Handpicked by Our Editors

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
Age 5+
4

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson

Why We Recommend It

Jackie Robinson was special on the baseball field and off. His daughter's bio of the slugger-as-dad emphasizes courage.

Read our full review
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Merry Christmas, Splat! by Rob Scotton
Parents Need to Know...

there’s nothing to worry about in this holiday story. Parents might grumble at Splat’s focus on getting a big present, but that provides an opening to talk with your kids about the value of a gift. read more

Age 3+
Merry Christmas, Splat!
3
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Auntie Claus, Home for the Holidays by Elise Primavera
Parents Need to Know...

there isn’t anything to be concerned about in this pretty Christmas fantasy. read more

Age 5+
Auntie Claus, Home for the Holidays
3
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Four Friends at Christmas by Tomie dePaola
Parents Need to Know...

that this cute, simple story of friendship and Christmas celebration was previously one of four stories, the one entitled Winter, contained in Tomie de Paola's Four Stories for Four Seasons. read more

Age 4+
Four Friends at Christmas
4
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'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Parents Need to Know...

there’s nothing of concern in this rendering of the well-known holiday poem. Young children may need some help understanding some of the language -- the poem was written nearly 200 years ago -- but they’ll have no trouble ... read more

Age 4+
'Twas the Night Before Christmas
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A Pussycat's Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown
Parents Need to Know...

there is nothing to be concerned about in this charming holiday tale. read more

Age 3+
A Pussycat's Christmas
4
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The Sound of Kwanzaa by Dimitrea Tokunbo
Parents Need to Know...

that whether or not they celebrate Kwanzaa, this picture book has a positive message for readers. read more

Age 4+
The Sound of Kwanzaa
4
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The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup
Parents Need to Know...

there is nothing to be concerned about in this book. The pirate captain carries a cutlass, but it’s never used (it’s nibbled by a mouse). The gingerbread pirates are scared that Santa Claus is going to eat them, but all ends well. read more

Age 4+
The Gingerbread Pirates
3
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The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson
Parents Need to Know...

that there is nothing to be concerned about in this heartfelt holiday tale. Families feeling burned out by holiday commercialism will find some respite here. read more

Age 4+
The Christmas Magic
5
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Over in the Hollow by Rebecca Dickinson
Parents Need to Know...

this slightly spooky book is a Halloween take on the Olive A. Wadsworth’s counting rhyme, “Over in the Meadow.” The werewolf, witch, and monster denizens of this night world are neither too cute nor too scary. read more

Age 3+
Over in the Hollow
4
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Moonlight: The Halloween Cat
Parents Need to Know...

this is a comforting, not creepy, Halloween book for very young children. There are no ghosts, goblins, or things that go bump in the night. In the eyes of Moonlight the cat, jack o’lanterns wear friendly smiles, scarecrows offer laps ... read more

Age 2+
Moonlight: The Halloween Cat
4
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Queen of Hearts by Mary Engelbreit
Parents Need to Know...

that this is one of Mary Englebreit's Ann Estelle stories. This time Ann Estelle is celebrating Valentine's Day, with all the accompanying lace, paper hearts, and glitter. read more

Age 4+
Queen of Hearts
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Snow by Cynthia Rylant
Parents Need to Know...

that the words and pictures of this book celebrate the many moods of snow, from the first flake that swirls to the ground to the moment when snowdrifts have blanketed the entire world outside. Those who have lived in snow will recognize ... read more

Age 3+
Snow
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Deck the Halls by Norman Rockwell
Parents Need to Know...

that this pairing of classic Norman Rockwell paintings with the favorite American Christmas carol "Deck the Halls" presents a very traditional, nostalgic message as well as being a tribute to Rockwell's artwork. read more

Age 2+
Deck the Halls
4
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I See Santa Everywhere by Glenn McCoy
Parents Need to Know...

that they may find this book very funny, but its brand of humor is not geared toward younger kids. And the Santa lookalikes are rather rough looking, sporting tattoos, smoking, and toothless. For those who are ready for its message, the ... read more

Age 6+
I See Santa Everywhere
3
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Hanukkah by Roni Schotter
Parents Need to Know...

that this simple telling of one family's Hanukkah celebration captures the essence of tradition, and was awarded the prestigious National Jewish Book Award in 1991. read more

Age 4+
Hanukkah
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Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold, Vivian Walsh
Parents Need to Know...

Parents should know that kids who love wordplay will especially love this very original book, which has a pop-up version and is also now a movie. read more

Age 5+
Olive, the Other Reindeer
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Vunce Upon a Time
Parents Need to Know...

that this unique vampire tale contains nothing scarier than Dagmar's temper tantrum. The clever twists in the story, for example when the vampire tries to come up with a scary costume, create a silly but engaging story, and the rich ... read more

Age 4+
Vunce Upon a Time
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Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler
Parents Need to Know...

that everyone is sure to get caught up in the boogie fever of this madcap monster ball. Despite a few slightly spooky-looking characters, all is fun and excitement in this story, told in loose rhyme speckled with puns and other silliness. read more

Age 4+
Boogie Knights
4
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Bone Soup by Cambria Evans
Parents Need to Know...

that this "spooky" tale is really not that spooky at all. The Halloween beasts, even the ghouls and werewolves, are pretty friendly-looking, though the cauldron of bone soup with its eyeballs, toenail clippings, and dried mouse droppings ... read more

Age 4+
Bone Soup
4
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Merry Navidad! by Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy, Rosalma Zubizarreta
Parents Need to Know...

that this bilingual book of poems and songs celebrates the Christmas season and reflects the Hispanic tradition. It definitely has a religious tone. read more

Age 5+
Merry Navidad!
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The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Piñata for the Piñon Tree by Philemon Sturges
Parents Need to Know...

that this book presents a New Mexican twist on a familiar holiday carol. The characters are animals, the spirit is one of festive friendship, and nothing at all is questionable for families who celebrate Christmas. read more

Age 4+
The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Piñata for the Piñon Tree
4

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