Kids' Books To Celebrate Both Hanukkah & Christmas
When parents and caregivers are looking for holiday picture books to read to kids, they have a veritable cornucopia of options—but most of those options feature a single seasonal celebration, and they don't often reflect families that celebrate multiple traditions together.
So, families who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah might find something that hits home in these picture books about interfaith families, combining different kinds of traditions, and, yes, sentient potato pancakes.
Interested in picture books for Hanukkah or Christmas alone? We have recommendations for you too, but check out some of the options below for a 2-for-1 deal.
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
Another great multicultural tale about an interfaith family. A super-lucky kid helps Daddy make latkes and Mama hang the stockings as the family embraces all their traditions together.
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket
Funny and farcical in that way only Lemony Snicket can be, this story follows our hero—a latke who's narrowly escaped a hot frying pan—as he flees through a forest and encounters all the symbols of Christmas.
Light the Lights! A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah & Christmas by Margaret Moorman
A simple story about a girl and her parents celebrating the thread connecting both of these winter holidays: light in the darkness.
Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift by Dara Goldman
In this retelling of "Gift of the Magi," two bears each sell something important to get the other a gift for Chanukah or Christmas.
Jackie's Gift by Sharon Robinson
The famous baseball player's daughter tells the story of her dad bringing a Christmas tree to a family that doesn't have one—because, unbeknownst to Robinson, they celebrate Chanukah.
The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
When most families in a Russian-American community become sick with scarlet fever, their Jewish neighbors pitch in to create a Christmas celebration for everyone.
---
Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.
Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!