We hope you enjoyed that last BookNotes a few days ago listing more than a dozen brand new Advent resources for 2025. In the BookNotes column a year ago I shared links to a handful of previous posts listing great resources from previous years and some of these remain popular and, in some cases, nearly essential. Those links provide some lovely books for adults and children, families and churches, of various styles and price-ranges. I hope you browse those archived BookNotes and are reminded of some of the great ones we’ve shared in the past.

12 NEW ONES. Here are 12 new children’s books that are wonderful for this season. As the season of Christmastide draws nearer I’ll list other good gifts for kids, but for now, these might prove useful in your search for resources to explain all that we are about to celebrate. Praise the Lord for this month of anticipation, right?

THANK YOU. Remember that great ad that ran on TV years ago of those guys waist-deep in cranberry bogs, humble farmers simply thanking you for your support of their work? That’s us, too — up to our ears in books, grateful for those who appreciate the quality of our down-home service. From Dallastown, thank you for your support.

ALL ARE 20% OFF.  As always, our BookNotes selections are all offered at 20% off. We don’t make that much on them selling them at sale prices, but we hope it enables you to pick up more than you might otherwise. Let’s do it!

The Biggest Story: Advent Kevin DeYoung, illustrated by Don Clark (Crossway) $27.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $22.39

Hefty, colorful, and sturdy, this large-sized lift-the-flap board book has the big theological vision and amazingly colorful graphic style to make this a spectacular stand-out this season. Sure to be used over and over in homes and Sunday school classes, this is inspired by but a supplement to the extraordinary The Biggest Story Bible Storybook. It features new devotions by DeYoung and vibrant art by Clark and his innovative design team.

This is not the only Advent tool that does this, of course, but it does say in the introduction that “this Advent book does not tell the traditional Christmas story — at least not in the traditional way. Instead of recounting familiar scenes full of shepherds, angels, and wise men, this book focuses on the prophecies leading up to the Christmas story. You might think of it as the story before the story — or, better yet, as a fuller version of the Biggest Story.

The Biggest Story Advent highlights twenty-four promises from the Old Testament about the coming Messiah (and then, only then, a final chapter that summarizes the birth of Christ from Matthew 1.) It starts with the “snake crusher”, a theme DeYoung explored in his first, great children’s book, The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden, also illustrated by Don Clark. Their big Biggest Story Bible Storybook evolved out of that as did the big Biggest Story Family Devotional. They all are shaped by this historical / redemptive vision of the unfolding narrative that points to Jesus. As DeYoung puts in the introduction to the Advent book, while some prophecies in the Old Testament are well known during Advent, some are less familiar, emphasizing “that the coming of the Deliverer fulfilled the larger story of God’s redemptive purposes for His people.” And, in fact, for the whole creation!

This big, fat, lift-the flap board book is a sight to behold and a simple way to engage children in the biggest story behind the Nativity. Highly recommended, especially for children maybe as young as 4 or 5 and up to maybe 11. It really is cool looking so older kids may be captivated.

The One We’re Waiting For: An Illustrated Advent Devotional for Families Taylor Combs, art by Aedan and Natalie Peterson (B+H) $22.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $18.39

If the above Biggest Story Advent board book and its 25 lift-the-flap pages is a bit too juvenile for your kids then this one, with modern but rather traditional art, might be a great fit. It included ornaments for each day of December that can be punched out, making this a handsome hardback, a great book to read and cherish, but also a family activity book, with this nifty project artfully included.

The opening reflection on “What is Advent” is very good for kids and the note for parents introduces (or reminds) us of Tolkien’s fascinating phrase, eucatastophe; a great tragedy, or a sudden turn of events that prevents a greater catastrophe. J.R.R. called Christmas “the great eucatastrophe of human history.” Anybody that starts an Advent book like that has earned my respect and, believe me, this book deserves your careful look. The daily readings may be a bit long for some preschoolers but it is ideal for elementary aged kids, into middle school.

Not unlike the DeYoung one, above, The One We Waiting For makes great use of Old Testament stories that have — for those with a trained eye and Biblical imagination —connections to the coming of the Messiah. From texts and stories as unique as Jacob and Esau and Rebekah to Joshua 6 to the story of Ruth and so on, the line “There is One coming..” and “He’s the One we’re waiting for” ends each story. There is a song suggestion and three good questions to discuss, on the OT text and its connection to the ongoing story. I really like the illustrations, too, and the ribbon marker, making this a fabulous keepsake.

Promises Made / Promises Kept: A Family Devotional for Christmas Marty Machowski, illustrated by Phil School (New Growth Press) $22.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $18.39

Wow, what a great idea. Again, working this deeply Biblical motif of the history of redemption and the “promises made and promises fulfilled” nature of salvation history, this book cleverly gives two weeks worth of reflections, with great, contemporary, somewhat stylized artwork. You can count on New Growth Press to offer gospel-centered, grace-based content and almost anwayswith the very best in children’s illustrations. This book, not surprisingly, is stellar.

Here is part of what makes it fun and useful. It is one of the crazy books that can be read from start into the middle and then can be flipped over and read from back to the middle.

The first half covers seven “Promises Made” (starting with “The Promise of a Son” in Genesis 3) and then when you turn the book over, you start again, in the “Promises Kept” section. Here’s the thing: it’s best to start reading this one week before Christmas so you come to the climatic last promise on Christmas Eve or Day. Then you flip the book over and start the “Promises Kept” devotions, reading that the week after Christmas. What a great idea.

Here is how the good folks at the “Redeemed Reader” website put it:

Promises Made Promises Kept is a unique book: during the first week, families will read from the Promises Made side. Half-way through the book (on Christmas Day, naturally), readers must flip the book over and start again from the other side (Promises Kept). But Jesus Himself did the same thing: turned the world upside down when He appeared as an infant to a humble couple in Bethlehem all those years ago.

With die-cut cutouts on the front and back cover (or, should I say, the two front covers) the art shows through making this a really neat-looking picture book. Great for elementary age and up through middle school, with good discussion questions, too. Nice.

Twas the Season of Advent: Devotions and Stores for the Christmas Season Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Elena Selivanova (Zonderkidz) $19.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $15.99

I believe this was out previously but I somehow missed it, and so I”m listing it here, admittedly knowing it is now brand new. But it may be new to many of our BookNotes readers and I am thrilled. I don’t know if I’m happier about the charming, expansive prose of Glenys Nellist or the esteemed art of Elena Selivanova, one of the great illustrators of our time. (Check out her pages at the Beehive Illustration site to see samples.)

I believe this may be among my favorite seasonal books, lavishly (but not overdone) and creatively illustrated and illuminated, with each entry including an earnest, child-like prayer. Twas the Season of Advent stands alongside Twas the Evening of Christmas and Twas the Morning of Easter, all stellar.

Children’s Advent Stories for Bedtime: Celebrate the True Meaning of Christmas Julie & David Lavender, illustrated by Shahar Kober (Z Kids) $19.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $15.99

Just to be clear, this isn’t really about Advent as such. What is unique about this book from a solid indie press is that it is text heavy, with pages to read out loud to little ones. It is well written, nicely designed with Bible stories (but no examples or reflections or other stories to clutter the power of the straight Biblical text.) It is enhanced by some very nice illustrations. (But it is not mostly a “picture book” as much as I like the rich illustration by Israeli illustrator Shah Kober.)

There is a full page of what they oddly call Bible study for each story, even though it only telling about Bible truths, mostly for application. (They might have called this “living the story” or “going deeper” or “applying the lessons.”) and then very appropriate questions for conversations at bedtime. Over 215 pages, this is useful, nothing particularly imaginative, but with a standard focus on Scripture. Why not try this custom of reading the Bible together at bedtime? (And, of course, it would be suitable to read anytime — I recall our own family’s best intentions for routines and schedules that seemed rarely to be actually kept.) Children’s Advent Stories is about the age-old effort to (as it says on the back) “unwrap the true meaning of Christmas with bedtime stories.”

God’s Big Picture Bible Stories: The First Christmas N.T. Wright, illustrations by Helena Perez Garcia (Tommy Nelson) $17.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $14.39

By now I hope you know (perhaps recalling our several shout-outs) that the great New Testament scholar Tom Wright has done a large-sized children’s Bible storybook called God’s Big Picture Bible Storybook. This is in that format and style but actually has more content than the Christmas portion of that storybook Bible.

For those that appreciate Wright’s keen insight and literary voice and want to take in his telling of the nativity story, this is fantastic. There are two pages in the back that highlight five Old Testament prophecies that are fulfilled in the Nativity story, so there is that bit of “Big Picture” perspective which I appreciate a lot.  It is just a few inches bigger than a typical children’s picture book, giving it some extra heft (good for reading aloud and good for church use, maybe.) The art is vibrant and realistic by the same London-based, Spanish artist who did the bigger picture Bible. She is amazing and respected throughout the world. Yes!

The World’s Best Christmas Light – A Light-Up Board Book Chelsea Tornetto, illustrated by Amanda Morrow (ZonderKidz) $14.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $11.99

I needn’t say much about this neat little gift book for a very young child other than to say it has a few pages a happy inter-racial family looking at Christmas lights. It’s fun, a common-enough experience, with some cute rhyming words. Fine. And then the child realizes that the best Christmas lights display is a single light. Maybe not the biggest and brightest but the clarity of this one light wins the day.

What’s fun about this simple story is highlighting the light of God’s love as better than all the glitz, but, great for tiny little fingers, is a button to push that causes the picture of the light over the manger scene to actually light up. Yep, there’s a real glowing lighten the last page. Babies and toddlers will no doubt get a kick out of this gimmick, eh? Merry Christmas!

The Wonders of the First Christmas: Explore the Birth of Jesus through History, Archaeology, and Art Andy McGuire (Zonderkidz) $18.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $15.19

I love this simple, intriguing book and would’ve poured over it in my childhood I’m sure.  First, I must say this — it is not an encyclopedia-type book with photos and examples of the history of art. (The art oddly mentioned in the subtitle are the illustrations by Mr. McGuire himself — fun and funny and fascinating, but it is not a survey of Western archeology and art.) That would be a whole different sort of text.

This is for inquisitive younger readers and in every two page spread — the pictures are vivid and the angle of vision is often clever (you’ve got to see the pictures of the camels!) — there are sidebars of facts, details about what archaeologists and historians have learned about the nature of daily life in the time of the birth of Jesus and the years afterwards. It’s a pretty standard telling of that first Christmas but laden with extra details complimenting the gospel truths with historical, cultural, and geographical facts. From the nature of donkeys to the meaning of the word angels to how a manger was made to speculations about the wise men to a sidebar about Egypt all enhance the experience of trading this well-told story.

The author and artist, by the way, has written a lot, including a fabulously similar book called The Things God Made but is perhaps best known for illustrating the big, artful, informative book by Marty Machowski published by New Growth Press called The-Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New. He’s talented and experienced and this picture book with sidebars is a fun one for kids maybe as young as 4 or 5 but the historical parts might attract older kids. Or adults.

The Memory Tree: A Holiday Grief Book Joanna Rowland, illustrated by Thea Baker (Beaming Books) $18.99 // OU SALE PRICE = $15.19

Although not overtly religious this is, in a very special way, a sacred book, one of the most tender and lovely books of recent years. It is very simple prose (indicating it is, a first blush, for very little children) who tell about how sad they are celebrating this Christmas season with a person missing from the family. (Readers do not know if it is a parent, or most likely a grandparent, or maybe — as in the real story that inspired this book —a sibling.) The child decides to pick just the right Christmas tree (“that you would’ve picked”) and finds ornaments that remind her of her lost loved one. The family joins in and soon even others are adding ornaments that remind them of the deceased. That each ornament brings to mind a certain memory or story is made evident and as company comes over, they leave a special seat at the table in honor of their beloved member. Oh my, this will cause tears to well up, and this is good.

Christmas is an awful time to try to celebrate when one is carrying hard grief. This is one child’s ingenious plan to make the most of it, honoring their lost family member and having a memorial tree full of memories.

There is a long letter from the original family who inspired this story — their 20 year old daughter, Marisa, a beloved swim coach and community leader. She was well-loved and the memory tree was one way they learned to honor her. Every public and church library should have one of these available; bereavement centers, grief share groups, and others who know those who have lost loved ones may want to share this gentle, caring story and find comfort.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t Laura Alary, illustrated by Ana Eguaras (Beaming Books) $18.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $15.19

Could this be based on a true story? I don’t know, but it sure could be. Aidan’s city is hit with an ice storm just days before Christmas, causing the electrical grid to go down. Are all their Christmas plans ruined? Uhh — you bet. This is a disaster.

As it says on the back, “One disappointment piles on another: Grandma and Grandpa cannot travel, the Christmas pageant is canceled, there are no Christmas lights, and it’s impossible to cook Christmas dinner.” Is this going to be the worst Christmas ever? More profoundly, will this be “the Christmas that wasn’t?”

I’m not going to tell you how this drama all plays out, but you can guess there is a lesson to be learned. And the gospel rings out, the true truth of the Christmas story somehow realized anew. In the dark.

One lesson is that sometimes our Christmas celebration is not all we hope or expect it to be. This is something that many of us need to remember (not just children); the nostalgia and images of a romantic holiday that are embedded in the social imaginations of Americans makes the quest for a happy holiday nearly an idol, or so I suspect. This simple, animated children’s story might be just what we need: maybe it will help us ponder how “sometimes when things are taken away, we are brought closer to the heart of the holy mystery that still draws us into its warmth.” You’re going to love this.

The Birds of Christmas Olivia Armstrong, illustrated by Mira Miroslavova (Eerdmans) $18.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $15.19

I’m not going to lie — I’m not always fan of folk tales. From old Russian tales to indigenous First Nations stories to African fables, some are just too complicated. Honorable as they may be, some are not immediately attractive to me or some kids. Not so with this classic European tale, a story told so nicely by Olivia Armstrong (and creatively illustrated by Mira Miroslavova, a Bulgarian artist) that I almost cried. This one really works!

The story is fairly simple — a raven is flying late at night and ends up at the scene of the Nativity, awakened by the Star. She comes to know what is going on and flies to various species of birds, each which comes to the manger to play a part — singing sweetly as the Nightingale did or making a feather pillow like Wren and Stork (or making an announcing ruckus like Rooster.) It’s fun and the plot builds as a small bird there laments having nothing to offer Mary and the Baby Jesus. Oh how she wanted to contribute. Just then, a fire begins to wane and the baby shivers; the little bird knows just what to do — she flutters her wings by the fire and fans the flames until it is warm again. What a parable!

However, a hot coal fell upon the breast of the little bird, but is saved, and blessed, by Mary. You’ve seen a robin redbreast? Now you know how they got that way.

Eerdmans does artful children’s books, often imported from Europe. Olivia Armstrong shared this story in a way that was just right. Big kudos to Miroslavova, too.

One Star, Three Kings: The Journey of Epiphany Rebecca Grabill, illustrated by Isabella Grott (Paraclete Press) $20.99 // OUR SALE PRICE = $16.79

This Is a large, colorful book that is complex and interesting and tender and curious. It has two sorts of writing, Most of the book is creatively written with the engaging, storytelling of the characters, some speaking in almost ancient cadences and phrases, and then there are interludes of pages of contemporary facts and scholarly speculations. There is a great section explaining some theologies of when the Magi first saw the star; there is a page asking “where did the Magi come from?” You’ll appreciate a spread telling what the three gifts of incense, myrrh, and frankincense were typically used for and what they symbolized. There is a page about astronomical ideas of what the moving star was. There are Bible verses and colorful drawings.

But most of the story unfolds as a drama unfolding in real time, and what a drama it is. A small bit is that some of the wise men hear singing along with the star (and in one page the author says it is the song and voice of the “Holy Mother.”) It’s a mystical moment or two, deepening the wonder of the story. I didn’t realize this, but apparantly some think that the Wise men returned at the time of the crucifixion (this, too, they see in the stars.) It explains that they eventually were baptized by Thomas and are considered saints and martyrs to this day. There is an informative spread of just a little bit about how Epiphany is celebrated around the world. Nice, fascinating, a useful contribution about a key moment in the Bible and church calendar about which is there is precious little for inquiring kids.