21–30)

Snow of Dreams

http://www.amazon.co.jp

If you’re looking for a pop-up Christmas book, how about Dream Snow? It’s a work by Eric Carle, known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the story features an old man and some animals.

The old man wakes from a dream in which everything is covered in beautiful snow.

When he looks outside, real snow is falling, which makes him remember something; he hurriedly gets dressed.

What did he remember, and what is he about to do…? There are two pop-up mechanisms: one on the page with the animals, and the second on the last page, where you can hear the sound of bells.

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Gifts for Christmas

http://www.amazon.co.jp

At Christmas, Santa brings presents.

For children, that has become a given.

But presents aren’t just something you receive—they’re also something you give.

This picture book tells the story of Santa, who comes on Christmas night to deliver gifts.

When he peeks into a stocking to put a present inside, he finds a gift for Santa tucked there.

It beautifully portrays the joy of giving and the warmth of thinking of others, leaving your heart feeling toasty after reading.

I can’t help but hope that children will grow up to be people who can give gifts like this.

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Barbapapa’s Present

http://www.amazon.co.jp

This is a story themed around the Barbapapa family’s Christmas.

On Christmas Day, a bird from a southern country arrived as a present.

But where the Barbapapa family lives is far too cold for a bird from the south, and everyone scrambles to heat up the room! What will happen to the southern bird? Keeping living creatures is difficult, and living in a place different from where you were born is even harder…

This is a fun yet strongly message-driven work that makes you think about many things.

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Someone’s present

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Someone’s Present is a picture book themed around Christmas gifts, filled with a message that encourages readers to think about the people who work to deliver presents to children.

On Christmas Day, one gift falls from a sleigh piled high with presents and drops into the sea.

Whose present could this parcel from the sky be? The charm of the book is that you can enjoy imagining the answer together with your child.

Plus, Santa is depicted with a unique touch and a great sense of humor, which will likely draw children into the world of the story.

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Usako-chan on a Snowy Day

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This is one of the works by Dutch picture-book author Dick Bruna, from the “Usako-chan” series, better known by the nickname “Miffy.” The hat that wraps up to her ears is irresistibly cute, isn’t it? The vivid colors that attract even very young babies, the warm hand-drawn lines, and the rhythmic flow of the Japanese translation are all wonderful.

One snowy day, Usako-chan builds a snowman and enjoys sledding and skating.

Then she meets a little bird in trouble…

This heartwarming book shows Usako-chan as gentle yet surprisingly strong—it’s a story that will make even adults’ hearts flutter.

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Forgetful Santa Claus

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A Christmas picture book by Hirotaka Nakagawa, whose songs and picture books are beloved not only by children but also by adults, touching their heartstrings.

The exchanges between the forgetful Santa and his reliable partner, the reindeer, are simply irresistible.

Especially in the first half, the large two-page spreads make it perfect for read-aloud time.

The story is, of course, delightful, and the illustrations are friendly and approachable, drawing children right into the world of the book.

Enjoy gently teasing the slightly unreliable yet adorable Santa together as a parent and child, and let the laid-back atmosphere soothe your hearts!

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Christmas Ghost

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This is a Christmas picture book by Keiko Sena, known for creating long-selling books with warm, textured collages.

Even though the theme is Christmas, it features the beloved “ghosts” from her popular series.

The first half is packed with the joys of Christmas.

Then comes the main thread: as a girl drifts off to sleep, smiling and happy from all the fun, she wonders, “By the way, what are the ghosts doing?” It’s a story that seems to strike at the essence of picture books—the importance of imagination—and its depth resonates with the meaning of Christmas, too.

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