Christmas Books for Nature Lovers

There’s something special about the combination of Christmas + nature. The smell of fresh evergreen, the bright colors of holly and berries, the crisp cool air of Winter. The picture books below focus on the natural world around Christmastime.

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Night Tree by Eve Bunting. Preschool-mid elementary.  This sweet story tells of a family’s tradition to decorate an evergreen tree in the forest each year on Christmas Eve, leaving treats for the forest creatures to enjoy. We first found this at a local nature preserve gift shop- nature themed Christmas at its best! It is a perfect springboard book for starting your own family tradition!

Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray. Advanced preschool-elementary (text heavy). This book is equal parts cozy, fascinating, and lush. Within a beautifully illustrated story, the author weaves in so many concepts- math, patience, inter-generational relationship, and an understanding of where those Christmas trees come from!  An author’s note includes a brief history of the tradition of using evergreen trees for winter celebrations & Christmas, and the growth of the concept of intentional Christmas tree farms coming from a concern for forests at the time of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency.

Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares. K-5. This gorgeous story is as heartwarming as it is beautiful. Red and Lulu are cardinals who live in a massive evergreen tree which is lovingly decorated each year for Christmas, until one year when it is felled and moved by truck to a strange city. The birds are separated, with Red following the truck on its journey. He searches everywhere for Lulu until he finally follows the sound of caroling right to the center of New York City, around their beloved tree, where he finds Lulu. They make the city their new home and discover that nature can be found amongst the urban landscape too. A note at the end shares about the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree traditions.

Reindeer Moon by Mark Kimball Moulton.  K-5. “I still remember Grandma, her cheeks all plump and red, As she carried out her treats at night, making sure her [animal] friends were fed. She said that we were obligated to share the bounty we possessed, for to live among these creatures, we were very surely blessed.” This story follows a family that cares for the natural world around their home, and one year their care is rewarded with a special part to play in nursing one of Santa’s reindeer back to health. A text heavy, magical story.

Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble. K-5. This darling story is on my list of Christmas Books With Meat on the Bones. I just love the sweet story of a family in the 1880s, and their beloved apple tree. Sadly, a bitter ice storm takes the tree down, and Katrina is beside herself with sorrow as it was her favorite place to draw and create. Her parents creatively design a heartfelt gift from the tree’s branches.

Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear. Preschool-early elementary. A simple story with dreamy wintry illustrations. Charles sets out to find the “Wish Tree” that no one thinks exists. In his quest, he meets and cares for many creatures, who later care for him in his time of need. Not overtly a Christmas story. Incidentally, the chapter book by (almost) the same title, by Katherine Applegate, is one of my favorite nature-themed novels, and explores the same idea of a tree that is treasured by people who write notes to hang on its branches!

Do you have any title to add to my list? I’d love to hear! Connect with me in the comments below, on my Facebook page, or Instagram account. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.