Hi readers! In a previous post, I have discussed how my family practices Advent, so I wanted to follow up with a guide of what you could be reading with your kids during this season to prepare for Christmas. It’s tempting to jump on board the Christmas train as soon as Thanksgiving is over (or even right after Halloween!), but as Orthodox Christians, we believe it’s important to observe a season of expectation, waiting, and even penitence before we start celebrating. This may look differently in each family, but one way we, a Western Rite Orthodox family of 7, mark the season of Advent is through books.
Below, I suggest some picture books, a few saint’s lives geared for children, and a couple options for chapter books aimed at elementary age kids. My kids are between the ages of 9 and 2, so take that into account when evaluating whether these books will work for the ages of your children, grandchildren, or godchildren. Not all of the books below are Orthodox, but they will all work for Orthodox families.
One of the key ways to keep Advent about preparation for the coming of Christ and to avoid getting ahead of ourselves in the rush to Christmas is to make a special intention to observe the holy days which fall within Advent. This means learning about the lives of the saints on their various feast days. I have also included some of our favorite titles to read during the twelve days of Christmas and Epiphany.
If we don’t have a picture book on hand about a particular saint being commemorated on that day, we often use The Saint Andrew Daily Missal to read about the life of the saint. I highly recommend this book for every Western Rite Orthodox Christian family. It has been the single most helpful resource in understanding the Mass readings, why we celebrate certain feast days, and so many other eye-opening revelations. It’s pricey, but believe me, it’s worth it, especially for a convert like me who is still learning all time. So, when we observe a saint’s feast day, if we own an icon of the saint, we place the icon in our kitchen or prayer table and light a candle. At prayer we ask for the prayers and intercession of that saint and read about their life. If applicable, we may make a dinner which relates to the saint in some way, such as shepherd’s pie for St. George.
For use during the whole season of Advent:
- Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide
- My family read this book nightly a couple of years ago during Lent, and the kids were highly engaged. It’s full of action and suspense. Best for longer attention spans though. There are other Advent and Easter journeys as well that I have not read yet. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried them! This is not an Orthodox resource, but I didn’t find any issues to conflict with our faith.
- Who is Jesus?: His Life, His Land, His Time by Gaelle Tertrais and Adeline Avril
- We found this book to be a great resource if you want to learn WITH your kids about the culture and times in which Jesus grew up. There are short chapters explaining key points in the life of Jesus that would be a perfect read for The Circumcision of Our Lord (January 1st), The Feast the Holy Family, Epiphany (January 6th), The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, and the Baptism of the Lord (January 13th). It’s easy to understand, and the illustrations and maps are beautiful. This is most appropriate for older elementary/middle grades.
- The Children’s Bible Reader by the Greek Bible Society
- This is our family Children’s Bible. The readings are usually a page or less and are simple to read for a 1st or 2nd grader, in our experience. Most pages have illustrations in the style of Orthodox icons, and the stories can be understood by a 3-4 year old.
November 30th St. Andrew the Apostle
- Paterikon for Kids – Holy Apostle Andrew: The First Called by Potamitis Publishing
- Potamitis Publishing has tons of small “saints’ lives” books which are helpful resources to have on hand for feast days. The books are very inexpensive and perfect for reading at evening prayer or after dinner around the table.
December 6th St. Nicholas Day
- The Miracle of Saint Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
- This is a touching Russian Orthodox story of how one boy helped his village celebrate Christmas again, 60 years after the church had been forcibly closed by Soviet soldiers. It was inspired by the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
- The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi
- Probably my favorite book for teaching children how the real St. Nicholas morphed into the myth of Santa Claus. I love that the illustrations are done as if in mosaic tiles. Be aware the Demi is not Orthodox, but I did not feel that it impacted the telling of the story.
- The Saint Nicholas Day Snow by Charlotte Riggle
- A really cool Orthodox book that features a modern narrative of two friends, juxtaposed with the historical story of St. Nicholas. What I like best about it is seeing the illustrations of different churches around the world dedicated to St. Nicholas, as well as various depictions of how the saint looks. If you like this, you’ll also love Riggle’s book about Easter, Catherine’s Pascha.
- The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard
- Kids love this book about a stingy baker who learns generosity from St. Nicholas himself in a dream. It’s the perfect excuse to bake St. Nicholas Day cookies with a helpful cookie cutter like this.
- St. Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins by Jim Forest
- I really like that the artwork in this book resembles iconography.
December 7th St. Ambrose Day
- The Attic Saint by Tim Drake
- Ambrose is one of our family patron saints, so we have collected a few books to read on his feast day. This one is about a boy finding an abandoned icon of the saint. I like that you get to learn about the saint along with the child in the story and see how the boy develops a relationship with the saint.
- A is for Ambrose: The A by to Z of an Amazing Saint by Maureen Valvassori
- This is an informative book about the life of St. Ambrose delivered in a format of facts in ABC order. The paintings are very engaging.
December 8th The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Mary: The Mother of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
- You really can’t go wrong with Tomie dePaola! While this book is written from a Catholic perspective, you’ll find it to be Orthodox-friendly. Since there is so little about Mary’s origins and her early life in the Bible, it’s important to look to other sources which draw on the Church’s Holy Tradition to deepen our understanding and love for Mary.
- The Story of Mary the Mother of God by Dorrie Papademetriou
- This one is an Orthodox narrative about the early life of Mary with very sweet illustrations inspired by icons.
December 13th St. Lucy’s Day and St. Herman of Alaska
- North Star: Saint Herman of Alaska by Dorrie Papademetriou
- By the same author as the Mary book mentioned above, this book features a favorite Western Orthodox saint.
- Lucia: Saint of Light by Katherine Bolger Hyde
- Tells the historical story of the saint alongside a family cerebrating the feast and their favorite cultural traditions related to the holy day.
December 21st St. Thomas the Apostle
- The Disciples of Christ by Spiritual Fragrance Publishing
- This resource can be used as a hagiography for every feast day throughout the year which celebrates the disciples.
December 25th The Nativity of our Lord (and throughout the 12 days)
- God Gave us Christmas by Lisa Bergren
- This is honestly one of my favorite Christmas books. While it was written by the Protestant, the teaching in it is so approachable for children and appropriate for Orthodox audiences. What it does well is to explain to children why Christmas is about the gift of Jesus, rather than about Santa Claus and presents, as our culture tells us. I also love this author’s book about Easter.
- The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
- Here’s another great book that can be used at Easter! It’s a folktale about the trees that would one day become the wood for the boat, the manger, and the cross which would be used by Jesus. Such a touching story!
- Brigid’s Cloak by Bryce Milligan
- While St. Brigid of Ireland’s feast day isn’t until February, this story features the Holy Family at the birth of Jesus, so it’s a good one to read during the 12 days of Christmas.
- Tomie dePaola’s Book of Bible Stories
- In our family we like Tomie dePaola’s artwork, and his Bible stories always include lots of direct quotes from Scripture, presented in a kid-friendly way. The best part is that you can use this text all year long.
December 26th St. Stephen the Protomartyr
- Paterikon for Kids – Saint Stephen the First Martyr by Potamitis Publishing
- More from Potamitis, seriously for $4 you can find a book about almost any Orthodox saint you might want!
December 27th St. John the Apostle and Evangelist
- The Four Evangelists by Spiritual Fragrance Publishing
- This is a handy resource which can be used on the feast days of all of the Gospel writers throughout the liturgical year.
December 28th The Holy Innocents
- Angel in the Waters by Regina Doman
- Ok, this one is a bit of a stretch, I confess. It’s not exactly about the Holy Innocents per se, but it could be something to read with the kids on this feast day or on the feast days relating to angels. The book is a dialogue between a baby (in utero) and his guardian angel. I have to tell you, reader, this book is so moving, that I have to hold back tears every time I read it. Trust me. If it’s important to you to teach your child that preborn children are fully human, with souls, and dignity, and eternal worth, get this book.
January 6th The Epiphany of the Lord
- The Story of the Three Wise Kings by Tomie dePaola
- Again with the dePaola? I’m a broken record at this point. Just buy everything he ever wrote. But seriously, there is an informative chapter on the wise men in the Who is Jesus? book mentioned above that would be perfect reading for this feast day as well.
Oh! I almost forgot. This isn’t a picture book, but if you are looking for something a little longer for an elementary age kiddo, I can recommend Strangers at the Manger by Lisa Hendey. It’s Catholic but totally works for us Orthodox folks. It’s part of the Chime Travelers series. Also, check out the Gospel Time Trekkers Series for the elementary set. Book One is called Shepherds to the Rescue by Maria Dateno and Paul Cunningham. It features three siblings going back in time to the Nativity, a perfect read for this season!
There are so many favorites we could add here, but we have to draw the line somewhere! Please share your favorite Advent and Christmas books for kids in the comments below. I’m always happy to learn about new books for my kids!
