There are some real Christmas cracker books out there for the festive season. So, go grab a coffee (I’ll leave you to decide if you put Baileys in it) and have a look at some of the gorgeous books we’ve picked out for your Mini Travellers:
Board books
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That’s not my Winter Wonderland – Fiona Watt (author), Rachel Wells (illustrator), Usborne Publishing Ltd (publisher)
It wouldn’t be Christmas unless there was a beautiful, new touchy-feely book now would it?! This gorgeous board book is the ultimate in sensory fun, filled with stunning, thick pages of bold and bright drawings. Each two-fold spread has its own patch of different textures for your little one to reach out and touch, stimulating their senses.
Whether you want to stroke the furry reindeer, feel the fuzzy snowmen or touch Santa’s fluffy beard, it is up to you. Each page has gorgeous foil details and bright, beautiful illustrations which are designed to captivate your little one’s attention. We love the sparkly light finish at the ending too. A beautiful board book for a baby or toddler.
- Watt, Fiona (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 10 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Usborne Publishing Ltd (Publisher)
Merry Christmas, My Little Cuddle Bug – Little Tiger Press Ltd (publisher)
Cuddle up close with your littlest ones with this gorgeous Christmas cuddle book. You and your little readers can celebrate the festive season with Cuddle Bug and her adorable family in this cute and colourful rhyming board book.
With stunning illustrations in captivating scenes of bold and bright colours, your little one will have such fun turning the pages of this chunky book. There are laser cut-out shapes and the adorable raised form of Cuddle Bug for little fingers to explore.
The sweet message of family love and togetherness ends a beautifully festive book which will see your child through the season and beyond. A sensational stocking filler for the youngest of children.
- Edwards, Nicola (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 18 Pages - 10/02/2025 (Publication Date) - Little Tiger (Publisher)
Don’t tickle the Turkey – Sam Taplin (author), Ana Larranaga (illustrator), Usborne Publishing Ltd (publisher)
Filled with festive fun, your young one will not be able to resist reaching out and touching the pages of this gorgeous board book. Do they want to tickle the bison, make the raccoon chatter, or hee haw with the mule?
Each spread is colour and captivating and your little one will love pressing the soft patches to hear the sounds of the animals – and then see what happens when they press the finger button at the end of the book! The pages are sturdy and interactive, providing sensory fun on an auditory and a touchy-feely level. A brilliant board book to unwrap under the Christmas tree.
- New Store Stock
- Taplin, Sam (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 10 Pages - 11/06/2025 (Publication Date) - Usborne Publishing Ltd (Publisher)
My Big Playbook Christmas – Ingela P Arrhenius (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
This is a superbly interactive large board book which will get those fine motor skills working hard and provide hours (ok, let’s face it, probably not hours, but you might get a swig or two of hot tea!) of entertainment for the youngest of readers.
With first words, an introduction to colours, numbers and shapes, all using seasonal and bright illustrations, this book is not only fun but it’s an education!! There are lift-the-flap felt shapes to explore and laser cut-out shapes to interact with, as well as snowy scenes to pore over and opposites to look at.
The pages are vibrantly colourful and wonderfully engaging with their adorable festive illustrations. You can even scan the QR code to hear all the words read aloud. Entertaining and super cute, this would melt the perfect present for the little one in your life.
- New Store Stock
- Ingela P Arrhenius (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 10 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
Picture books
I Follow the Fox – Rob Biddulph (author and illustrator), Harper Collins Children’s Books (publisher)
Well, isn’t this book just the epitome of winter? With stunning illustrations of sleepy, winter wonderlands and a gorgeous, rhyming story, this is a beautiful book to read at bedtime with your little one.
You and your young reader will be captivated by the sumptuous spreads of sublime illustrations set out in a wintry colour palette and complemented by the silver foil detailing on the beautiful cover. You will be swept along on this magical, wintry adventure following a little boy. He’s lost his toy fox and his very sad about it so when a fox calls him to his window one night, he knows he is off on a wonderful adventure, taking him across beautiful countryside.
This rhyming story is made to be read aloud and the ending is just magical. It’s perfect for this time of year. It really reminded us of The Snowman and I can see it being a picture book which will last the test of time with my children reading it to theirs. An absolutely extraordinary adventure story that will stay with you for a long time and become a firm favourite.
- New Store Stock
- Biddulph, Rob (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks (Publisher)
Refuge – Anne Booth (author), Sam Usher (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
Inspired by the plight of refugee children everywhere this picture book is a stunningly powerful re-telling of the Christmas story. This ten year anniversary edition is published in support of refugees and £1 from the sale of each book will go to War Child (and you can scan the WR code to learn more about this).
The illustrations in this moving and timeless story are by one of my all-time favourite illustrators and are so powerful and touching. I love the grey colour tones used which then contrast with the yellows and oranges when the family is safe from harm in Egypt. As the humble family flee from danger and persecution, all they have is a donkey to rely on for strength and to carry them. They must rely on the kindness of strangers until they finally find refuge.
This is moving, beautiful book to read with your children and to discuss the true meaning of Christmas: kindness, sharing, community and love.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
- Anne Booth (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
The Street Where Santa Lives – Harriet Howe (author), Julia Christians(illustrator), Little Tiger Press Ltd (publisher)
What a beautiful book full of the joy of the season! When an elderly gentleman with a white beard moves into the street, everyone is far too busy to notice. All except for one little girl. She notices. And she is convinced that her new neighbour is Santa Claus. When he gets sick just before Christmas, the little girl gets concerned. It turns out she was right to be because her neighbour really was poorly. But with the love and support of the community, he will soon be nursed back to full health. Just in time to deliver all those presents; right?! 😉
This is such a joyous, heartwarming book all about community spirit and coming together. The illustrations are absolutely exquisite: they sparkle with the magic and joy of the season and the love of the little girl and the neighbourhood. Each beautiful and bright spread complements the wording of the story. A beautiful book to share with your little ones to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. We’d certainly love to wake up on Christmas morning to find it in our stocking.
- Hardcover Book
- Howe, Harriet (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 36 Pages - 10/02/2025 (Publication Date) - Little Tiger (Publisher)
The Twelve Bums of Christmas – Sarah Reid (author), Karl West (illustrator), scholastic (publisher)
Christmas is all about fun and jollity, right?! And this book is packed full of it. I mean, what’s not fun about bottoms?!
The countdown to Christmas has started with a bang! From the first day botty burp, there is so much for one little elf to do. There’s presents to wrap, gingerbread to make, trees to decorate and so much more. But there are bums galore and they keep getting in little elf’s way!! With bums of all shapes and sizes, join elf on his stinkiest Christmas ever!
Featuring all the favourites – dinos, unicorns, reindeer, penguins, snowmen and Santa – this is a bright, fun and colourful rhyming book which will appeal to any young reader. Not only is it hilarious but it also supports learning through the number counting – what’s not to love? The illustrations are vibrant and colourful, filled with adorable animals and humorous expressions. A real Christmas cracker of a book which will appeal to the sillier side of any child.
- New Store Stock
- Reid, Sarah (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Scholastic (Publisher)
How to Find a Yeti – Matt Hunt (author and illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
My son and I absolutely believe in Yetis. And we would love to meet one. But what about you – do you believe in yetis?!
The little boy in this story is convinced that they are real. He is sure that they live in the snowy forest behind his house. The trouble is, he hasn’t seen one yet. So, yeti expert that he is, he goes off into the woods with his backpack stuffed and his dog Milo at the ready. They are sure to find the yeti…. But the more that they search, the more despondent they become…. Surely it must turn up somewhere?
This is such an adorable book with a heartwarming ending. The illustrations are incredible- filled with fun, humour and snowy scenes which will fill your child with delight. We don’t want to give away too much but the drawings just complement the humour of the text and the fun of the story whilst also being interactive and incredibly beautiful. This is one book you don’t want to miss off your Christmas list this year. We love it.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
- Matt Hunt (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
The Boy who Grew Dragons – A Christmas Delivery -Andy Shepherd (author). Sarah Warburton (illustrator), Templar books (publisher)
Tomas and Lolli are huge fans of Christmas. And so are their dragons. But when a snow dragon bursts out from their spiky fruit tree, its birth brings with it a whole lot of chaos! At first, the sprinkling of snow is so much fun but when it keeps coming down, a whole world of chaos ensues. Tomas and Lolli aren’t going to be able to deliver presents to their family and friends…. It’s a good job they have a few flying dragons around to help them!
Perfect for dragon lovers everywhere, this book brings sparkle and magic and lots of frosty, wintry scenes. We particularly love the illustrations, which are packed with fun, love and stunning snow-filled scenes. A heartwarming book for Christmas which will be sure to captivate your little dragon lovers.
- The Boy Who Grew Dragons
- product type: ABIS BOOK
- brand: BONNIER
- Shepherd, Andy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Chapter books
Dave Pigeon (Turkey Dinner!) – Swapna Haddow (author), Sheena Dempsey (cover art), Faber & Faber Ltd (publisher)
Dave and Skipper are back in a hilarious Christmas caper! It’s Big Dinner Day and the Humans are about to sit down to a tasty meal. Dave and Skipper cannot wait for the scraps. Until, that is, Tinkles the canary next door, lets them into a secret: that the main meal is TURKEY!!!
Can Dave and Skipper and their new friend (sort-of!) Robbie Robin try and save the turkey from being roasted alive?! They will certainly try their best!
If you haven’t read any of the books in this series, they are so easy to pick up and are hilariously funny. You don’t need to have read the others in the series to enjoy this, the latest book and its laugh out loud fun.
With hilariously funny black and white drawings and some comic style speech bubble pages, including an entire giggle-fest of a chapter from Robbie Robin, this is a wonderfully visual read as well as a brilliant piece of funny- feathered fiction. A fun and festive chapter book which would make a perfect stocking filler for your little readers.
- New Store Stock
- Haddow, Swapna (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Faber & Faber (Publisher)
Anisha Accidental Detective – Christmas Chaos (recommended reading age – 7 plus) – Serena Patel (author), Emma McCann (illustrator), Usborne Publishing Ltd (publisher)
Anisha’s family put the jingle bells into Christmas. They absolutely adore it. But let me tell you a secret; it’s all a bit too much for Anisha (and that’s ok, you know). And this year, Anisha’s family is even more excited because her Dad has been put in charge of the Christmas Fayre. Everyone is excited to help and Anisha and Milo and her cousins are fizzing with ideas. But when the big, red sleigh they found goes missing with Mr Plant’s special letterbox inside it, Anisha is going to have to get her detective skills honed to track down the thief before they ruin Christmas for the community. It’s definitely a case then for Anisha, accidental Christmas detective!
The latest in the series, this is a brilliant book chock-full of festive fun and Christmas chaos. There are plenty of hilarious black and white illustrations to go with the laugh-out-loud story of mystery and mayhem and these drawings serve to complement the story as well as to provide a brilliant visual representation of the crazy goings on in the book. We love the warmth and humour of the book as well as the community spirit, togetherness and family love that this book portrays. It’s a must-read of chapter book for wannabe little detectives over the festive season and would make a cracking Christmas present!
- Patel, Serena (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 11/06/2025 (Publication Date) - Usborne Publishing Ltd (Publisher)
Graphic Novels
Peanut, Butter & Crackers – Christmas Surprise – Paige Braddock (author and illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
Peanut, Butter and Crackers are the cutest rescue pets ever – we just love this gorgeous trio. And they are about to accept another into their fold, all in the spirit of Christmas, of course!
You see, a surprise visitor sneaks into the house from the freezing cold outside while Peanut and Crackers are at the dog park and Butters is cat-napping. This little visitor has left little acorns all around the house and has taken up residence in the Christmas tree. He’s also a sworn enemy of Crackers. So there isn’t much peace to be had in the house! Until Peanut suggests that Christmas is a time of goodwill and friendship….
We love this fun, festive graphic novel and we are huge fans of the relationship and dynamic between the three pets. The illustrations are bright and bold, the storyline is hilarious and adorable all in one go and the whole book really captures the idiosyncrasies of dogs, cats and puppies. There is a bonus story, fun extras and “how to draw” and “behind the scene” sections at the end of the book which are interactive and engaging. The story is laugh out loud funny in places and the illustrations are superb, really bringing to life the pet personalities with joy and colour.
A perfect pet adventure for any little animal lovers out there, this would make a great gift.
- New Store Stock
- Paige Braddock (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
Middle grade
Fox goes North – Jeremy Strong (author), Heegyum Kim (illustrator), Scholastic (publisher)
Something extraordinary is about to happen to Fox. As she sits by the roadside with her blue suitcase in hand, she feels that an adventure is about to happen. She can tell because she is a florologist (a reader of flowers). And just as she predicts, a lumbering but magnificent house on wheels pulled by Moose comes round the corner. On board are distinguished Bear and Toucan, whose beak always points north!
Together, the unlikely foursome travel off on a great adventure to the wintery north to see the iconic Northern Lights. But is any journey straightforward? Along the way they pick up some new friends (the cake-loving excitable Llama and the lonesome Wolf being my favourites), some delicious meals cooked by Fox and enjoy their surroundings. But many challenges are also thrown in their path and the end of the journey will require the most bravery of all. Will they make it to their destination? Or will nature conspire against them?
Oh my goodness. This was the most beautifully moving story. I am not going to lie, I sobbed my heart out. I don’t want to give too much away but this story was beautifully written and packed full of touching language, the beauty of nature and the circle of life. It’s a tale of true friendship, courage, nature, art, the environment and the adventure of a lifetime and I truly did not want to put it down. Or come to the end of it. Evocative, heartfelt and timeless in its quality, it is a beautiful book, particularly at this time of year. The adorable black and white illustrations are plentiful and serve to enhance the atmosphere of the story. Five huge, fat stars from us.
- New Store Stock
- Strong, Jeremy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Scholastic (Publisher)
Ice Dancer – Alex Cotter (author), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
Dina and her brother and sister have to go and stay at their Aunt JJ’s in Sheffield. It’s a world away from their rural home in Wales and their Aunt doesn’t even seem to like them! Desperate to escape the tension, Dina finds herself at the Ice Arena with her great-grandmother’s old skates. Skating is in her heritage; it’s in her blood. It gives her courage and allows her to escape from the haunting thoughts of her older sister who died a few years earlier.
She soon makes some friends at the rink and is determined to partner with a talented skater called Rosie. But not everyone is pleased that Dina is good at skating and has joined practice. This only gets worse when Rosie and Dina decide to dance together for the Steel Trophy. The longer Dina stays, the more secrets are revealed – about her family, the past and her friends…
This was a gripping, ice-filled mystery story which I skated through with ease. Much like figure skating, it had twists, turns and thrills along the way but ultimately ended with a heartwarming conclusion. It’s not a fluffy book – it really packs a punch in terms of exploring the effect of a death of a sibling/daughter on a family – but it is a truly compelling read. Living in Yorkshire, we also loved that it was set in Sheffield, duck.
- New Store Stock
- Cotter, Alex (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
Murder at Christmas – Fleur Hitchcock (author), Nosy Crow Limited (publisher)
I feel that it wouldn’t be Christmas without my eldest and I cosying up with a Fleur Hitchcock murder mystery book!
Grace has been reunited with her family after a miserable term at boarding school. She is excited to be staying at her Aunt’s posh hotel with her mother and brother, Billy, while her Dad has a few days of downtime to himself. But when a body is found on the stairs of the hotel and her mother goes missing right after visiting her Gran, Grace knows that this is not going to be the family-filled few days she has been wishing for!
Helped by their new friends, Doug and Olive, Grace and Billy start looking for clues within the hotel and further afield. When all the guests and staff are suspects and their Aunt is acting rather strangely, it’s hard to know who to trust. Will they find the Christmas killer before they strike again? Will they ever find out what has happened to their mother?
Filled with all things gingerbread, hot chocolate and Christmas as well as suspense and intrigue, this was a gripping page turner of a murder mystery. I loved the setting of the story in snowy Bath and the complex family relationships described in the book as well as the portrayal of how families can be affected by jobs and distance. Ultimately though, this book had a happy, uplifting ending which is wonderful to make you feel warm and cosy at this time of year. A true Christmas cracker of a crime novel.
- New Store Stock
- Fleur Hitchcock (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
Barrie Saves Christmas – Stephen Mangan (author), Anita Mangan (illustrator), Scholastic (publisher)
Little known fact about me: I used to walk a St Bernard when I was a girl. I sat walk but really, he would blunder about five steps out of his house then refuse to budge until we turned around and went back!!! So Barrie filled me with all the love! His behaviours are just so spot on!
Barrie is a St Bernard. Bred for endurance in cold weather and to save people. So he should have no problem saving Christmas, right?! And that’s just what he is going to have to do. With squirrels galore, post box madness, neighbourhood doggies and a naughty elf wanting to sabotage Christmas, Barrie and his humans, Carrie and Laurence (yup, that would be Barrie, Carrie and Larrie!!), have to help Father Christmas so that mission Christmas is not a failure!
Filled with fun and humour, this was an easy-to-read page turner of a magical adventure story. We loved that it was written from the different perspectives of Barrie, Carrie and Laurence (with Barrie’s chapters being our favourites) and we adored the black and white illustrations which really brought the funny story to life. Some of the drawings were just a hoot! If you are after a feel good Christmas story with fun at its heart and you love dogs and their idiosyncrasies then this is the Christmas book for you.
- Hardcover Book
- Mangan, Stephen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Scholastic (Publisher)
The Very Last Christmas Present – Adam Baron (author), Benji Davies (illustrator), HarperCollins Children’s Books (publisher)
Uh-oh!! The big man has just come back from his Christmas delivery and one last present has been found in the back of the sleigh! How will he deliver it?! The reindeers are shattered, the sleigh is broken… there’s only one option. Father Christmas’s loyal Labrador pup, Kado. But he is very young. Can he step up to the challenge and pull the sleigh? He needs to get the hang of how it works first!
Through ice caps and deserts, oceans and rainforests, Kado and Father Christmas go on a magical adventure. But Kado doesn’t understand what any of that has to do with the forgotten present and its young owner. The biggest surprise will be what is inside the wrapping when it is finally delivered though!!
What a magical, heartwarming and clever book!! I did not see the ending coming at all!!! Just brilliant. We loved the eat that the story was told from Kado’s perspective and then from Lucy’s perspective and how all of this came together at the end. We love Kado and his labradorable attitude for boundless fun and the messages about the environment and doing our bit to save the planet and the animals on it are so powerful. This is an unforgettable Christmas story which we have adored. Five stars from us.
- Hardcover Book
- Mangan, Stephen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Scholastic (Publisher)
Activity books
Where’s Stitch? – Studio Press (imprint of Bonnier Books) (publisher)
What’s a brilliant book to keep your little Stitch fan entertained over the festive period?! Why this is THE search and find puzzle book you are looking for for them! This Disney official activity book is one present that they will love to find in their stocking on Christmas morning.
Superbly illustrated in bright, beautiful colours there are 14 bustling scenes to explore whilst searching for Stitch and friends. Each colourful scene is full of detail and fun and this special edition features a fun and festive Christmas-themed search and find puzzle: can you find the loveable Lilo and sweet Stitch hiding among the Christmas festival? And when you have spotted Stitch, there are lots of bonus items to look for on each intricately illustrated spread.
We’ve had great fun poring over the details on the colourful and bright pages of this book. We found some pages more tricky than others; in fact, we still haven’t found Stitch on one page but we haven’t cheated and turned to the answers yet! For Stitch lovers everywhere, this is a superb stocking filler.
- New Store Stock
- Walt Disney (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages - 09/12/2024 (Publication Date) - Studio Press (Publisher)
Christmas Origami – Clover Robin (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
This is a book made for you to get your hands all over. And its stunning, festive cover with silver foil detailing just invites you in. This beautiful book, produced in collaboration with The National Trust, will certainly keep your child out of mischief over the festive season! We have had a real blast with it (although not everything we made was a success Santa isn’t as easy at he looks- ha!!).
There is a short, sweet poem based on each amazing origami figure (which are all inspired by the wintertime and the Christmas period) for your child to read and then they can have a go at following the step-by-step instructions to make the figure. From snow bunnies to stars, penguins to poinsettias, there are 13 stunning origami figures to make, varying in their simplicity. There are 50 sheets of gorgeous, festive paper to use and a really helpful folds and symbols page to provide some helpful hints and tips when making the origami models . Plus, if all else fails, in typically genius Nosy Crow fashion, there is a QR code to scan to watch 13 super-helpful “how to” videos!
This is such an exquisite activity book, blending poetry with creativity and producing a gorgeous set of mindful activities based on the festive period for children (and adults!) alike. The illustrations are bold and beautiful and evocative of warm, cosy days inside or wonderfully wintry days exploring nature. A seasonal beauty.
- New Store Stock
- Nick Robinson (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - Nosy Crow Ltd (Publisher)
