Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Seasonal Events

The Rhyming Rabbit

Picturebook

A springy rhyming book from super duo Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (also known for What the Ladybird Heard).

This story book is about a rabbit who loves poetry and rhyme. He feels a lack of belonging with the other rabbits, who are not so delighted by his literary talents. In search of companions who share his passion, he leaves home to look for somewhere he belongs and find a place his poetry might be more appreciated.

Julia Donaldson is renowned for excellent rhyming picture books, so there is something extra pleasing in a book from her that is about rhyme as well as being told in rhyme. Perfectly pitched to support phonics learning as well as being a distinctively illustrated fun animal tale, we found this to be a lovely story for children in the Early Years.

Maisy’s Chinese New Year

Lucy Cousins

Picturebook

Maisy is celebrating one of the world’s biggest festivals: Chinese New Year! From hanging up lanterns to receiving lucky red packets and joining in the dragon dance at the parade, this bright and colourful storybook is a perfect introduction to the many joys of Chinese New Year.

Maisy’s friend Tiger is coming home especially for Chinese New Year! Once the house is tidy and the decorations are up, Maisy changes into her lovely red dress and throws a big party for all her friends. They have a delicious feast, tell stories, see the fireworks together and, on new year’s day, watch a spectacular parade – with an amazing dragon dance! Richly illustrated in Lucy Cousins’ vibrant and colourful style, this exciting and gently informative story from the multi-award-winning creator of Maisy is ideal for sharing the excitement of Chinese New Year with little ones.

We Love Festivals: Chinese New Year

Saviour Pirotta

Non-fiction

An ideal introduction to the celebration of Chinese New Year for children aged 4-7 in Foundation Stage and KS1 classes. This book describes how Chinese people prepare for New Year by cleaning their house and having their hair cut. It shows how people around the world scare the monster Nian away with fireworks and watch the dragon dance in the street.

Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential resource in every Early Years setting. ‘Did You Know?’ boxes highlight interesting and unusual facts about Chinese New Year to give further points for children and adults to discuss. And a chart enables them to work out what Chinese year they were born in.

Lunar New Year Around the World

Amanda Li & Angel Chang

Picturebook

‘Lunar New Year around the world’ is a brightly coloured delight. It explains how Lunar New Year is celebrated in different countries around the world in a really accessible way. The text on each page is brief and presented in different sections or boxes. The illustrations are very detailed and there is plenty to look at on each page. There are also a lot of activities mentioned in the book that children could easily do themselves, for example, making a paper lantern or writing a wish on a piece of paper. This book is great to share with any year group or would make a good assembly book.

I Love Chinese New Year

Eva Wong Nava & Li Xin

Picturebook

This picture book provides a beautifully illustrated introduction to Chinese New Year.

The night before the celebrations, Mai-Anne explains that the Lunar New Year is about to arrive and that her family enjoys a special set of traditions. Mai-Anne helps to clean and decorate the house and is excited when her grandmother (Nai Nai) arrives in time for the most important dinner of the year – fish for good luck, noodles for a long life, dumplings for blessings and nian gao for success. After dinner, Mai-Anne and Nai Nai settle down together and Nai Nai recounts the important story of the Great Race. Along with Mai-Anne, the reader learns about the story of the twelve animals who race to cross the river. Then Mai-Anne enjoys a special family Dragon Dance, eats sweet tangerines and wears a special red outfit for luck.

This is a lovely picture book to read at Chinese New Year but also all year round too as a book that celebrates family moments, bonds with grandparents and the joy of special traditions. The illustrations and text are both warm and celebratory in tone. It also features a non-fiction section on the final pages with more information about Chinese New Year and the dragon dance.

Winnie and Wilbur at Chinese New Year

Korky Paul & Valerie Thomas

Picturebook

When Winnie and Wilbur decide to celebrate Chinese New Year, the party is going with a swing. Family? Check! Friends? Check! Food? Check! Fun? Check! But just when Winnie waves her wand to make parade costumes for everyone, Wilbur goes missing. Oh no! Will Winnie find him before the first firework lights up the sky? The best-selling Winnie and Wilbur series has been delighting readers both young and old since 1987 and Winnie and Wilbur have become favourite characters in homes and schools all over the world.

Chinese New Year

Sharon Katz Cooper

Non-fiction

Chinese New Year is a time for new beginnings. Some people clean their homes from top to bottom or share meals with friends. Others pray, light fireworks or give each other gifts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Primary School Book Gift Guide 2025

Best Children’s Books for Primary School Children: Christmas 2025 Gift Guide

Books make a superb choice of Christmas gifts for children. From timeless bedtime stories and curious information books to festive favourites and glorious gift books, we’ve selected our top recommendations for book gifts for children in their primary years.

Head to our Book Gift Guide for Ages 3-5 to find bookish Christmas presents for EYFS children. There, you’ll find Christmas nativity stories like Leah’s Star or laugh-out-loud escapades like Clive Penguin Learns to Fly, Sort of, and beautiful bedtime story compendiums to treasure, such as Poppy and Sam’s Complete Book of Farmyard Tales.

In this year’s Book Gift Guide for Ages 5-7, we ho-ho-hope you’ll love the selection of recommended books for KS1 children. Whether you are looking for fun, festive read-alouds like Have Yourself a Cheesy Little Christmas or laugh-out-loud Christmas adventures like Peanut Butter & Crackers Christmas Surprise, we’re sure this guide will fill your little ones with festive cheer.

Browse our Book Gift Guide for Ages 7-9 to find presents for children in Years 3 and 4. We’ve included popular favourites like The Wood Where Magic Grows and super fun choose-your-own-adventure style books like Traitor Island, as well as beautiful poetry compendiums to treasure, such as A Poem for Every Question.

In our Book Gift Guide for Ages 9-11, you’ll find a range of reading styles and interests covered for years 5 and 6. Whether you are looking for jolly, festive stories like Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish, relatable Christmas dramas like The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks, or information books for curious minds like Wish Upon a Star, we hope the books in this selection find their way into plenty of Christmas stockings this year.

Each of the guides includes purchasing links and a printable PDF version to share with your school community.

Operation Nativity

Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear

Chapter book

Oscar and Molly are spending their first Christmas with their paternal grandparents, Lord and Lady Cuthbert-Anderson. It is a family tradition to put on a Nativity production in the village church, but due to past dramas and disasters, Oscar’s parents have opted out until now. Grandfather is ill, and this may be the last opportunity to participate with him, making special memories. An angel crash landing in the garden is the first sign that this Christmas is going to be very different!

Angel Gabriel has made a mistake and accidentally blasted Mary, Joseph, Donald the donkey, Wise Man Balthazar and a shepherd called Steve, 2,000 years into the future. If they cannot be returned to the correct time and place, then Christmas will be cancelled! Besides the obvious, Christmas is important to Oscar as it is the anniversary of when his parents first met – no Christmas, no Oscar and Molly!

Once Gabriel has described the situation to Oscar, they are in a hilarious race against time to ensure that the Nativity happens in Bethlehem. With the others scattered around the countryside, and Mary and Joseph attempting to continue their journey, it will take resourcefulness to find them, not to mention keeping their identity secret.

Besides being very funny, this is a poignant and tender story about a family discovering the true meaning of Christmas. Jenny Pearson is an expert at creating likeable, personable characters with whom the reader can really engage, whatever unusual situations they find themselves in! The chapter headings of Christmas carol and song titles with additional humorous, ironic comments by Oscar, add to the fun.

This would be a great class read-aloud in the run-up to Christmas.

A Donkey Called Mistletoe

Helen Peters

Chapter book

Animal lovers will quickly be drawn into Helen Peters’ A Donkey Called Mistletoe, illustrated by Ellie Snowden. Jasmine is no stranger to caring for animals, with her parents being a farmer and a vet. When Jasmine discovers that old Mr Hobson is no longer able to take care of his pet donkey, Mistletoe, she is desperate to help. It might take a bit of work to persuade her parents that a donkey won’t cause too much trouble at Christmas, by Jasmine is determined to make it work. Combining an animal rescue narrative with festive cheer, this is a good choice for readers who love a gentle and heartwarming style of story.

Best Books by Age

Popular Children's Authors

Topic: Seasonal Events

Best Children’s Books for Primary School Children: Christmas 2025 Gift Guide

News: Reflecting Realities Report 2025: Summary of Findings

NEWS: The Children’s Booker Prize is Established

Stories That Make You Feel: Simon Stephenson on The Snowman Code

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review