Our Favorite Christ-Focused Christmas Picture Books

One of my favorite ways to prepare our hearts for the Advent and Christmas season with our toddler is to read Christ-centered picture books that tell the story of the first Christmas. Sure, we enjoy a ton of more secular Christmas books too (HERE are our favorites), but I try to focus on the true meaning of Christmas more than the fun, extra stuff. We enjoy using our Little People nativity set to walk through the story, which helps him engage more with the story while being busy with his hands.  Here are some of our favorites. Most are short enough for infants but engaging enough to keep preschoolers listening as well, especially due to the sweet and skilled illustrations that captivate children and adults alike. I hope you find a few to check out at your public library or buy as gifts for little ones in your life!

Before I jump to the long list, here are a few ways to engage even the youngest children during these picture books:

• Read them multiple times in a few days. Repetition helps young children so much! I pick a few books to focus on each week and we re-read those all week, then we switch to another bunch of books the next week.
• Use different voices for the characters, different speed and say some words softly while others louder to bring the story alive. Kids love silly voices and over-the-top productions when reading-aloud, so have fun with it!
• Ask easy, open-ended questions like "Do you think Mary and Joseph were tired from their long journey once they reached Bethlehem? What feelings do you think they felt when the inn keeper said there was no room for them to rest inside?" "This book has cows, lambs, ducks, etc in the stable. I wonder if there were other animals? I wonder if it was noisy or quiet in the stable?" It's okay to have a few comprehension questions, if desired (like "What was the town that Joseph and Mary traveled to?") but it can make a child feel like they are being quizzed and take the fun away from reading together if they are only listening to pass a test. Instead, engaging questions that you answer as well as more of a conversation, which is helped with starting off the question with "I wonder...", which feels less like a quiz and more like dialogue. 
• Use props if available! We love our Little People nativity set. My son plays with it while I read nativity stories and we act it out as we read. It's a great way to keep their little hands busy while their minds are still engaged to the story. Coloring pages with scenes from the nativity story are also great while reading aloud to kids. You may think they can't work with their hands and listen to a story at the same time, but most kids can do it, and may kids actually listen better when working with their hands!
• Get them moving. We love to play hide-and-seek with the wise men. Then I will talk to my son about how the wise men traveled to Bethlehem to find Jesus, so we grab the star off the Christmas tree and I lead the way to our nativity set, where we place the wise men and camel before Jesus. Or have siblings race around the house as if they were shepherds running from the hillside to the stable to see the newborn that the angels told them about. 
• Add music! Do you have bells in your Christmas decor? Grab one if it's child-friendly. Or if you have a xylophone, maracas, a tambourine, or other child-friendly instruments, invite them to make a joyful noise if you read any of the picture books below that illustrate Christmas carols. If you play an instrument, give them a mini-concert with the song from the book! HERE are our favorite Christmas sing-along picture books

Here are our favorite nativity picture books for the past three Christmases. Most are geared towards infants through preschool, but I have a feeling even older kids would enjoy most of these!

Who is Coming to Our House? (written by Joseph Slate, illustrated by Ashley Wolff)

We read this one almost daily when my son was two. It is such a sweet story about farm animal's anticipating the arrival of a special family to their house in a barn.  The mouse's excitement at the end, when they meet Baby Jesus, almost makes me tear up.

Read-aloud age recommendation: Infant to preschool

My Merry Christmas (written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Sara Gianassi)

What is Christmas all about? Sally Lloyd-Jones (author of The Jesus Storybook Bible) explains themes of Christmas through traditional symbols of Christmas such as twinkling lights, angels, and stars. The pages alternate between woodland animals decorating a Christmas tree and the Nativity story. Creative and delightful board book for young children!

Read-aloud age recommendation: Toddler and up

The Silent Noisy Night (written by Jill Roman Lord, illustrated by Kelly Breemer

Was it really a silent night when Jesus was born, as the age old carol declares? This adorable board book supposes it may have been a noisy night with animals in the stable celebrating the birth of the Savior. Simple rhymes in a sing-song pace, it helps little ones imagine what that first Christmas night was like. 

Read-aloud age recommendation: Infant and up

This is the Stable (written by Cynthia Cotten, illustrated by Delana Bettoli)

The Nativity story is told from different perspectives in a poetic, heart-warming way, from the animals to the angels and shepherd's proclaiming glory to God. The illustrations are unique (particularly the the star) and vibrant. 

Read-aloud age recommendation: Toddler and up 

The First Night (by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher)

Unique illustrations made with acrylic paint on butternut wood, with lines cut with a carving tool, then photographed  and the color transparencies were used for the book. Woah! Such intricate and masterful work used to tell the story of Jesus' first night on earth as a baby. Very simple narration short enough for the shortest attention spans, yet so deep with meaning and beauty at the same time.

Read-aloud age recommendation: Toddler and up 

A Very Noisy Christmas (by Tim Thornborough, illustrated by Jennifer Davison)

Oh my goodness, this is a FUN book! My son and I love the two other books we've read by this author (Daniel and the Very Hungry Lion, Jonah and the Very Big Fish) because they are all so creative and encourage active listening. In this one, the reader (whether an older child or a parent) is encouraged to whisper anything that is preceded by a big "Shhhhhhhh" (like when the shepherds are sleeping in the field), while they loudly read anything in bold, large font (like when the angels are rejoicing). Whenever something exciting is about to happen, there is the phrase "then suddenly..." at the end of a page, so I read that very dramatically, which my son giggles at. This book encourages a fun read-aloud experience while sharing the story of Jesus' birth, focusing on Him as our Rescuer. It is just SO good!!

Read-aloud age recommendation: Toddler and up 

A Night of Great Joy (by Mary Englebreit)

A group of children tell the nativity story through a pageant. Their expressions are so fun and much like what you'd see in an actual pageant with child actors (like a boy dressed up as a Wise Man has a worried face as he is trying not to lose his balance when kneeling!) Darling illustrations by Engelbreit. The book itself is so joyful, but the lasting message of the newborn King, is even more joyful. The nativity story is told in a uniquely fresh way. My son loved this one and laughed at the unbalanced Wise Man and the red wagon with a donkey cut-out for a head that was "carrying" Mary. It was a fun way to introduce plays/pageants to him.

Read-aloud age recommendation: A bit long for infants and young toddlers.  I think even up to kinder would enjoy it!

The Donkey's Christmas Song (by Nancy Tafuri)

Such a sweet story about a donkey who wants to bring a gift to the newborn baby, but thinks his bray will be too loud. As all the other barn animals say hello in their distinctive sounds, he finally draws near to the newborn and his hee-haw brings the baby laughter. He keeps him warm by laying down beside him. Obviously the Bible doesn't talk about animals greeting baby Jesus, and this book doesn't mention Jesus' name, but the barn setting and the parents look like a Mary and Joseph, so it can be assumed. Though this wouldn't be my only nativity picture book for kids (since it doesn't actually tell the story), it is still a sweet accompaniment to help kids imagine what it could have been like for baby Jesus to be born in the stable. Where there lots of animals in there? Did they make noise? The book can help adults imagine alongside their children with this sweet tale. 

Read-aloud age recommendation: Read at 2 years old, which was a great age. It's short, simple illustrations that even infants would enjoy, but I think engaging for older preschoolers too.

The Birds of Bethlehem (by Tomie dePaola)

Tomie dePaola brings a creative spin to the nativity story: a birds eye view. Different colored birds each mention what they witnessed as they tell the story of the first Christmas. We both absolutely love this book. My son loved calling out the colors of the birds. 
Read-aloud age recommendation: toddler and up 

The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol (by Tomie dePaola)

The beautiful carol not often heard anymore is brought to a new generation with Tomie's signature artwork style and charm. From the donkey who "carried His mother up hill and down" to the cow who "gave Him my manger for His bed" and the dove from rafters high in the stable who cooed Him to sleep, this is just such a sweet old carol. We listen/watch the Cedarmont Kids version on Youtube, which my son loves because it has kids singing the song next to real barn animals from the song.

Read-aloud age recommendation: Any age since even infants would enjoy being sung to. Older kids can join in the song. 

Room for a Little One (story by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Jason Cockcroft)

A kind ox welcomes in an old dog, a stray cat, a small mouse, a tired donkey, and ultimately Jesus, because "there is always room for a little one here" he says. The book ends with the simple yet powerful reminder that a Little One came for the world. The illustrations are life-like and so intricate and beautiful. This is such a sweet story focused on animals in the stable/barn where Jesus was born, but each little one that enters the stable is preparing for when the Little One is born, so it definitely doesn't just focus on animals. 

Recommended read-aloud age: toddler and up

A Savior Is Born: Rocks Tell the Story of Christmas (created by Patti Rokus)

An incredibly unique and creative way to tell the Christmas story: sparse text (with scripture references) aided by pictures made entirely of rocks! From Gabriel visiting Mary to the wise men traveling to find Jesus, each page depicts a scene using irregularly-shaped rocks expertly placed to really look like an angel, a stable, a donkey, etc. The black background helps the rocks pop out. My son loves collecting rocks during our walks, so a book all about rocks was totally a winner for him. The sparse text worked for this book. I would explain certain scenes beyond the few words on the page, so the text was a great starting place. 

Recommended read-aloud age: Any age! Infants would likely like the contrasting colors between pages and rocks and the simple text, but older children would appreciate the intricate placement of the rocks. 

Listen to the Silent Night (story by Dandi Daley Mackall, illustrations by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher)

It was not such a silent night with the flip, flap of Joseph's sandals as he trudged from inn to inn, the rap, tap tap on the door, the moo of the cows, the swish of the desert sand "as the camels raced toward a far-off land", and the flat-flut-flutter of the angel wings with the "wondrous message" that Christ the King is born. Reverent and rhythmic, this is such a beautiful book, both in text and breathtaking, realistic paintings. It makes you think about the many sounds on that night. My son and I loved this one.

Recommended read-aloud age: Older toddler and up (due to length).  

The Fourth Wise Man: Based on the story by Henry Van Dyke (retold by Susan Summers, illustrated by Jackie Morris) 

I have been reading the short story by Henry Van Dyke at Christmastime for many years and have been looking forward to reading it with my son. I have read other versions but this is the closest retelling to the original. The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking by Jackie Morris, who I have enjoyed in other Christian picture books. The story makes you wonder what if there was a fourth wise man who never made it in time to see Baby Jesus because he kept stopping to help others along the way. The last page always makes me bawl and it was very special to read it to my son at 4-years old. I look forward now to continuing the tradition of reading it with him rather than on my own.

Recommended read-aloud age: It's a long story, so older preschooler and up. Can definitely be read with older kids too because the language is so rich. 

Humphrey's First Christmas (written and illustrated by Carol Heyer)

Very funny starting to the book since it’s about a camel named Humphrey who really wants a warm blanket for his back. He finally gets it, but lays it on Jesus when the wise men arrive to the stable and the camel is awed by the baby. He is “overwhelmed by love” so his response is to lay down his treasured blanket. Such a sweet ending.
Read-aloud recommendation: A bit long, so preschool and up

Mortimer's Christmas Manger (written and illustrated by Karma Wilson)

The author and illustrator duo that are behind the fun Bear books (Bear Can’t Wait, Bear Snores On, etc) have created a sweet story about a mouse who moves into a nativity set, lugging and tugging all the characters out so he can sleep inside. Then he overhears the nativity story and who the statues all represent, so he makes room for them again. 
Read-aloud recommendation: It's a bit lengthy, so I’d say, preschool and up.

The Colors of Christmas (written by Martha Nelson Phifer, illustrated by Judy I. Roberts)

A sweet book for young children that tells the story of Jesus' birth through colors. It starts with the green hills where the shepherds were resting, then proceeds to the white sheep, the yellow hay, etc. Each page focuses on a different color, the text is sparse and beautifully written, and the illustrations are simple yet beautiful.

Read-aloud recommendation: Infant through preschool

The Little Boy's Christmas Gift by John Spiers

This is such a unique book. It was published in 2001, yet the artwork is purposefully created to resemble 15th and 16th. century paintings. A ton of research went into it and it truly showed in the detailed illustrations as well as the embellished gold used throughout the book. The story is about a boy who follows the wise men to honor Jesus and he brings his own humble gift. Along the way, other people join the caravan of seekers of the newborn king. I explained to my son that this very likely didn't happen when the wise men traveled to Bethlehem, but that it is an interesting imagination of what could have occurred if others were just as determined to travel miles and miles to see Jesus. The story builds on itself on each page, with repeating phrases that are great for younger readers, through it is a rather long book. We adored it and I was glad that my son was exposed to such classic illustrations to balance out the more colorful, contemporary, cartoonish illustrations of most Christmas books.

Read-aloud recommendation: preschool and up due to length

What are your favorite nativity picture books?

Looking for more Christmas picture books?

Favorite Secular Christmas Books
Favorite sing-along Christmas books