Picture Book Perfect: Twelve Days of Christmas Books for Kids

Photo by Thandy Yung on Unsplash

It definitely feel festive around the house by now, and nobody reminds me more of it than my oldest son. Every Wednesday we go to the library and he picks two or three books that we read throughout the week. His options always revolved around dragons, animals, the ocean...you know, the usual. But last Wednesdays he told me he wanted a Christmas book. Since he was so excited for books with a holiday theme, which made my bookish heart so happy, I had the idea of preparing a gift for him of 12 books whose title includes words from the Twelve Days of Christmas carol. My plan is to unwrap each book as the song plays on Christmas Day, and I might use this idea for a bookish advent calendar next year. Are you ready to sing along this list of books?
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me 
Twelve drummers drumming

📚  The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats

While the kids open the presents, the adults can sip on Little Drummer Boy, a cocktail that share its name with the book. Get ready 1 oz. of Appleton Estate rum, 1 oz. of sweet vermouth, 1/2 oz. of Canton ginger liqueur, an orange slice, and in two minutes you could have in your hands a glass filled with ice and this d"rummy" concoction. (Recipe from: St. Onge, Christopher. “Havana Spice.” Food & Drink. Holiday 2018.)
Photo by Andrea Riezzo on Unsplash
Eleven pipers piping

The famous story of a pied piper getting rid of the rats in the city of Hamelin was an obvious version for this verse. For a real immersion into the story, visit Hamelin, Germany during the summer for the Pied Piper Open Air Festival. Every year, the residents of Hamelin recreate the story that has made the city so well known. But if summer is not an option for a trip to Hamelin, do not worry. Every other season you can enjoy the omnipresence of the Piper in the city and visit landmarks like The Pied Piper House, the Glockenspiel (for a mechanical show retelling the famous story), and the Pied Piper statue at Osterstrasse 15. For fans of retellings, the version of this story by Russell Brand is another option that could be considered for the book going with this verse.
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Ten lords a-leaping

This fantasy novel for the young ones feature two orphaned siblings who join a gang of street children and roam the canals in Venice. Besides the magic of Venice, the kids will be in the presence of actual magic in the shape of a treasure that can control time. For those who end up liking this book, get some popcorn ready and enjoy the movie adaptation from 2006 directed by Richard Claus.

Trailer for the movie adaptation of The Thief Lord 

Nine ladies dancing

This book is inspired by true events. After WW11, Jella Lepman dedicated her life to place books in the hands of children. She believed this was a means to give hope to children at a time where it was most needed. Her life work has been told by Kathy Stinson in this fictionalized account.
This book is great bibliotherapy for young kids who need to learn about resilience. 
Eight maids a-milking

This picture book has entertained kindergarteners for years. Zelinsky adapted it from a popular rhyme, and it was the author/illustrator's first book in full color. The art for the book was printed using color pre-separation. The technique involves creating separate pieces of art for each color of ink that would be used, and it is obsolete nowadays. For this reason, we have chosen it to be in our Cover Gallery. 

Book cover
Seven swans a-swimming

It is a good time to watch movies with the family, and there is a 2001 animated adaptation of this E. B. White's classic perfect to cuddle with little ones. The animated film counts in the cast with Jason Alexander and Reese Witherspoon, who lend their voices to the characters of the beloved story.
Trailer for the animated adaptation of The Trumpet of the Swan
Six geese a-laying

This is truly a classic book. It contains the nursery rhymes and stories millions have read as children, and have read to their own children in turn. If you would like, you could accompany this book with a vintage Mother Goose animated plushie available from LoveThatCollectThat.
Five golden rings

Well, not five but seven golden rings in this book title. The book's author is a practicing physician who also write children's books. Not wanting to spoil this reading, we will attempt to summarize it for our Six Word Review: Boy's conundrum turned binary numbers lesson. 
Four calling birds

This book even features a Christmas event: The National Audubon's Society annual Christmas Bird Count. One of the blurbs from the book warns parents about the book being so charming that they might find themselves birdwatching in the cold with their little ones comes next Christmas. There, you have been warned! And in case you are feeling inclined to participate, the Audubon society offers information. 

Three French hens

This folk tale is so well known that several compilations include and there are many stand-alone editions as well. Whichever edition you choose as a gift (a heirloom, limited edition, compilation...), you can make story time a lot more interactive and entertaining if you include these adorable finger puppets from Heartfelttravels.

Little Red Hen finger puppets image 1
Little Red Hen finger puppets from Heartfelttravels
Two turtledoves

It was not easy to find children's book with "turtledove" in their title. It was unexpected since animals, any animals, seem to be featured repeatedly in children's literature. For whichever reason, turtledoves are not one of those. I found two books (both recently published), and I could not decide which one to use. Therefore, I am including both in this list, and feature them in a Book vs. Book so you could make a decision. 
And a partridge in a pear tree 
and a partridge in a pear tree

We will finish this list with a GuessWork. Would you be able to guess the title from this first line? 
There was once a small boy called
As an extra hint, you know the word "partridge" appear on the title. (Answer below)


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Answer to GuessWork: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox