A familiar book feels different with a December number on the front. Your child recognizes the torn corner as the paper comes off and starts telling you what happens next. That favorite can return every year.
A book advent calendar gives your family one reading choice each day from December 1 through Christmas Eve. Wrap books you own or borrow, put story titles in numbered envelopes, or divide a longer book into 24 readings. Start with the printable tags, then choose from 24 picture books and six free stories below. Jump to: how it works · printable book tags · 24 picture books · free stories online · fit reading around December · sources
How does a book advent calendar work, and how do you make one?
It works like any advent calendar, with a story where the chocolate would go: every December date opens one reading, and the last one falls on Christmas Eve. To make one, choose one format, number the reading choices 1–24, and open the number that matches the December date. This countdown ends on December 24. If you want reading days mixed with games and making things, use the advent calendar printable with 24 family activities.
| Format | Gather | Your daily reading |
|---|---|---|
| Wrapped books | Books, reused wrapping paper or bags, tape, numbered tags | Open and share one book |
| Title cards | Paper or envelopes, a pencil, access to the books or free texts | Reveal a title and find the story |
| One longer book | A book, a bookmark, a list of 24 stopping points | Continue yesterday’s story |
Wrap books from home or the library
- Gather what you can read together. Start at your shelf, then ask your library for Christmas picture books. Mix holiday titles with familiar favorites.
- Plan the dates. Save longer stories for evenings with more time. Note each title and its library due date on a separate list. Check your library’s loan and renewal rules before wrapping.
- Wrap and number. Use paper you already have, reusable bags, or a folded sheet around each cover. Keep tape on the wrapping so it stays clear of the book and library labels.
- Put the books in a basket. After reading, return the book to the shelf or the library-return bag.
You can prepare a few days at a time. If you have eight books, read those, then use title cards for rereading or borrow another batch. Tell your child which books are visiting from the library and which belong to your family.
Reveal a story title each day
- Cut out the tags below or fold scrap paper into cards. Write a date outside and a title inside.
- Add the author and where to find the story: your shelf, a library copy, or one of the free links below. Open online texts in advance so you can find them again.
- Arrange the cards in a box or numbered envelopes. Open today’s card together and bring the story to your reading spot.
A card can say “reread your favorite from this week.” If your child likes decorating the envelopes, the Christmas coloring pages give them pictures to add around the numbers.
Read one longer book in 24 installments
Choose a book your child wants to hear over several evenings. If it has 24 chapters of manageable length, assign one to each date. Otherwise, divide it into 24 sections and write down the page ranges before December starts. Use scene endings as stopping points; chapter numbers can stay exactly as printed.
Keep a bookmark in the book. Tomorrow, recall where the characters were and continue. If you finish early, give the remaining dates to favorite passages or another story.
Where can you get printable book advent tags?
Download the 24 numbered tags, write your book choices in the blank spaces, and attach them to the wrapping or use them as title cards. Print on US Letter or A4 paper, single-sided, at actual size. The black-and-white tags leave room for coloring; the planning sheet keeps titles and library due dates together.
You handle difficult cuts and supervise scissors; keep loose wrapping and small supplies away from young children.
Which 24 Christmas picture books can you wrap?
Use these as choices for your calendar and swap in books you can borrow. Our criterion is variety across the month: rhymes, visual jokes, adventures, family gatherings, and Christian Christmas stories. Published reviews and library recommendations support the selection. Source numbers lead to those records below; ages suggest reading together.
Ask your librarian for these titles and authors, or browse the longer selection of Christmas picture books. Dates here are suggestions.
1. Pick a Pine Tree
Patricia Toht; illustrated by Jarvis. Candlewick, 2017. Ages 3–7.
A family chooses a tree and decorates it with friends. Put this early in the month: its step-by-step verse lets your child follow the transformation from outdoor pine to indoor Christmas tree. Source 1
2. Dream Snow
Written and illustrated by Eric Carle. Philomel, 2000. Ages 4–7.
A farmer dreams of snow covering his five animals, then prepares Christmas gifts for them. Choose it for counting and guessing which animal hides beneath each snowy shape, with Carle’s bright collage colors to look at together. Source 2
3. Bear Stays Up for Christmas
Karma Wilson; illustrated by Jane Chapman. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2004. Ages 3–7.
Bear’s friends wake him for Christmas preparations; later, he has a surprise for them. The rhyming text and animals working together make this a choice for a child who enjoys hearing familiar characters return. Source 3
4. Snowmen at Christmas
Caralyn Buehner; illustrated by Mark Buehner. Dial, 2005. Ages 4–8.
Snow people gather after dark for their own celebration. Leave time to search the pictures: hidden shapes give your child something to discover while you read about icy snacks and a snowman Santa. Source 4
5. Mr. Willowby’s Head Over Heels Christmas
Written and illustrated by Robert Barry. Doubleday, 2025. Ages 4–7.
A bear tries to deliver a Christmas tree by riding it downhill, collecting other animals along the way. This rhyming tumble adds a comic evening; the story stands on its own if you haven’t read Barry’s earlier Willowby book. Source 5
6. Olive, the Other Reindeer
J.otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh; illustrated by J.otto Seibold. Chronicle Books, 1997. Ages 4–8.
A dog hears a Christmas song as an invitation to join Santa’s team. Her sniffing and fetching come in handy. Choose this for the mistaken identity and busy cartoon pictures; explain the sound-alike name if the joke needs help. Source 6
7. Red & Lulu
Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares. Candlewick, 2017. Ages 3–7.
Two cardinals become separated when their tree travels to New York City. The search and reunion give the pictures a journey to follow, including wordless spreads where you can pause and let your child find the bird. Source 7
8. The Christmas Owl
Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer; illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki. Little, Brown, 2021. Ages 4–8.
Inspired by the owl rescued from Rockefeller Center’s tree, this story imagines the bird wondering what Christmas means. Pair it with yesterday’s tree journey; the photographs and author’s note distinguish the real rescue from the animal’s imagined thoughts. Source 8
9. Dasher
Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares. Candlewick, 2019. Ages 3–8.
A young doe escapes a traveling circus and meets Santa. The flight scenes make this an adventure choice. Read it ahead if animal captivity worries your child: the beginning shows the reindeer confined before the story reaches its happy reunion. Source 9
10. Night Tree
Eve Bunting; illustrated by Ted Rand. Harcourt, 1991. Ages 3–8.
A family visits the woods to decorate a living tree for animals. Moonlit watercolors and the return home offer a quieter evening after Dasher’s escape. Ask which detail your child would want to look at again. Source 10
11. Jingle the Christmas Clown
Written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Putnam, 1992. Ages 4–8.
A young clown and baby circus animals give a free performance in an Italian village. An angel appears at the end. Choose it for a celebration built around what the performers can share, with older villagers helping the show happen. Source 11
12. Too Many Tamales
Gary Soto; illustrated by Ed Martinez. Putnam, 1993. Ages 4–8.
Maria thinks her mother’s ring has disappeared into the Christmas tamales. Her cousins help with an increasingly difficult search. The comic predicament and the family cooking another batch give you plenty to talk about without adding a lesson afterward. Source 12
13. May Your Life Be Deliciosa
Michael Genhart; illustrated by Loris Lora. Cameron + Company, 2021. Ages 5–10.
During a Christmas Eve tamalada, Abuela pairs cooking instructions with wishes for her family. This gives the month a second tamale story with a different purpose: passing on memories. English narration includes Spanish words. Source 13
14. La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story
Antonio Sacre; illustrated by Angela Dominguez. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010. Suggested ages 5–8.
Nina spends Christmas with her Cuban relatives in warm Miami, away from familiar New England snow. Choose this for a child celebrating between households or places: cooking, music, and relatives help her get to know another family Christmas. Source 14
15. The Legend of the Poinsettia
Retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Putnam, 1994. Ages 4–8.
Lucida worries that she has nothing to offer the baby Jesus after her mother becomes ill. The weeds she brings turn into poinsettias. This Mexican Christmas legend adds a Christian miracle story, told through bold areas of color. Source 15
16. The Night of Las Posadas
Written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Putnam, 1999. Ages 4–8.
A procession in Santa Fe receives two mysterious visitors when its Mary and Joseph are delayed. Choose it to introduce the reenactment and its religious meaning. The guide to Las Posadas continues that conversation. Source 16
17. The Trees of the Dancing Goats
Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. Simon & Schuster, 1996. Ages 7–9.
A Jewish family preparing for Hanukkah helps neighbors whose Christmas preparations have stopped because of scarlet fever. Save a longer reading slot for the family’s handmade gifts and the different traditions they carry between homes. Source 17
18. Santa in the City
Tiffany D. Jackson; illustrated by Reggie Brown. Dial, 2021. Ages 4–8.
Deja wonders how Santa can reach her apartment without a chimney. Her mother answers her questions in a city setting. This directly discusses doubts about Santa; choose its date with your own family’s conversations in mind. Source 18
19. Carla and the Christmas Cornbread
Carla Hall with Kristen Hartke; illustrated by Cherise Harris. Denene Millner Books, 2021. Ages 3–8.
Carla eats a cookie meant for Santa, and Granny helps her prepare something else. The grandparents’ kitchen gives this story its place in the calendar. You can follow it with a letter to Santa about your child’s own Christmas preparations. Source 19
20. The Nutcracker in Harlem
T.E. McMorrow; illustrated by James Ransome. Harper, 2017. Ages 4–8.
At a Christmas party in 1920s Harlem, shy Marie receives a nutcracker and dreams of a battle she helps end with music. Choose this for its jazz setting and movement-filled watercolors; the dream includes an army of mice. Source 20
21. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
Susan Wojciechowski; illustrated by P.J. Lynch. Candlewick, 1995. Suggested ages 5–9.
A widow and her son ask a woodcarver to make Nativity figures. Detailed watercolors accompany a story about company and loss. Jonathan is grieving his wife and child; allow time to talk. Source 21
22. Christmas in the Barn
Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Anna Dewdney. Harper, 2016 edition. Ages 2–6.
Mary, Joseph, and the animals gather around the newborn Jesus. Choose this for a short, rhythmic Nativity reading. Brown’s text dates to 1952; this edition has Dewdney’s paintings and some older words you may want to explain. Source 22
23. The Little Reindeer
Written and illustrated by Nicola Killen. Paula Wiseman Books, 2017 US edition. Ages 4–8.
Ollie follows jingling into snowy woods, returns a reindeer’s collar, and receives a ride home. The mostly black-and-white pictures leave small red details to spot. Save it for an evening when your child wants a nighttime adventure. Source 23
24. The Polar Express
Written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin, 1985. Suggested ages 4–8.
A boy boards a Christmas Eve train and returns with a sleigh bell. The 1986 Caldecott Medal winner closes this list with a journey and glowing pictures. Its ending connects hearing the bell with believing in Santa; a family favorite can take this date instead. Source 24
Which free stories can you read online?
These six texts are free to read in English through Project Gutenberg, which identifies the linked editions as public domain in the United States. Use a title card for each. The first three are by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm; the next two are by Hans Christian Andersen.
| Story and legal reading link | What to expect |
|---|---|
| The Elves and the Shoemaker | Tiny helpers finish the shoes; a Christmas gift thanks them. A gentle choice to read aloud. |
| The Travelling Musicians, also known as the Bremen Town Musicians | Four animals frighten robbers and find a home. This older version includes threats to kill the animals, scratches, a bite, and a kick. |
| The Golden Goose | A growing procession gets stuck together. Choose it for comic repetition; the opening includes axe injuries and unkind names for the youngest brother. |
| The Real Princess, also known as The Princess and the Pea | A very short fairy tale for a busy evening. This English version puts three peas beneath the mattresses. |
| The Fir Tree | A tree longs to grow and become a Christmas tree. The ending is sad: the tree is chopped up and burned. Read it yourself before choosing its evening. |
| The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry | A couple secretly sell treasured things to buy each other gifts. A choice for older listeners who enjoy an ironic ending; its older vocabulary may need explanation. |
How can reading fit around a busy December?
Put shorter books on busy dates and let rereading take a date of its own. With siblings, alternate who opens the package while everyone shares the story. A child who reads independently can take a character’s lines while you carry the narration.
If a day gets away from you, open the next book when you have time. Start midway through December with the remaining numbers. Let the final reading join your family’s Christmas Eve traditions, at bedtime or earlier in the day.
Idunn’s take
Our choice is a calendar with room for books your child already loves. Leave the tags blank until you know which library copies you can bring home, and let your child choose which story earns another evening. On the nights without a book, a small gesture from the kindness advent calendar fits the same basket.
Sources
Picture-book editions and selection sources
The numbers match the choices above. Reviews support the descriptions; suggested calendar placement is Idunn’s editorial judgment.
- Toht and Jarvis, Pick a Pine Tree. Publishers Weekly review, September 4, 2017.
- Carle, Dream Snow. Kirkus review, July 15, 2000.
- Wilson and Chapman, Bear Stays Up for Christmas. Kirkus review, November 1, 2004.
- Buehner and Buehner, Snowmen at Christmas. Kirkus review, November 1, 2005.
- Barry, Mr. Willowby’s Head Over Heels Christmas. Kirkus review, August 15, 2025.
- Seibold and Walsh, Olive, the Other Reindeer. Kirkus review, November 1, 1997.
- Tavares, Red & Lulu. Publishers Weekly review, September 4, 2017.
- Kalish, Sterer, and Kaulitzki, The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller. Publishers Weekly review, September 9, 2021.
- Tavares, Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever. Kirkus review, September 1, 2019.
- Bunting and Rand, Night Tree. Kirkus review, September 15, 1991.
- DePaola, Jingle the Christmas Clown. Kirkus review, September 15, 1992.
- Soto and Martinez, Too Many Tamales. Kirkus review, September 1, 1993.
- Genhart and Lora, May Your Life Be Deliciosa. Kirkus review, September 1, 2021.
- Sacre and Dominguez, La Noche Buena. Worlds of Words, University of Arizona, catalog entry, ISBN 9780810989672, 2010.
- DePaola, The Legend of the Poinsettia. Kirkus review, October 15, 1994.
- DePaola, The Night of Las Posadas. Kirkus review, November 1, 1999.
- Polacco, The Trees of the Dancing Goats. Kirkus review, November 1, 1996.
- Jackson and Brown, Santa in the City. Kirkus review, September 1, 2021.
- Hall, Hartke, and Harris, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread. Kirkus review, September 1, 2021.
- McMorrow and Ransome, The Nutcracker in Harlem. Publishers Weekly review, September 4, 2017.
- Wojciechowski and Lynch, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. Publishers Weekly review of the 2002 reissue; Open Library record of the 1995 US edition; Candlewick’s description and reissue record.
- Brown and Dewdney, Christmas in the Barn. Kirkus review of the 2016 edition, September 1, 2016.
- Killen, The Little Reindeer. Publishers Weekly review, September 4, 2017.
- Van Allsburg, The Polar Express. Arkansas State University’s 1986 Caldecott record; Vicky Smith, “Who’s Hearing Those Christmas Bells?”, Kirkus, September 10, 2015.
Free reading editions
- Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Grimms’ Fairy Tales, Project Gutenberg ebook 2591. English texts of “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” “The Travelling Musicians,” and “The Golden Goose.”
- Hans Christian Andersen, Andersen’s Fairy Tales, Project Gutenberg ebook 1597. English texts of “The Real Princess” and “The Fir Tree.”
- O. Henry, The Four Million, Project Gutenberg ebook 2776, 1906; “The Gift of the Magi.”
Sources checked October 15, 2026. Ages and reading arrangements are guidance for sharing a story with an adult.
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