December 1, 2025 • 24 mins
December doesn’t have to be survival mode. We’re sharing ten Christmas read‑alouds that bring the room to a cozy hush while still nailing essential skills like character analysis, sequencing, vocabulary, point of view, and fluency. Each pick comes with a clear teaching angle and simple prompts you can use tomorrow, so you can steer into the season’s energy without losing rigor.
We break down why holiday books work so well during the chaotic weeks before break and pair every title with high‑impact strategies. Turkey Claus becomes a mini‑lesson on perseverance and how illustrations build meaning. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus opens rich conversations about perspective, story structure, and author’s purpose, complete with a free five‑day close reading unit. Hurry, Santa! and Santa Is Stuck are tailor‑made for sequencing and problem–solution, and they double as quick STEM challenges—design a morning routine, prototype a rescue device, then write the steps.
We also lean into inclusion and visual literacy with Are You Grumpy, Santa?, where unexpected illustrations spark empathy and careful noticing. Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett invites close reading of borders and background details, while Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh supports character comparison across a beloved series. The Polar Express serves as a mentor text for theme and vocabulary with a film comparison to analyze medium and tone. Finally, The Night Before Christmas turns into a fluency workshop and a gentle lesson on multiple‑meaning words.
If your December feels like glitter in a wind tunnel, let these stories do the heavy lifting. Grab the free Yes, Virginia unit from the show notes, explore our STEM Story Stations for easy extensions, and subscribe to get more cozy, standards‑aligned ideas each week. Share your favorite holiday read‑aloud with us and leave a review to help other teachers find the show.
Links Mentioned in the Show:
Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus Companion Unit Freebie
10 Christmas Read-Aloud STEM St
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to One Tired Teacher episode 271.
(00:03):
10 of the best Christmas booksthat still teach something.
So today I'm going to share 10of my favorite Christmas books
to use in the classroom.
And I'm also going to give you alittle bit of a heads up of like
what strategies instantly cometo mind or what standards come
(00:23):
to mind when we are talkingabout each title.
They're so fun and I thinkyou're going to love them.
Hope you stick around.
SPEAKER_01 (00:36):
Welcome to One Tired Teacher.
And even though she may need anap, this teacher is ready to
wake up and speak her truthabout the trials and treasures
of teaching.
Here she is, wide awake.
Wait, she's not asleep rightnow, is she?
She is awake, right?
Okay.
From Trina Deborah Teaching andLearning, your host, Trina
(00:56):
Debori.
SPEAKER_00 (00:59):
Hey, welcome back.
All right.
So today we are talking about umleaning into the joy, into the
real teaching, where we keep itcozy, we keep it full of
happiness, and we also get ourkeep our kids like under
control.
And today we're talking about 10of the best children's Christmas
(01:20):
books that actually teachsomething.
These are the books I've learnedin, I've kind of leaned into
them in the wild December chaoswhere the glitter is like
literally flying everywhere, andwe've got assemblies popping up,
and we've got, you know, Santa'ssecret shop, and we've got all
these things, and that'shappening like every other day.
(01:41):
And the attention spans arerunning on candy canes and wish
lists.
It's kind of crazy.
But instead of just survivingDecember, what if we could
thrive with stories that engagekids, that open their hearts,
and yet still hit standards?
So we still are coveringessential standards and skills
(02:04):
that we need to cover.
All right, so let's talk aboutit.
Why books matter in December?
Books matter in every month ofthe year.
Let me say that right off theoff the bat.
But when we lean into Christmasbooks, it actually makes it more
relevant for kids.
It really hones into theirexcitement.
It really covers theirenthusiasm.
(02:26):
And we get to lean into like amagical time of the year.
And the week before break isdefinitely not the time to start
like a massive new like genrestudy or a brand new, like
intense unit.
But it is the perfect time todig into read alouds that offer
(02:48):
emotional connection and richdiscussion, teachable moments
that don't require like one totwo pages of worksheets.
So that's what we're gonna talkabout today.
And today's list it hits all ofthese and so much more.
So, first of all, I wanted tolet you know before we dive in
(03:10):
that I do have an all-done foryou five-day close reading unit
with one of my very favoritebooks that I am gonna mention
today.
And it's Yes, Virginia, there isa Santa Claus.
And if you head to the link inthe show notes, you can grab
this freebie.
It covers author's purpose, itcovers visualization, it covers
(03:33):
vocabulary, fluency, reflectivewriting, and it's all wrapped up
in a holiday heart.
All right, so you can find thatat Trina Deborah
Teachingandlearning.com forwardslash Yes Virginia.
I think it's yes Virginia.
Let me double check becausesometimes I get that wrong and I
(03:55):
don't want to give you the wrongURL.
So it's let me make sure it isyes, that is correct.
So Trina Deborah TeachingandLearning.com forward slash yes
Virginia.
All one word, yes, Virginia.
That will take you to the pageand you can grab that freebie.
All right.
So let's talk about the booklist breakdown.
(04:16):
This is gonna be like kind of aquick fire style um with the
standards.
And I am gonna give you a littlesynopsis because, you know, it's
it's also important.
So the first book, number what,book number one, is Turkey Claws
by Wendy Silvano.
So in this hilarious sequel toTurkey Trouble, Turkey realizes
(04:39):
he's still in danger even afterThanksgiving.
He hatches a series of wildplans to meet Santa and avoid
ending up as Christmas dinner,full of clever disguises and
laugh out loud moments.
This book is perfect forteaching perseverance, character
development, and howillustrations enhance
(05:01):
storytelling.
And I would definitely use thisbook to focus on characters
overcoming obstacles becausethis poor little turkey is, you
know, really working to get toSanta and really working not to
be Christmas dinner.
And any kind of character focusthat you do on Turkey can be
(05:22):
really powerful, especiallybecause you're learning more
things about Turkey if you have,especially if you did Turkey
Trouble.
So you're getting a little bitmore information about Turkey
each story, and I think that'sreally interesting.
Another jump right out standardto me is the illustrations and
how they work with the words tohelp the reader better
(05:42):
understand and remember thestories, which I think is really
powerful.
So it's Turkey Claws by WendySilvano.
I'd focus on characters underpressure, overcoming obstacles,
the illustrations enhancing thetext, and it's a great follow-up
to Turkey Trouble.
Book number two, my one of myfavorites, Yes, Virginia, there
(06:04):
is a Santa Claus by Chris Plell.
Yes, Virginia, there is a SantaClaus.
I think it is such a lovelystory with so much heart, and
it's based on a true life letterthat a little girl named
Virginia wrote The New York Sunback during the depression.
So it is a like really based onsomething true.
(06:27):
You can actually look up theletter, and that would be a cool
thing to share, like a piece ofyou know, something that's real,
like a nonfiction letter thatwas in the newspaper, and how
the editor had to respond tothat.
Some of the standards that standout for me are definitely
character work.
(06:47):
I think taking a closer look atVirginia, taking a closer look
at Ollie, and even Charlotte,which is which is kind of the
villain, can be an incredibleway to compare and contrast
characters.
And even per That's not fun whenthat happens.
(07:10):
And even perspective and whythey feel the way they do about
the story.
I also think story structure isstrong in this book with how the
story introduces how the storyis introduced and how the how
the story is concluded.
I think that's really animpactful thing.
Also great for retelling becausewhen you're looking at story
(07:31):
structure, I often like to lookat a retelling because I don't
want to just focus on how thestory is introduced and how it
ends.
Um, I always thought that waskind of a weird standard for
second grade, to tell you thetruth.
Um, I because I'm like themiddle, you know, there's so
much that's going on in themiddle, but I think just I think
(07:51):
when you put that thosestandards together, that makes a
lot more sense.
Anyway, yes, Virginia, there isa Santa Claus.
I do have the five-day miniunit.
Definitely grab it.
It will um cover some thingsthat I've already explained, and
it's just a really fun way to dothe story.
And also, there is an adorablelittle movie that my brother
(08:13):
actually helped produce, and itis such a fun little movie, and
doing a little compare andcontrast of that can be really
powerful as well.
So, yes, Virginia, there is aSanta Claus by Chris Plail,
based on a real letter to theNew York Sun, focus as
characters, comp comparisons,story structure, retelling,
author's purpose, and it is oneof my favorite freebies.
(08:36):
I mean, one of my favoritestories with one of my favorite
freebies.
All right, number three, HurrySanta by Julie Sky Sykes and Tim
Warness.
It is so okay.
So, this is a one about Santaoversleeps.
(08:56):
And he loses his list.
So Santa oversleeps, he loseshis list, he forgets his boots.
It's a Christmas scramble, andit's a charming little story
that follows a frantic but veryfunny journey to save Christmas
with a clear problem andsolution structure, lovable
(09:16):
illustrations, it's a great textfor teaching sequencing,
inspiring STEM tie-ins, likedesigning a morning routine for
Santa or designing a device thathelps Santa be on time, or the
pot the possibilities areendless when it comes to a STEM
response, which I love that.
(09:36):
And really kind of just framingit as Santa the problem is
Santa's late all the time.
How are we gonna solve this?
That gives it an open-endedfeeling.
So kids have to figure out howthey're gonna possibly solve it.
I absolutely would definitelyfocus on problem and solution in
this story, which instantlymakes me think of STEM.
And this is one of the booksthat I include in my 10-pack
(10:00):
read aloud STEM story stations,because I think it goes really
well with a STEM challenge.
Um, and that is actuallyincluded in that 10 pack, and
I'll link that in the shownotes.
I think this one also goes wellwith retelling, it's a simpler
story to retell, so that makesit, you know, like an easier
thing for kids to grasp as faras not giving you every single
(10:22):
detail, like just sticking tothe main points.
So I think that can be reallyhelpful.
All right, so that's that'snumber three, and that's Hurry
Santa by Julie Sykes and theproblem and solution in a pinch.
We've got simpler retelling,great for sequencing, and also a
wonderful part of stem storystations.
Number four, Santa's underwearby Marty Rhodes Figley.
(10:48):
Speaking of another another funread-aloud stem story station, I
also included this in my tinpack because I think this one is
hilarious.
Um, Santa's got a problem here.
He has underwear are not cleanor ready for Christmas Eve, and
he can't find them, or he can'tfind his favorite pair.
(11:09):
That's what it is.
He can't find them, and herefuses to leave the North Pole
without them.
Kids go wild for the silliness.
Anytime you're reading any bookabout underwear, I mean, you
you've got a winner because kidsare like, yes, I need to know
more about this.
And so I think this one's sofun.
While teachers love the chanceto explore character traits and
(11:30):
inferencing, it's a greatplayful book that adds fun to
December without losing academicvalue.
Um, and again, like kids justthink it's really, really fun.
And I would absolutely covercharacters here because you are
going to get some newinformation about Santa Claus.
It's the chance to do someexternal character traits as
(11:51):
well as internal charactertraits because who knew that
Santa was so stubborn about hisfavorite underwear?
So I think it's it can be likeanother thing that kids are
learning about Santa.
A compare and contrast wouldwork really well with other
books that they've read aboutSanta Claus.
That can be a really higherlevel thinking skill.
(12:12):
So I think that's important.
So this is book number four,Santa's underwear by Marty
Rhodes Figley.
It's hilarious for characterstudy, great for comparing
different Santa stories, andanother wonderful stem read
aloud story station book.
And again, that's included inthe 10 pack.
(12:32):
Number five.
And I'm not saying that right.
I know I'm not spelling thatright, but this is another book
about Santa and another fun onethat's in my STEM story
stations, and it's just uh socute.
(12:53):
And so here we go.
Ever wonder what kind of daySanta has before the big night?
Well, from stub toes to coldsoup, Santa is having a rough
one, and it shows this rhythmicrhyming story invites
conversations about emotion,including Santa.
And we are looking at inclusion,which is really important
(13:16):
because in this book, Santaactually has yellow skin, and I
think this is a great one tofocus on the um inclusivity of
all of the Santas that we havein our lives, and how we um
sometimes imagine this to bethis the same way every time,
(13:37):
but that's not the case thatit's you know, Santa can come in
all different shapes and sizesand all different colors, and I
think that's really important,and how visuals shape meaning,
and we're gonna look at it'sjust a really fun one to read.
So it's perfect for it's perfectfor STEM because again, we're
like trying to solve the problemof Santa being so grouchy, and
(13:59):
how can we solve his problem?
And in that story, there'sseveral different things or
objects that kids could doanother iteration of to help him
not be so grumpy, or they canthink of something brand new,
and I think that's reallypowerful.
So they're gonna create you knowsolutions for Santa being on
time, so it's it's very funnywhat they come up with.
(14:21):
My number one suggestion isactually it is the visuals, it's
visuals creating meaning becausebecause Santa is yellow, I think
that the images help us seeSanta in a different way, which
could lead to so manyconversations about inclusion of
all skin types, and we don'thave to get too heavy, but this
(14:42):
is a powerful conversation, andit leads to understanding and
acceptance, and I think thatthat's important.
Vocabulary and structure areanother perfect part for this
story because it has rhymingwords, and these words may not
be words that kids know becausethey're really, you know,
sometimes the author is reachinga bit because he's getting it to
(15:05):
rhyme.
So there's some words that kidsare going to get to learn, which
is always exciting.
So this is book number five, AreYou Grumpy Santa by Greg and
Evan Spiradelli and the visualsenhanced story?
We're looking at fun vocab andstory structure, lots of
rhyming, and it also opens upgentle conversations about
(15:26):
inclusion.
Number six, Santa is stuck byRhonda Gowler Green.
All right.
Oh no, Santa got stuck in thechimney.
Now it's up to the kids, thedog, and even grandma to pull
them out with a clear cause andeffect and a classic Christmas
(15:48):
problem.
This story opens the door tolots of STEM extensions, to
problem solving, to playfulwriting prompts, like design a
Santa rescue device for STEM,and then like how do they use
that as a writing prompt?
Again, problem and solution forsure, point of view could be
discussed.
Who is telling the story?
(16:10):
How would it be different ifSanta was actually telling the
story himself or even thereindeer?
So much fun.
So Santa Stock by Rhonda GallerGreen, perfect for problem and
solution.
Point of view.
What if Santa told the story?
And also it is included in mySTEM story stations.
The challenge is, not the book.
(16:30):
The books aren't included, butthe stem story station challenge
is.
All right, book number seven.
We're getting, we're going for,we're going for it.
Book number seven, ChristmasTrolls by Jan Brett.
Treva is excited for Christmasuntil she discovers her
decorations have gone missing.
When she meets the trolls whotook them, she chooses kindness
(16:53):
over anger, changing everything.
Jan Brett's trademarkillustrations offer a story
within a story which is perfectfor close reading, for character
comparison, and for visualliteracy.
Okay, so I definitely thinkcharacter work in this book as
well.
We can look at we can look atTreva, we can look at Sammy, we
can look at Tig and Mig, who arethe trolls.
(17:15):
I think it's I think it's alsogoes without saying with a Jan
Brett book that we we want tofocus on the illustrations
because the story is beinganother part of the story is
being told in the border of thebook.
And I think that's verypowerful.
I also have a close reading uniton this book, and um that covers
(17:37):
several different comprehensionskills, and I do have a STEM
extension for this book as well.
I have a couple of differentthings using this book because I
think this book, this is one ofmy favorite books to do.
I love to do the Tig and Meg'svoice, and my kids loved it.
So this is definitely one of myfavorites.
Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett.
(17:57):
I also like to do Christmasreindeer, I think is the other
one, or wild reindeer.
It might be wild reindeer, andI'll do a compare and contrast,
but that's a bonus.
That's a bonus one.
All right, so Christmas Trollsby Jan Brett, deep character
work, signature Jan Brettillustrations, and I have, like
I said, a comprehension unit onthis and a stem extension, and
(18:19):
I'll drop those in the shownotes.
Book number eight, Don't Let thePigeon Drive the Sleigh by Mo
Wills.
This is a super fun, quick storythat Mo Wills, you know, brings
to life with one of our favoritecharacters, Pigeon.
So Mo Willem does it again withthis hilarious holiday twist.
(18:39):
Pigeon really, really wants todrive the sleigh.
But should he?
And the spoiler is absolutelynot.
The familiar voice, the sillyantics, predictable structure,
make this a classroom favoritefor character analysis,
comparing texts, and buildingreading confidence.
(19:00):
Who doesn't love Mo Willem?
I just think he's so fun.
And I do have a STEM challengebased on this book.
And it's only$1.50.
That's in my shop as well.
And you can grab it.
It's in my show notes.
Um, I think it's fun.
And this book I would focus oncharacter for sure because we
can learn more and more aboutpigeon and how stubborn he is
(19:21):
and how he never listens.
And we can compare and contrastto other pigeon books, which
could make this a higher levelskill with a simple book.
So I think that's really fun.
So book number eight, Don't Letthe Pigeon Drive the Slay by Mo
Willems.
So fun, so familiar forcomparing pigeon, and it hits
character traits and characterovercoming obstacles, and that's
(19:44):
that's fun.
And then again, there's a STEMextension.
Number nine, The Polar Expressby Chris Van Alsberg.
Ah, who doesn't love the PolarExpress?
A magical train ride to theNorth Pole becomes a boy's
journey to belief with richvocabulary, stunning
(20:04):
illustrations, and themes ofwonder and imagination.
The Polar Express is a Decemberstaple.
It's a prime mentor text forauthor's purpose, for vocabulary
and context, and even comparingtext to the film.
And that's one of the veryreasons why I liked to do the
(20:26):
Polar Express.
And I also have a unit on thatthat I'll jump in the show
notes.
And it even has a compare andcontrast to the movie, because
we weren't allowed to sharemovies in my in my school unless
they were 30 minutes, which ishow I actually became such a fan
of Yes Virginia, because it waslike 25 minutes.
But the Polar Express, we stillhad the Polar Express day, and I
(20:49):
but I tied it all to standard soI could say, here you go, here's
the evidence.
You know, sometimes I'm like, dowe really have to do that?
But okay, fine.
So it's done.
So the Polar Express is my bookrecommendation, book number
nine, and I think it's a reallyspecial one.
And last but not least is TheNight Before Christmas by
(21:12):
Clement Seymour, which is aiteration of Twas the Night
Before Christmas, which is afamous poem written long ago.
So this classic poem capturesthe anticipation and magic of
Christmas Eve, and it's perfectfor fluency practice and
vocabulary discussions.
(21:33):
Especially there's a word in thebook where it's like Santa turns
with a jerk.
And I remember my son was like,jerk! Like he thought I had just
said a bad word.
And um, and so I'm like, oh no,like let me read it to you
again, and we're gonna look athow they're using it in the
story, and that's such a youknow helpful thing for multiple
meaning words, which can be veryconfusing to younger children
(21:56):
and also to kids whose Englishis not their primary language,
so that is the number one thingthat we can use with this book,
and it this is a familytradition for me where we still
do this in my house to this day,and my kids are 25 and now 21.
And we read Twas the NightBefore Christmas every Christmas
(22:16):
Eve, and that's kind of how weend the day.
And I FaceTime my son is usuallyhome, and I FaceTime with my
daughter, and it's it's reallyspecial.
Um yeah, so I that's my number10 the night before Christmas.
It's a family tradition, andthere it's a good one for like
(22:37):
poetry and word structure andvocabulary, multiple meaning
words, and also it's you know,it's a special one.
And some kids have never heardit, which is shocking.
And then I do have a bonus, Ihave a bonus story that I wanted
to share, and um and I thoughtthat I wrote it down, but maybe
(22:57):
I didn't, and maybe it was thewild reindeer, but I yeah, I
lost it.
So I guess I'm not gonna sharethat bonus one that I have.
Um all right, so let's talkabout it.
These books, they aren't justfun and fluff, they are
standards aligned, they arestandards-aligned magic that
(23:18):
gives your students connection,joy, and thinking skills without
you having to build an entirelynew lesson plan.
You don't need to choose betweencozy and curricular, you can
have both.
So don't forget to grab my yes,Virginia, my five-day close
reading unit to show and that isin the show notes.
That's a freebie.
And then definitely browse myshop on TPT, Trina Deborah
(23:41):
Teaching and Learning, and seeif you want to grab any of the
STEM story stations or thecomprehension packets or any of
the fun little things like that.
And hey, if you're curled up inyour cra classroom rocking a
holiday sweater and trying tomake it through these last few
weeks, you're not alone.
We are all in this together.
Let the books do some of theheavy lifting.
(24:04):
Until next time, keep teachingfrom the heart and sweet dreams
and sleep tight.
Welcome to One Tired Teacher episode 271.
(00:03):
10 of the best Christmas booksthat still teach something.
So today I'm going to share 10of my favorite Christmas books
to use in the classroom.
And I'm also going to give you alittle bit of a heads up of like
what strategies instantly cometo mind or what standards come
(00:23):
to mind when we are talkingabout each title.
They're so fun and I thinkyou're going to love them.
Hope you stick around.
SPEAKER_01 (00:36):
Welcome to One Tired Teacher.
And even though she may need anap, this teacher is ready to
wake up and speak her truthabout the trials and treasures
of teaching.
Here she is, wide awake.
Wait, she's not asleep rightnow, is she?
She is awake, right?
Okay.
From Trina Deborah Teaching andLearning, your host, Trina
(00:56):
Debori.
SPEAKER_00 (00:59):
Hey, welcome back.
All right.
So today we are talking about umleaning into the joy, into the
real teaching, where we keep itcozy, we keep it full of
happiness, and we also get ourkeep our kids like under
control.
And today we're talking about 10of the best children's Christmas
(01:20):
books that actually teachsomething.
These are the books I've learnedin, I've kind of leaned into
them in the wild December chaoswhere the glitter is like
literally flying everywhere, andwe've got assemblies popping up,
and we've got, you know, Santa'ssecret shop, and we've got all
these things, and that'shappening like every other day.
(01:41):
And the attention spans arerunning on candy canes and wish
lists.
It's kind of crazy.
But instead of just survivingDecember, what if we could
thrive with stories that engagekids, that open their hearts,
and yet still hit standards?
So we still are coveringessential standards and skills
(02:04):
that we need to cover.
All right, so let's talk aboutit.
Why books matter in December?
Books matter in every month ofthe year.
Let me say that right off theoff the bat.
But when we lean into Christmasbooks, it actually makes it more
relevant for kids.
It really hones into theirexcitement.
It really covers theirenthusiasm.
(02:26):
And we get to lean into like amagical time of the year.
And the week before break isdefinitely not the time to start
like a massive new like genrestudy or a brand new, like
intense unit.
But it is the perfect time todig into read alouds that offer
(02:48):
emotional connection and richdiscussion, teachable moments
that don't require like one totwo pages of worksheets.
So that's what we're gonna talkabout today.
And today's list it hits all ofthese and so much more.
So, first of all, I wanted tolet you know before we dive in
(03:10):
that I do have an all-done foryou five-day close reading unit
with one of my very favoritebooks that I am gonna mention
today.
And it's Yes, Virginia, there isa Santa Claus.
And if you head to the link inthe show notes, you can grab
this freebie.
It covers author's purpose, itcovers visualization, it covers
(03:33):
vocabulary, fluency, reflectivewriting, and it's all wrapped up
in a holiday heart.
All right, so you can find thatat Trina Deborah
Teachingandlearning.com forwardslash Yes Virginia.
I think it's yes Virginia.
Let me double check becausesometimes I get that wrong and I
(03:55):
don't want to give you the wrongURL.
So it's let me make sure it isyes, that is correct.
So Trina Deborah TeachingandLearning.com forward slash yes
Virginia.
All one word, yes, Virginia.
That will take you to the pageand you can grab that freebie.
All right.
So let's talk about the booklist breakdown.
(04:16):
This is gonna be like kind of aquick fire style um with the
standards.
And I am gonna give you a littlesynopsis because, you know, it's
it's also important.
So the first book, number what,book number one, is Turkey Claws
by Wendy Silvano.
So in this hilarious sequel toTurkey Trouble, Turkey realizes
(04:39):
he's still in danger even afterThanksgiving.
He hatches a series of wildplans to meet Santa and avoid
ending up as Christmas dinner,full of clever disguises and
laugh out loud moments.
This book is perfect forteaching perseverance, character
development, and howillustrations enhance
(05:01):
storytelling.
And I would definitely use thisbook to focus on characters
overcoming obstacles becausethis poor little turkey is, you
know, really working to get toSanta and really working not to
be Christmas dinner.
And any kind of character focusthat you do on Turkey can be
(05:22):
really powerful, especiallybecause you're learning more
things about Turkey if you have,especially if you did Turkey
Trouble.
So you're getting a little bitmore information about Turkey
each story, and I think that'sreally interesting.
Another jump right out standardto me is the illustrations and
how they work with the words tohelp the reader better
(05:42):
understand and remember thestories, which I think is really
powerful.
So it's Turkey Claws by WendySilvano.
I'd focus on characters underpressure, overcoming obstacles,
the illustrations enhancing thetext, and it's a great follow-up
to Turkey Trouble.
Book number two, my one of myfavorites, Yes, Virginia, there
(06:04):
is a Santa Claus by Chris Plell.
Yes, Virginia, there is a SantaClaus.
I think it is such a lovelystory with so much heart, and
it's based on a true life letterthat a little girl named
Virginia wrote The New York Sunback during the depression.
So it is a like really based onsomething true.
(06:27):
You can actually look up theletter, and that would be a cool
thing to share, like a piece ofyou know, something that's real,
like a nonfiction letter thatwas in the newspaper, and how
the editor had to respond tothat.
Some of the standards that standout for me are definitely
character work.
(06:47):
I think taking a closer look atVirginia, taking a closer look
at Ollie, and even Charlotte,which is which is kind of the
villain, can be an incredibleway to compare and contrast
characters.
And even per That's not fun whenthat happens.
(07:10):
And even perspective and whythey feel the way they do about
the story.
I also think story structure isstrong in this book with how the
story introduces how the storyis introduced and how the how
the story is concluded.
I think that's really animpactful thing.
Also great for retelling becausewhen you're looking at story
(07:31):
structure, I often like to lookat a retelling because I don't
want to just focus on how thestory is introduced and how it
ends.
Um, I always thought that waskind of a weird standard for
second grade, to tell you thetruth.
Um, I because I'm like themiddle, you know, there's so
much that's going on in themiddle, but I think just I think
(07:51):
when you put that thosestandards together, that makes a
lot more sense.
Anyway, yes, Virginia, there isa Santa Claus.
I do have the five-day miniunit.
Definitely grab it.
It will um cover some thingsthat I've already explained, and
it's just a really fun way to dothe story.
And also, there is an adorablelittle movie that my brother
(08:13):
actually helped produce, and itis such a fun little movie, and
doing a little compare andcontrast of that can be really
powerful as well.
So, yes, Virginia, there is aSanta Claus by Chris Plail,
based on a real letter to theNew York Sun, focus as
characters, comp comparisons,story structure, retelling,
author's purpose, and it is oneof my favorite freebies.
(08:36):
I mean, one of my favoritestories with one of my favorite
freebies.
All right, number three, HurrySanta by Julie Sky Sykes and Tim
Warness.
It is so okay.
So, this is a one about Santaoversleeps.
(08:56):
And he loses his list.
So Santa oversleeps, he loseshis list, he forgets his boots.
It's a Christmas scramble, andit's a charming little story
that follows a frantic but veryfunny journey to save Christmas
with a clear problem andsolution structure, lovable
(09:16):
illustrations, it's a great textfor teaching sequencing,
inspiring STEM tie-ins, likedesigning a morning routine for
Santa or designing a device thathelps Santa be on time, or the
pot the possibilities areendless when it comes to a STEM
response, which I love that.
(09:36):
And really kind of just framingit as Santa the problem is
Santa's late all the time.
How are we gonna solve this?
That gives it an open-endedfeeling.
So kids have to figure out howthey're gonna possibly solve it.
I absolutely would definitelyfocus on problem and solution in
this story, which instantlymakes me think of STEM.
And this is one of the booksthat I include in my 10-pack
(10:00):
read aloud STEM story stations,because I think it goes really
well with a STEM challenge.
Um, and that is actuallyincluded in that 10 pack, and
I'll link that in the shownotes.
I think this one also goes wellwith retelling, it's a simpler
story to retell, so that makesit, you know, like an easier
thing for kids to grasp as faras not giving you every single
(10:22):
detail, like just sticking tothe main points.
So I think that can be reallyhelpful.
All right, so that's that'snumber three, and that's Hurry
Santa by Julie Sykes and theproblem and solution in a pinch.
We've got simpler retelling,great for sequencing, and also a
wonderful part of stem storystations.
Number four, Santa's underwearby Marty Rhodes Figley.
(10:48):
Speaking of another another funread-aloud stem story station, I
also included this in my tinpack because I think this one is
hilarious.
Um, Santa's got a problem here.
He has underwear are not cleanor ready for Christmas Eve, and
he can't find them, or he can'tfind his favorite pair.
(11:09):
That's what it is.
He can't find them, and herefuses to leave the North Pole
without them.
Kids go wild for the silliness.
Anytime you're reading any bookabout underwear, I mean, you
you've got a winner because kidsare like, yes, I need to know
more about this.
And so I think this one's sofun.
While teachers love the chanceto explore character traits and
(11:30):
inferencing, it's a greatplayful book that adds fun to
December without losing academicvalue.
Um, and again, like kids justthink it's really, really fun.
And I would absolutely covercharacters here because you are
going to get some newinformation about Santa Claus.
It's the chance to do someexternal character traits as
(11:51):
well as internal charactertraits because who knew that
Santa was so stubborn about hisfavorite underwear?
So I think it's it can be likeanother thing that kids are
learning about Santa.
A compare and contrast wouldwork really well with other
books that they've read aboutSanta Claus.
That can be a really higherlevel thinking skill.
(12:12):
So I think that's important.
So this is book number four,Santa's underwear by Marty
Rhodes Figley.
It's hilarious for characterstudy, great for comparing
different Santa stories, andanother wonderful stem read
aloud story station book.
And again, that's included inthe 10 pack.
(12:32):
Number five.
And I'm not saying that right.
I know I'm not spelling thatright, but this is another book
about Santa and another fun onethat's in my STEM story
stations, and it's just uh socute.
(12:53):
And so here we go.
Ever wonder what kind of daySanta has before the big night?
Well, from stub toes to coldsoup, Santa is having a rough
one, and it shows this rhythmicrhyming story invites
conversations about emotion,including Santa.
And we are looking at inclusion,which is really important
(13:16):
because in this book, Santaactually has yellow skin, and I
think this is a great one tofocus on the um inclusivity of
all of the Santas that we havein our lives, and how we um
sometimes imagine this to bethis the same way every time,
(13:37):
but that's not the case thatit's you know, Santa can come in
all different shapes and sizesand all different colors, and I
think that's really important,and how visuals shape meaning,
and we're gonna look at it'sjust a really fun one to read.
So it's perfect for it's perfectfor STEM because again, we're
like trying to solve the problemof Santa being so grouchy, and
(13:59):
how can we solve his problem?
And in that story, there'sseveral different things or
objects that kids could doanother iteration of to help him
not be so grumpy, or they canthink of something brand new,
and I think that's reallypowerful.
So they're gonna create you knowsolutions for Santa being on
time, so it's it's very funnywhat they come up with.
(14:21):
My number one suggestion isactually it is the visuals, it's
visuals creating meaning becausebecause Santa is yellow, I think
that the images help us seeSanta in a different way, which
could lead to so manyconversations about inclusion of
all skin types, and we don'thave to get too heavy, but this
(14:42):
is a powerful conversation, andit leads to understanding and
acceptance, and I think thatthat's important.
Vocabulary and structure areanother perfect part for this
story because it has rhymingwords, and these words may not
be words that kids know becausethey're really, you know,
sometimes the author is reachinga bit because he's getting it to
(15:05):
rhyme.
So there's some words that kidsare going to get to learn, which
is always exciting.
So this is book number five, AreYou Grumpy Santa by Greg and
Evan Spiradelli and the visualsenhanced story?
We're looking at fun vocab andstory structure, lots of
rhyming, and it also opens upgentle conversations about
(15:26):
inclusion.
Number six, Santa is stuck byRhonda Gowler Green.
All right.
Oh no, Santa got stuck in thechimney.
Now it's up to the kids, thedog, and even grandma to pull
them out with a clear cause andeffect and a classic Christmas
(15:48):
problem.
This story opens the door tolots of STEM extensions, to
problem solving, to playfulwriting prompts, like design a
Santa rescue device for STEM,and then like how do they use
that as a writing prompt?
Again, problem and solution forsure, point of view could be
discussed.
Who is telling the story?
(16:10):
How would it be different ifSanta was actually telling the
story himself or even thereindeer?
So much fun.
So Santa Stock by Rhonda GallerGreen, perfect for problem and
solution.
Point of view.
What if Santa told the story?
And also it is included in mySTEM story stations.
The challenge is, not the book.
(16:30):
The books aren't included, butthe stem story station challenge
is.
All right, book number seven.
We're getting, we're going for,we're going for it.
Book number seven, ChristmasTrolls by Jan Brett.
Treva is excited for Christmasuntil she discovers her
decorations have gone missing.
When she meets the trolls whotook them, she chooses kindness
(16:53):
over anger, changing everything.
Jan Brett's trademarkillustrations offer a story
within a story which is perfectfor close reading, for character
comparison, and for visualliteracy.
Okay, so I definitely thinkcharacter work in this book as
well.
We can look at we can look atTreva, we can look at Sammy, we
can look at Tig and Mig, who arethe trolls.
(17:15):
I think it's I think it's alsogoes without saying with a Jan
Brett book that we we want tofocus on the illustrations
because the story is beinganother part of the story is
being told in the border of thebook.
And I think that's verypowerful.
I also have a close reading uniton this book, and um that covers
(17:37):
several different comprehensionskills, and I do have a STEM
extension for this book as well.
I have a couple of differentthings using this book because I
think this book, this is one ofmy favorite books to do.
I love to do the Tig and Meg'svoice, and my kids loved it.
So this is definitely one of myfavorites.
Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett.
(17:57):
I also like to do Christmasreindeer, I think is the other
one, or wild reindeer.
It might be wild reindeer, andI'll do a compare and contrast,
but that's a bonus.
That's a bonus one.
All right, so Christmas Trollsby Jan Brett, deep character
work, signature Jan Brettillustrations, and I have, like
I said, a comprehension unit onthis and a stem extension, and
(18:19):
I'll drop those in the shownotes.
Book number eight, Don't Let thePigeon Drive the Sleigh by Mo
Wills.
This is a super fun, quick storythat Mo Wills, you know, brings
to life with one of our favoritecharacters, Pigeon.
So Mo Willem does it again withthis hilarious holiday twist.
(18:39):
Pigeon really, really wants todrive the sleigh.
But should he?
And the spoiler is absolutelynot.
The familiar voice, the sillyantics, predictable structure,
make this a classroom favoritefor character analysis,
comparing texts, and buildingreading confidence.
(19:00):
Who doesn't love Mo Willem?
I just think he's so fun.
And I do have a STEM challengebased on this book.
And it's only$1.50.
That's in my shop as well.
And you can grab it.
It's in my show notes.
Um, I think it's fun.
And this book I would focus oncharacter for sure because we
can learn more and more aboutpigeon and how stubborn he is
(19:21):
and how he never listens.
And we can compare and contrastto other pigeon books, which
could make this a higher levelskill with a simple book.
So I think that's really fun.
So book number eight, Don't Letthe Pigeon Drive the Slay by Mo
Willems.
So fun, so familiar forcomparing pigeon, and it hits
character traits and characterovercoming obstacles, and that's
(19:44):
that's fun.
And then again, there's a STEMextension.
Number nine, The Polar Expressby Chris Van Alsberg.
Ah, who doesn't love the PolarExpress?
A magical train ride to theNorth Pole becomes a boy's
journey to belief with richvocabulary, stunning
(20:04):
illustrations, and themes ofwonder and imagination.
The Polar Express is a Decemberstaple.
It's a prime mentor text forauthor's purpose, for vocabulary
and context, and even comparingtext to the film.
And that's one of the veryreasons why I liked to do the
(20:26):
Polar Express.
And I also have a unit on thatthat I'll jump in the show
notes.
And it even has a compare andcontrast to the movie, because
we weren't allowed to sharemovies in my in my school unless
they were 30 minutes, which ishow I actually became such a fan
of Yes Virginia, because it waslike 25 minutes.
But the Polar Express, we stillhad the Polar Express day, and I
(20:49):
but I tied it all to standard soI could say, here you go, here's
the evidence.
You know, sometimes I'm like, dowe really have to do that?
But okay, fine.
So it's done.
So the Polar Express is my bookrecommendation, book number
nine, and I think it's a reallyspecial one.
And last but not least is TheNight Before Christmas by
(21:12):
Clement Seymour, which is aiteration of Twas the Night
Before Christmas, which is afamous poem written long ago.
So this classic poem capturesthe anticipation and magic of
Christmas Eve, and it's perfectfor fluency practice and
vocabulary discussions.
(21:33):
Especially there's a word in thebook where it's like Santa turns
with a jerk.
And I remember my son was like,jerk! Like he thought I had just
said a bad word.
And um, and so I'm like, oh no,like let me read it to you
again, and we're gonna look athow they're using it in the
story, and that's such a youknow helpful thing for multiple
meaning words, which can be veryconfusing to younger children
(21:56):
and also to kids whose Englishis not their primary language,
so that is the number one thingthat we can use with this book,
and it this is a familytradition for me where we still
do this in my house to this day,and my kids are 25 and now 21.
And we read Twas the NightBefore Christmas every Christmas
(22:16):
Eve, and that's kind of how weend the day.
And I FaceTime my son is usuallyhome, and I FaceTime with my
daughter, and it's it's reallyspecial.
Um yeah, so I that's my number10 the night before Christmas.
It's a family tradition, andthere it's a good one for like
(22:37):
poetry and word structure andvocabulary, multiple meaning
words, and also it's you know,it's a special one.
And some kids have never heardit, which is shocking.
And then I do have a bonus, Ihave a bonus story that I wanted
to share, and um and I thoughtthat I wrote it down, but maybe
(22:57):
I didn't, and maybe it was thewild reindeer, but I yeah, I
lost it.
So I guess I'm not gonna sharethat bonus one that I have.
Um all right, so let's talkabout it.
These books, they aren't justfun and fluff, they are
standards aligned, they arestandards-aligned magic that
(23:18):
gives your students connection,joy, and thinking skills without
you having to build an entirelynew lesson plan.
You don't need to choose betweencozy and curricular, you can
have both.
So don't forget to grab my yes,Virginia, my five-day close
reading unit to show and that isin the show notes.
That's a freebie.
And then definitely browse myshop on TPT, Trina Deborah
(23:41):
Teaching and Learning, and seeif you want to grab any of the
STEM story stations or thecomprehension packets or any of
the fun little things like that.
And hey, if you're curled up inyour cra classroom rocking a
holiday sweater and trying tomake it through these last few
weeks, you're not alone.
We are all in this together.
Let the books do some of theheavy lifting.
(24:04):
Until next time, keep teachingfrom the heart and sweet dreams
and sleep tight.
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