Top 10 Jumpstart Recommended Children’s Books for the Holidays

Vice President of Jumpstart’s National Program, Jessica Lazzara, shares Jumpstart approved book picks – from The Snowy Day to The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza – for this season and beyond!

With the holiday season upon us, now is the perfect time to share a book with a child in your life to inspire life-long memories and learning. We have a list of ten of our favorite books for young children, which will help build their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. We hope you add one of these books to your list of favorites! Enjoy!

1. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The classic book tells the story of magic that happens during a snowfall and a little boy named Peter’s snowy explorations and celebrations. Reread this previous Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® book.

2. The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

This adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables is told through rich illustrations, and tells the story of unlikely partners helping one another.

3. The Story of Blanket by Ferida Wolff & Harriet May Savitz

This story of a storyteller whose acts of kindness in a close-knit community inspire her neighbors to thank her with an act of kindness of their own.

4. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

This timeless story of a family in New York City after a fire destroys all of their possessions highlights the strength within a loving and determined family.

5. Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk

This rhyming text is about a sociable and caring spider that is just looking to make some new friends.

6. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why by Amy Shields

Children are able to ask big questions and get accurate information in an age-appropriate way.

7. In My Family by Carmen Lomas Garza

In this book, the author shares her memories of growing up in a traditional Mexican-American community.

8. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale by Verna Aardema

African folklore is used to tell the importance of careful listening and truth-telling.

9. The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philomen Sturges

The Little Red Hen shares pizza with friends, not bread in this modern version of the classic.

10. Bee-Bim Bop by Linda Sue Park

A little girls shops for, helps prepare, and then enjoys this favorite meal, the Korean dish Bee-bim Bop, with her family.

Here at Jumpstart we love books, so it was hard for us to pick just 10 to share! Check out our additional resources for lists of other great books.

Happy reading and happy holidays!

Vice President of Education & Research at Jumpstart

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