December is a great time to discuss and explore Christmas trees. This post shares Christmas tree picture books that you can use for this purpose. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these Christmas tree picture books!
5 Christmas Tree Picture Books
Below is a list of some of our favorite Christmas tree picture books to share with elementary students. They are all part of our Christmas Tree Book Companion Bundle. Check them out below!
1. Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares
Red and Lulu tells the sweet story of two cardinals that live happily in an evergreen tree. One day, when Red is out in search of food, he returns to find the tree cut down and on the back of a moving truck. He frantically tries to follow the tree because Lulu is still in it, however he can’t keep up. Red does not give up and keeps flying in search of his friend. He arrives in a strange new place, New York City. He follows a familiar song and chirping to find Lulu in their tree in Rockefeller Center. The cardinals are amazed by the crowd of thousands admiring the tree and singing carols. Eventually, the two birds must find a new home in Central Park, but make it a tradition to visit their beloved evergreen each year.
This heartwarming story about the friendship between two birds is sure to be loved by all! Check out these Red and Lulu teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
2. The Night Tree by Eve Bunting
In the story Night Tree by Eve Bunting, a family sets out into the forest on Christmas Eve. They have a box and lantern with them as they make their way through the dark, cold forest. Eventually, they arrive at a tree and realize it has grown since last year. The two children begin decorating the tree with popcorn string, fruits and seeds they have made. Once the tree has been decorated, the family sits down on a blanket and warms up with hot chocolate as they admire the tree. They’ve decorated the tree in hopes that animals will come and eat off of it.
Students will love hearing about this family’s unique Christmas Eve tradition! Check out these The Night Tree teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
3. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a heartwarming holiday story about kindness. When Mr. Willowby’s tree is too tall to fit in his house, he cuts off the top of it! A variety of people and animals then use the top, ultimately sharing joy around the forest. Children of all ages will enjoy this tale’s message around the importance of recycling, mindfulness of others, and joy to be spread to all.
Check out these Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
4. The Christmas Owl by Gideon Sterer
Gideon Sterer’s book The Christmas Owl, tells the true story about an owl that was found in the branches of Rockefeller Christmas Tree. Little Owl lived happily in the branches of a very big tree. She enjoyed playing outside with her friends. One day, Little Owl noticed that the town was changing. Lights were being strung and houses were being decorated. Her friends explained that it was Christmas, although no one was too sure exactly what that meant.
As Little Owl flew back to her tree one day, she noticed a group of people standing around it. As she sat among the branches, the people tied up the tree, cut it down, and loaded it onto a truck. For three days, Little Owl was stuck in the Christmas tree as it made a long, cold drive into the city. When it finally stopped moving and the branches opened up, a worker found Little Owl in the tree.
The worker brought Little Owl to meet Ellen, who worked at a wildlife center. Ellen took care of Little Owl who was too weak to fly. She gave Little Owl food and x-rays. Little Owl stayed with Ellen until she was strong enough to fly home.
That Christmas night, before flying back home, Little Owl flew back over the city. This time it did not look so scary. Little Owl noticed the people hugging and holding hands. They enjoyed being around one another. That’s when Little Owl realized what Christmas was all about and she flew home to reunite with her forest friends.
Check out these The Christmas Owl teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
5. The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear
Charles desperately wants to find himself a wish tree. Although his sister and brother doubt him, he takes off on his quest with his trusted sled, Boggan.
Together, Charles and Boggan meet a variety of critters, explore new surroundings, and eventually learn that wishes can come true in special ways.
Together with illustrations, the text has a poetic feel that will instantly hook children. Check out these The Wish Tree teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
Get All of the Christmas Tree Book Activities!
Scoop up all of the activity packets based on the picture books featured in this post!
Or Get All of the Activity Packets for 600+ Picture Books!
Starts with a Story is a collection of hundreds of book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Each book companion includes:
- reading comprehension questions with sample student responses
- 30 writing prompts targeting 10 different types of writing
- SEL lesson ideas based on character and events from each story
- printable student activities
- editable teaching slides with book-based clipart
- and more.
Learn how to get unlimited access to all 600+ book companion packets below!
Teachers Love these Other Christmas Activities for Kids
We have lots of Christmas activities you can use in your classroom. Check out the blog post Christmas Activities for Kids to get more ideas and teaching resources!
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One Last Thing Before You Go… Grab this Free Reading Resource!
If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It includes:
- seasonal read aloud books lists for teachers
- printable reading logs to track students’ reading
- monthly reading challenges to motivate students to read more
It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
In closing, we hope you found this list of Christmas tree picture books helpful! If you are a member of Starts With a Story, you have access to all of these book companion activities. Lastly, you may also be interested in these winter books for kids if you love read alouds like us!
