Digital content coordinator Bronte Coates recommends five of her favourite classic picture books for Christmas.

You can find more Christmas-themed picture books in the full collection here. We’ve also put together a collection of heart-warming or family-focussed picture books that make ideal reading for the holiday season, but without mentioning Christmas at all.

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

First published in 1978, Raymond Briggs’s classic wordless tale perfectly captures the fleeting magic of Christmas time for children: a boy’s snowman creation comes to life, the two go on a whimsical, fantastical adventure, and in the morning the snowman has melted away. With his soft, dreamy illustrations Briggs really does create a wonderland in this book’s pages; The Snowman is beautiful and enchanting in equal measure. (For something a bit grumpier, I’m also a big fan of Briggs’s Father Christmas.) For ages 3+.

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox and Kerry Argent

21 years since publication, Mem Fox’s sweet Australian Christmas tale remains as entirely delightful as ever. Wombat loves everything about the Nativity Play, but it seems that he’s not right for any of the parts – that is, until Emu has a brilliant idea… Kerry Argent’s illustrations of all the animals in their costumes are adorable, and the text has a little bit of a rhyme to it which makes reading aloud a lot of fun. For ages 3+.

Presents Through the Window by Taro Gomi

I adore this clever, funny peekaboo book, released in Japan back in 1983. Santa is in a BIG hurry this year and so, to save time, he simply peeks through the window of each house to decide what present he’ll give. The problem is that the little glimpses he manages aren’t truly representative of who lives there… Taro Gomi’s artwork is vivid and distinctive with colour-soaked pages and bold geometric shapes, and kids will love knowing more than Santa who remains happily oblivious of his mix-ups. For ages 3+.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss

While this tale has been adapted for the screen multiple times since it appeared in 1957, not a single one of them lives up to the original book – and yes, I will fight you on this. Seuss is renowned for a reason, and I’d argue that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is him at his best. It’s funny, surreal and cleverly told, and certain moments in the narrative still have the power to make my heart feel overly full. The Grinch himself is an utterly brilliant, dastardly character, not least when he ties antlers on his unwilling dog Max. For ages 5+.

The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

It’s Christmas Eve and the Jolly Postman has a whole stack of letters and packages deliver to various fairy-tale characters – everyone from Red Riding Hood to Humpty Dumpty. Filled with surprise envelopes containing letters, cards, and even puzzles and games, I’m happy to see that this interactive picture book from 1991 remains a much-coveted Christmas favourite today. For ages 4+.