18 Favorite Christmas Tree Books for Kids with a Free File Activity
- By Deedee Wills
- Updated on December 18
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Table of Contents
Christmas Tree Books For Kids
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, which means it’s officially time to deck the halls with all the festive cheer! If you’re on the hunt for Christmas tree books for kids to help your little learners soak up the magic of the season, you’re in the right place.
Here are 18 of my favorite Christmas tree books… sweet, silly, heartwarming short stories that feel just right for this time of year. Grab a cozy spot on the rug, snuggle in, and discover a few new Christmas classics to add to your classroom holiday reading list this year.
Night Tree by Eve Bunting
This is probably my most favorite Christmas tree book of them all!
Night Tree a family’s beautiful Christmas tradition of decorating a tree out in the forest. The ornaments are made of popcorn and fruit… a special gift for the animals who live there. It’s such a simple story, but oh my goodness… it leaves such a big impression.
This book actually sparked a family tradition in my own home that we still celebrate every Christmas day. That’s how powerful it is.
We love this book so much that we even created reading comprehension activities to go along with it. You’ll find those waiting for you toward the end of this blog post.
The Great Spruce by John Duvall
The Great Spruce is another beautiful story about decorating a Christmas tree in the forest and it’s just as heartwarming.
Each year, Alec and his grandfather return to the woods to decorate the great spruce together. The tree holds extra meaning because Alec’s grandpa planted it as a tiny sapling years and years before Alec was even born. It’s a tradition filled with love, memories, and care for nature.
When Alec’s favorite tree is suddenly threatened, he must find the courage and creativity to come up with a way to save the spruce. It’s a touching story about family, tradition, and standing up for what matters most.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
This charming story is all about a Christmas tree that’s just a little too tall. It won’t fit into the parlor, so the top has to be trimmed off. Problem solved… or is it?
As the story unfolds, that very top keeps getting trimmed again and again, and each piece is passed along to someone new. With every snip, the tree brings joy to another character during the holiday season. It’s such a sweet reminder that even the smallest pieces can spread big happiness and older kids absolutely love spotting the repeating pattern!
Jackies’ Gift by Sharon Robinson
This is a beautiful true story written by the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, which makes it even more special.
This heartfelt holiday tale celebrates how families can look different and have different traditions… yet still share so many best things in common. It’s a gentle, meaningful story about connection, understanding, and the joy that comes from learning about one another. A wonderful read for the holiday season and beyond.
Christmas Farm by Mary Lynn Ray
This lovely holiday story follows Wilma and Parker as they care for their young trees… tiny seedlings that may one day grow into Christmas trees. It’s a gentle reminder that good things take time, patience, and lots of love.
If visiting a Christmas tree farm is part of your holiday traditions (or one you’d love to start!), this book is the perfect addition to your seasonal read-alouds. It feels calm, comforting, and full of heart.
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
This beautiful christmas story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains and centers on courage, perseverance, and the power of family. Set during a challenging time, it shows how love and determination can carry people through even the hardest seasons.
The illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney are absolutely stunning and add so much depth and emotion to the story. It’s a timeless holiday tale that stays with you long after the last page.
Maple and Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols
This sweet holiday story follows sisters Maple and Willow as they search for the perfect Christmas tree. Everything feels just right… until they discover that Maple is allergic to Christmas trees. Oh no!
Just when things seem bleak, clever little Willow comes up with a solution that saves the day. It’s a heartwarming story about sibling love, problem-solving, and making traditions work for everyone.
Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht
This gorgeous picture book is filled with rich, detailed illustrations that instantly remind me of the beloved favorite books from my own childhood. Every page feels cozy and timeless.
The story beautifully chronicles the sequence of events that lead all the way up to lighting the Christmas tree from choosing the perfect pine to decorating it with care. It’s a wonderful read-aloud for celebrating holiday traditions and building excitement for the season.
Tomie dePaola’s Christmas Tree Book
Tomie dePaola has always been a favorite of mine, so this book holds a special place on my shelf. This informational text is packed with fascinating facts, history, and legends all about Christmas trees.
And the best part? It even includes instructions for making your own Christmas tree ornament! It’s such a fun way to blend reading, learning, and a little hands-on creativity during the holiday season.
Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares
Red and Lulu are two sweet cardinals who share a home in a beautiful evergreen tree. It’s their tree… until one day, it’s cut down, and the birds are suddenly separated. Cue all the feelings.
The story leads us to Rockefeller Center, where the tree has become the famous Christmas tree and where Red and Lulu are finally reunited. It’s such a tender, hope-filled story about love, loss, and finding your way back to the ones who matter most. Every. Single. Time
The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel
Speaking of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City… this beautiful story, written by David Rubel in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, is such a gem.
It’s a heartfelt tale about neighbors helping neighbors, community coming together, and generosity that grows in the most unexpected ways. Love. It. So. Much!
Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
I’ve always had such a soft spot for Allen Say’s books, and this one is no exception. Tree of Cranes tells the gentle story of a young boy recovering from a cold while his mother quietly prepares something very special for his first Christmas.
As little boy rests, she folds origami paper into the most delicate silver cranes, turning a simple tree into something magical and meaningful. It’s a quiet, tender story about love, tradition, and the beauty of small moments. One of those books that makes you slow down… and feel all the feels.
The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear
This beautifully poetic book follows Charles and Boggan as they set off on a gentle search for a wish tree. Along the way, they meet a variety of forest animals who join them on their journey, each encounter adding a little more wonder to the story.
It’s a quiet, thoughtful read filled with warmth and hope… perfect for slowing down, sparking imagination, and inviting sweet conversations about wishes, kindness, and what really matters.
A Pinata in a Pine Tree by Pat Mora
This book is a Latin version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Soon you will be singing along! [Just typing the 12 Days of Christmas makes me start to hum the tune!!!]
Counting and pronunciation guides are perfect! Your little learners will LOVE IT!
The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
This beautiful story takes place during Hanukkah, and Trisha delights in her family’s traditions… frying potato latkes, lighting the menorah, and celebrating the Festival of Lights together. It feels warm and familiar and full of love.
When Trisha goes to visit her closest neighbors, she expects to see them decorating their Christmas tree. Instead, she discovers they are sick with scarlet fever. What happens next is such a powerful reminder of compassion, generosity, and community. This is another heartfelt story about neighbors helping neighbors and oh my goodness, it gets me every. single. time.
The Tree That’s Meant to Be by Yuval Zommer
This sweet, crooked little fir tree finds itself left behind as all the other trees are taken home for Christmas. Alone in the forest, it begins to wonder where it belongs… until the forest animals gather around and turn it into something truly special.
Told in the first person from the tree’s perspective, this story is gentle, thoughtful, and full of heart. It’s a beautiful reminder about accepting our differences and understanding that we are all meant to be exactly who we are.
The Perfect Tree by Corinne Demas
Bunny sets off on a mission to find the perfect Christmas tree. He looks and looks… and looks some more. But along the way, Bunny discovers something pretty wonderful.
It turns out the perfect tree isn’t about how it looks at all. It’s the one surrounded by friends. Such a simple, sweet reminder of what really makes the season special. Heartwarming. Cozy. And just right for this time of year!
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
This overgrown pine tree keeps getting overlooked at Christmastime, and it can’t help but feel a little sad as smaller trees are chosen instead. But oh my goodness… this story has such a lovely heart.
The stunning illustrations make this sweet tale feel extra special, and with the help of his forest friends, the giant pine discovers that he is special after all. It’s a beautiful reminder that we all have value just the way we are.
Night Tree Book Activites and Lesson Plans
As I have shared, Night Tree by Eve Buntings is one of my absolute favorites!
Night Tree Activities for your Read Aloud Lessons
As you probably know, each week in our Engaging Readers, we take one picture book and spend the week diving deep into the text to strengthen our reading comprehension skills. The teacher does the decoding work (reads the book), and the students do the thinking work (discuss the text).
Here are the comprehension strategies we focus on for Night Tree by Eve Bunting:
- predicting
- retelling the story in sequential order
- making connections
- character analysis
- author’s purpose
Here are a few images from the week.
Night Tree Read Aloud Making Predictions
This is such a fun book for predictions! Students are instantly curious about what the family is doing in the forest and why they’re decorating a tree outdoors. Our prediction anchor chart helps us keep track of our thinking as the story unfolds, and the conversations are just so rich. Watching students revise their predictions as new clues appear? Teacher gold!
Night Tree Read Aloud Retelling the Story
Sequencing the story is something we work on almost every week, and Night Tree is such a perfect fit for this skill. Together, our little learners use retelling cards to place the events of the story in sequential order.
This hands-on approach really supports comprehension and gives students the chance to talk through the story using transition words like first, next, and then. The discussions that happen during this activity are some of my favorites… you can truly hear their understanding grow!
Then students complete their own retelling version.
Students also practice retelling the story with their partners. This is essential AND such a great way to strengthen their oral language skills.
Night Tree Read Aloud Characters and Author’s Purpose
We also spent time looking closely at the main characters and thinking about the author’s purpose. Students shared their ideas, supported their thinking, and really dug into why Eve Bunting might have written this story.
Here are a few more response pages from those activities. I just love seeing how thoughtfully students express their understanding their work always tells such a sweet story of growing readers!
Night Tree Craft Idea
Students also worked on making animal-friendly Christmas tree ornaments! Here are a few photos I have collected from the last year. These ornaments are made from bird seed… what an adorable Christmas decorations.
You can find detailed lesson plans that are backed by research by clicking:
Night Tree Week Long Lesson Plan Template
You can download this free, editable lesson plan template by clicking on the picture below. Inside the zipped folder, you’ll find both a PDF and a PowerPoint file that you can easily edit to match your own classroom needs. Simple, flexible, and ready to use… just the way we like it!
Night Tree Free File
Featured in the book is the sweet moment when they all gather to celebrate their Christmas tree and sip warm hot chocolate together. It captures the heart of the Christmas spirit… togetherness, kindness, and simple joy shared with the people (and animals!) you love.
So I hope your class enjoys this free hot cocoa free file!
Christmas Activities
Here are a few more Christmas related blog posts you may be interested in:
find more lesson plans like this
If you are interested in more blog posts like this one, you can find them by clicking:
You can also learn more about the interactive read aloud practices we use by clicking:
Have a Merry Christmas!
Deedee Wills
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