Christmases Past: Historical Fiction Picture Books
What can’t you teach through picture books?! Rhetorical question, but really– picture books are gold for introducing so many deeper topics. Historical fiction books bring history to life, teach empathy, and connect readers with place and time. Combine that magic with the inherent magic of Christmas! We have enjoyed each of the books below and learned a lot along the way. These are by and large for kids with longer attention spans, and some have more difficult themes– you probably aren’t surprised by this. Life wasn’t always so easy, and learning about Christmases past can highlight those comforts we take for granted. It’s eye opening to compare the trappings of modern day Christmas with the simplicity of other time periods.
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The First Christmas
The Third Gift. I absolutely adore this book! We had been talking about the gifts of the Magi- gold is an easy one, Frankincense I have in my essential oil collection, but what is myrrh? And then I stumbled upon this book… It doesn’t feel like a Christmas book at all until the final pages. The story follows a boy who is learning his family’s trade from his father, collecting resin “tears” from trees to be sold at marketplace. We learn alongside him about the delicacy and skill involved in the task, and what the resin is eventually used for (myrrh– primarily used as an embalming oil and funerary incense. What a great conversation ensued with my kiddos when we discovered this. Even the 7 year old understood the significance– “they must have known the baby was born to die.”) An author’s note provides additional historical background about Zoroastrian priests, the use of myrrh in the ancient world, and the portrayals of the Magi in art and song.
Middle Ages
Smudge and the Book of Mistakes. This is a long, text-heavy story with several layers to mine: the value of perseverance, and a view of monastic life (including creation of illuminated manuscripts). A few elements did not feel historically accurate to me, particularly the lack of respect given to the Abbot by the monks. But overall, this is a book that fills a sparse category in historical Christmas stories with a solid offering!
Good King Wenceslas. From the author’s note: “The beloved Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas” tells the story of a real tenth-century king who was well known for his generosity and Christian spirit.
19th Century
An Orange for Frankie- the time period is never specifically noted, but through the text I’d estimate the end of the 19th century, or perhaps into the 20th as late as the Depression era. This is a lengthy picture book that does tug on my heart strings (many years I do cry reading the end).
20th Century
Lighthouse Christmas describes the Flying Santa Service which began in 1929 and continues to this day, now visiting Coast Guard families. Out of print, so check your library.
World War I
World War II*
The Christmas Book Flood. Although this story takes place in modern times, it is about an Icelandic tradition that originated in World War II. The author’s note explains that the “Jolabokaflod” (book flood) tradition began when many items were rationed, but paper was not, leading book publishing and book buying to flourish.
Non Fiction
