Top 10 Holiday Books for Children

Parents and children will likely have more free time soon with time off from work and school over the holidays. So, when you take a break from shopping and family traditions, make a trip to the newly renovated Clawson library to check out some good reads.

has a wide selection of holiday books to keep your children reading while they are out of school. Kristin Church, youth services librarian, offers her top 10 list of holiday books for children:

1. Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson: A book about a bear whose friends want to make sure he is awake to celebrate Christmas and see Santa Claus.

2. Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney: Llama is excited about the holiday, but all this waiting for the special day to arrive makes him feel impatient.

3. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel: A warm and humorous story about how Hershel uses his wits to keep the creepy goblins from ruining Hanukkah for the villagers.

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss: The Grinch tries hard to stop Christmas and is surprised when it comes despite his efforts.

5. Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer: The adorable and hilarious Olivia and her family spend Christmas Eve together getting ready for the holiday and waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.

6. The Night Before Christmas by Robert Sabuda and Clement Clarke Moore: The classic Christmas tale in a pop-up book.

7. The Runaway Latkes by Leslie Kimmelman: A Hanukkah version of "The Gingerbread Man" that is fun and delicious with a recipe for latkes included.

8. Santa Claus: The World's Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee: A behind-the-scenes look at how much work and care Santa puts into picking the "exact right toy for the exact right kid."

9. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg: This Caldecott Medal winner is a wonderful story about a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve, then boarding the Polar Express train to the North Pole for the adventure of a lifetime.

10. The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco: A beautiful story about the friendship between neighbors as they celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah.