Do you use holiday books for teaching music? If you’re looking for some easy additions to your December music lessons that the kids will love, try adding in some holiday kids’ books. Holiday children’s books are a great way to catch the spirit of the season and introduce music at home, or to introduce a Christmas carol or holiday music lesson
Most of the books are children’s Christmas books, but there are also less Christmas-specific books and Hannukah books. If you have more diverse holiday books you use for teaching music, please share below!
I’ve included links to each book for your convenience, but be sure to check your local library as well!
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Holiday Book for Music #1 – The Nutcracker
By Katy Flint and Jessica Courtney-Tickle
The Nutcracker is essential for any bookshelf during the holidays. This book is the children’s Christmas story of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet The Nutcracker. The young girl, Clara, receives a nutcracker for Christmas, and he takes her on a marvelous adventure.
There are many children’s books about the Nutcracker, and your local library likely has at least one. This version above is lovely for its gorgeous illustrations. But, the most special part is that it includes buttons to play each of the musical selections as you are reading!
If you’re just looking for a storybook to add to your bookshelf without the added music, this is another good version.
Reading the storybook is a nice way to introduce the Nutcracker if you will be teaching it in your elementary music class, or if you plan to watch the ballet with your kids.
Book #2 – Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite
By Anna Harwell Celenza and Don Tate
Did you know that the famous jazz musician and composer, Duke Ellington, created his own version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite? This children’s book about Duke Ellington’s jazz adaptation of The Nutcracker Suite even comes with a CD of the music! (I know CDs are out of style, but am I can’t be the only one who still loves them?)
Try adding this book and CD to your Nutcracker music lessons in December. It will ‘jazz up’ your lessons, and is a good opportunity for comparison of different musical styles. Maybe even a chance to talk about ‘remixes’!
Book #3 – The Hannukah Hop
By Erica Silverman and Steven D’Amico
Here is a Hannukah storybook to add to your holiday music book shelf. This is a story about a young girl and how her family celebrates Hannukah. A band comes to the Hannukah party and everyone dances at the Hannukah hop!
This is a super fun addition to a Hannukah music lesson, and a great way to introduce some dancing and movement activities. Try using The Hannukah Hop along with this excellent music lesson on YouTube. from Music with Ms. P, which features the book. She introduces some easy moves to get your kids dancing along to the book and having loads of musical fun!
Book #4 – There Was an Old Lady Who Swalled a Bell
By Lucille Colandro and Jared Lee
This is another variation on There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Kids love the silly story, as well as the repetition of the familiar verse. Great rhyming, rhythmic fun for your music class. If you use bells with your students, you could easily incorporate playing them into the story.
If you’re looking for a Hannukah music book instead, another fun variation on the theme is I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel.
Book #5 – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
By Rick Bunsen
The next Christmas books for teaching music are storybooks about Christmas carols. Reading the storybooks is an easy way to introduce a Christmas song that you are going to learn. If your kids love Christmas carols, maybe they would enjoy going caroling around the school, neighbourhood, or to your local senior’s center!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a classic kids’ favourite Christmas song. It even has a good moral about being kind to those who are different from us!
Reading the story is a nice prelude to singing the song or doing another reindeer-themed activity.
Book #6 – Frosty the Snowman
By Diane Muldrow
Frosty the Snowman is another kids’ favourite song for Christmas. This book follows the story told in the song and has lots of colourful illustrations.
Frosty the Snowman can be a good opportunity to review dotted quarter note rhythms. After reading the story, try clapping the rhythm to the first line of the music, and arranging it with rhythm cards on the floor before singing the song.
Book #7 – The 12 Days of Christmas
By Laurel Long
This is the most beautiful version of the 12 Days of Christmas. The illustrations are beautiful and feature the items in the song lyrics.
There are lots of Christmas music lesson possibilities for The 12 Days of Christmas. After familiarizing them with the song as a class, you might divide a class into 12 groups and assign each a ‘day’ from the song and sing the song in that manner. Or you may wish to assign an action to each ‘day’ from the song, and do them as a group movement activity.
Book #8 – Silent Night
By Juliet Groom
This is a cute book for the younger children featuring the words to the traditional Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’ It is a good introduction to ‘Silent Night’ for younger ages.
Book #9 – Jingle Bells
By Iza Trapani
Jingle Bells is perhaps the most iconic Christmas song, and the first one most young children learn to sing or play on their instrument!
This Jingle Bells storybook tells the story of a sleigh ride around the world. It features illustrations of different Christmas customs and traditions around the world. It also includes the sheet music at the end. This is a lovely way to not just introduce a classic Christmas carol, but also to recognize the diversity of Christmas traditions.
Book #10 – The Little Drummer Boy
By Ezra Jack Keats
This is the last Christmas carol story on my list. This book features the lyrics of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, with illustrations.
Reading and listening to The Little Drummer Boy is a good entryway into a holiday drumming activity, and for younger kids, can be an opportunity to practice drumming a steady beat.
Bonus – Christmas Carol Singalong Book
I had to add this book as a bonus because it’s not a children’s storybook like the other holiday music books on this list. This book includes lyrics and illustrations for a number of different Christmas carols in a board book format, along with a CD recording to sing along with.
This is a perfect Christmas music book for your own kids, or for a Sunday school teacher.
What are your favourite holiday books for teaching music?
Let me know below!
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