Diverse and Inclusive Holiday Books

There are so many beautiful and cosy books set in winter and which talk about Christmas. Here’s a roundup of my favourite winter-season books that feature diverse characters and talk about winter festivities other than Christmas. All of them are gentle and beautiful!

Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne is one of the only Christmas books I’ve found that features a non-white holy family. The illustrations are calm and lovely! 

The Nutcracker in Harlem by T.E. McMorrow

Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes is hard to find, but really lovely if you can get your hands on a copy!

Yoon and the Christmas Mitten by Helen Recorvits is about a young girl who’s recently emigrated to the USA from Korea. Her family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but Yoon finds a way to integrate her first and new cultures. A great read for families who celebrate Christmas culturally but who follow other religious traditions.

 Celebration Song by James Berry is a poem about the baby Jesus’s first birthday, and is from the perspective of a mother – extra touching for all of us mothers reflecting on our kids getting older each Christmas.

Nathan Blows Out The Hanukkah Candles by Tami Lehman-Wilzig shares the story of a young boy who is worried how his brother, who is autistic, will act at Hanukkah. Stories are rarely told from the perspective of the sibling of a child who is neurodiverse, and it talks about some of the worries and frustrations he feels. In the end, the book is about acceptance, sharing holidays, and finding a way to celebrate everyone’s differences.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is the classic story of enjoying a snowfall with friends.

 
Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport is a rare book about New Year’s Day! Shante explores the new year traditions of her neighbours.

And a few of our favourites which are lovely, but much more traditional:

 Brambly Hedge Winter Story by Jill Barklem, where Primrose and all the others have an Ice Ball.

Harvey Slumfenberger’s Christmas Present by John Burningham is the story of a tired Santa Claus who heads back out into the night to deliver a special gift.

Alfie’s Christmas by Shirley Hughes 

Lucy and Tom at Christmas by Shirley Hughes

The Night Tree by Eve Bunting tells the story of a family’s tradition to decorate a tree in the woods with food for birds and other animals.

The Story Orchestra Nutcracker

Pippa and Pelle in the Winter Snow by Daniela Drescher is gentle and lovely for the tiniest winter lovers!

I’ll be posting more on our favourite books on Instagram throughout the season!