“Christmas is … the Christ child. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is on December 25th,” begins Christmas Is… by Gail Gibbons. Christmas is also Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus, angels, lights, Christmas trees, cards, carols, presents, and prayers. Most importantly, Christmas is a time of peace, love, and joy.
Written by the prolific children’s author and illustrator Gail Gibbons, Christmas Is… is recommended for readers age 5 and older. However, I first read this holiday book to my daughter when she was not quite 2 years old. Although the book is a bit advanced for younger toddlers, my daughter still seemed to enjoy my reading the book aloud to her. She especially liked looking at the pictures, all of which depict various Christmas scenes and traditions.
As a nonfiction book, Christmas Is… presents a lot of factual information about the Christmas holiday. From the origins of Christmas to more modern traditions, this book provides young readers with many of the basics of the festive Christmas season. The unique illustration style of Gail Gibbons helps bring the text to life. I particularly enjoy the bright colors throughout the pages.
Final Verdict: If you are looking for a nonfiction book to read with your child this holiday season, I highly recommend Christmas Is… by Gail Gibbons. Although recommended for readers in kindergarten and older, my toddler daughter also enjoyed hearing this Christmas book read aloud. She especially liked looking at all the brightly colored pictures that help bring the textual information to life. I recommend Christmas Is… as a book to read to learn more about the history and traditions of Christmastime.
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Image Credits
‘Christmas Is…’ Book Review © 2014 Heather Johnson
Cover of Christmas Is… © 2014 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of Christmas Is… © 2014 Heather Johnson
