It's almost Christmas! During this holiday season, why not make reading Chinese books part of your child or students' holiday experience?
This month we have selected titles from several noteworthy children’s series that keep the holiday fun rolling! Get into the Christmas spirit and check out these top picks that are sure to enhance any Chinese learner’s collection.
We have selected 9 great picture books about Christmas in simplified Chinese for kids learning Chinese. We hope these Chinese books become unique and wonderful additions to your home or classroom’s Christmas book collection.
Let David, Madeline, Pete the Cat and other friends help brighten your child's Christmas holidays!
1. Pete the Cat Saves Christmas! 皮特猫，我拯救了圣诞节！(pí tè māo ， wǒ zhěng jiù liǎo shèng dàn jié)
Author: James Dean and Eric Litwin
Country of Origin: USA
Link to access video book reading
Included in the Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes 6-Book Set
Beloved children’s story icon Pete the Cat returns in this festive installment with a determination to save Christmas when Santa calls out sick. This story utilizes repetition and short, familiar phrases in a brilliant way so that readers of any skill level will be able to understand the events of the story. Of course, Pete’s groovy, laid-back attitude is what really makes this choice so unique and fun!
Available for purchase here.
In this spin on the traditional The Night Before Christmas tale, Santa is sick and calls on Pete the Cat to help fulfill his Christmas duties. Pete, the famous and unflappable blue cat, never loses his cool and is completely up to the task! He delivers all the gifts in his festively decorated mini bus.
This light-hearted book is perfect for children who are beginning to read in Chinese. As Pete sings and rocks in his mini bus delivering gifts, children are delighted with the rhythming, repetitive language that builds reading confidence.
Unlike many other world classics that lose their essence when translated into Chinese, this Pete the Cat, co-translated by the renowned children's book author and translator 彭懿 (péng yì), is rich with lively Chinese language especially suitable for young children.
圣诞节前夜，圣诞老人却得了重感冒！ 圣诞节会被取消吗？“不会！” 圣诞老人大声喊“我们来给皮特猫打电话！”这只总是酷酷的皮特猫，坐上自己的迷你巴士，在驯鹿的帮助下飞向了天空！尽管皮特很小，但是要在圣诞节送礼物，他会全力以赴！
著名的文学家和翻译家彭懿的中文翻译继承了英文原作富有韵律的语言特色。全书文字简单短小，句型反复重复，是小小读者和中文初学者的理想读本。
2. Spot's First Christmas 小玻的第一个圣诞节 (xiǎo bō de dì yī gè shèng dàn jié)
Included in the Where's Spot? Interactive Flip And Find 18-Book Set In Chinese & English (Bilingual) collection
Spot and his mom are preparing for Christmas Day by taking the tree home and decorating it, wrapping presents and enjoying the Christmas carolers at their door. With a new, full-color cover, young toddlers will enjoy this classic Spot board book with its sturdy, rounded-edge pages and lift-the-flaps. This book features relevant holiday language in simple-to-follow sentences sure to make any child smile!
Available for purchase here.
3. The Christmas Gift 阿波林的小世界-圣诞礼物 (ā bō lín de xiǎo shì jiè - shèng dàn lǐ wù)
Included in the Apolline's Little World -14 Chinese Children's Books collection
This adorable little book, 阿波林的小世界 (A Bo Lin de xiǎo shì jiè), Little World of Apolline or A Bo Lin's Small World, is a translation of the French children's classic, Les petites vies d'Apolline. This entry features little Apolline's journey through Christmas time! With expressive illustrations and one line of text per page, this series is the perfect introduction for babies and very young children to key vocabulary for Christmas.
Available for purchase here.
4. How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? 恐龙怎样过圣诞节 (kǒng lóng zěn yàng guò shèng dàn jié)
Included in the How Do Dinosaurs...?-11 Books In Chinese collection.
From decorating the tree to wrapping presents, little dinosaurs love to celebrate Christmas-and everything about it. But when the stockings are hung on the chimney, and the cookies are left out for Santa, how can little dinosaurs go to sleep? It's so exciting! How can they possibly calm down and behave? Children will laugh out loud as dinosaurs secretly lick candy canes, take sneaky peeks at gifts, and disrupt the traditional family feast. With holiday surprises around every corner, the award-winning team of Jane Yolen and Mark Teague create an engaging, fun gift sure to be read again and again. How do dinosaurs say Merry Christmas? The same way they say Happy Chanukah: With an abundance of love, joy, memory, and gratitude. These books feature every day Chinese language sure to have children using Chinese around the holidays!
Available for purchase here.
5. Martine's Christmas Eve 玛蒂娜的圣诞夜 (mǎ dì nà de shèng dàn yè)
Included in the Martine Classic Collection -60 Chinese Children's Books collection.
This series of classic stories 玛蒂娜故事书 (mǎ dì nà gù shì shū) by Belgian duo Gilbert Delhaye and Marcel Marlier has been translated into 33 languages and sold in 50 countries--100 million copies have been sold worldwide! This entry explores Martine's journey through Christmas Eve and the importance of the holiday season. This series is great because it will introduce a ton of new vocabulary which is fun and relevant to a child. The reader can vicariously spend a day in Martine's shoes as she grows into a mature woman.
Available for purchase here.
6. Merry Christmas- Three Mischief Makers 圣诞快乐 (shèng dàn kuài lè)
Included in the Three Mischief Makers 20-Book Set collection.
7. Lyle at Christmas 莱莱的圣诞节 (lái lái de shèng dàn jié )
8. Paw Patrol- Pups Save Christmas 汪汪队-圣诞夜大救援》(wāng wāng duì - shèng dàn yè dà jiù yuán)
Included in the Paw Patrol 8-Book Set
An amazing choice for any Paw Patrol fan, this book is based on the TV show’s similarly titled Christmas special. This book is a great resource for any young learners looking for an engaging and educational experience featuring familiar faces from their favorite media.
Available for purchase here.
9. Madeline's Christmas 玛德琳的魔法圣诞夜 (mǎ dé lín de mó fǎ shèng dàn yè)
Author: Ludwig Bemelmans
Country of Origin: USA
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description:
Madeline’s Christmas is a beautifully told story full of endearing characters with a message sure to warm every reader’s heart this holiday season. With language simple enough for young readers to understand yet cohesive enough to convey its core messages of empathy and compassion, this pick is a must-have for Chinese learners of all ages.
Available for purchase here.
“In an old house in Paris
that was covered with vines
lived twelve little girls
in two straight lines
the smallest one was Madeline.”
Miss Clavel, eleven girls, and even the mouse are sick in bed on Christmas Eve. As the only healthy one, Madeline is caring for them all when she suddenly hears a knock at the door. Is it Santa Claus?
No! It is a mysterious rug salesman who happens to have just 12 rugs to sell. Madeline thinks that the rugs will provide comfort to her ailing friends (as they will keep the girls’ feet warm), so she buys them all. However, without the rugs to keep him warm, the salesman nearly freezes to death. Madeline nurses him to health too and discovers that he is also a magician. To show his appreciation for Madeline’s help, he not only magically does the dishes, but sends each girl home on their own flying carpet so they can spend Christmas with their families before magically returning home at Miss Clavel’s bell.
巴黎有座老房子，常青藤爬满墙，里面住着十二个女孩子。早上九点半，无论天气好与坏，女孩们总分成两行，一起走出门。最小的就是玛德琳。玛德琳是个精力旺盛、充满好奇心的小女孩。圣诞节前夜，所有人得了重感冒，只有我们的小玛德琳，忙上忙下……然后，发生了什么有趣的故事呢？深受大家喜爱的主人公玛德琳这次又遇见了谁呢？
10. It's Christmas, David! 大卫，圣诞节到啦！(dà wèi ， shèng dàn jié dào la)
Author: David Shannon
Country of Origin: USA
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: Do you remember the bestselling star David in No, David? He is back for Christmas! He tries to peek at hidden gift packages, he writes scrolls of wish lists to Santa, and he struggles to behave at Christmas dinner parties. He receives a letter from Santa and he feels sad after reading it. What is in the letter? Will David get any Christmas gifts? Children will laugh out loud as David turns Christmas traditions up side down!
还记得国际大奖故事系列淘气包大卫在《大卫不可以》里面做的那些淘气的事情吗？这个圣诞节他又来啦！看到那么多好吃的、好玩的，他又有点儿忘乎所以了，实在是没办法不闯祸。他试图偷偷吃掉圣诞饼干，冰天雪地光着身子跑出去，为了等圣诞老人不肯睡觉，他怎么会有那么多的精力来挑战妈妈的底线啊！不过，他收到了一封来自圣诞老人的信，让他伤心起来。信里面说了什么？他会有圣诞节礼物吗？这是又是一本能让孩子们哈哈大笑的好书！
11. The Secrets of Winter 冬天的秘密 (dōng tiān de mì mì)
Author: Enying Kim
Country of Origin: China
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: A rare contemporary Chinese original picture book about winter! We love the story's beautiful illustrations and simple, repetitive language.
My friends, how will you know winter is here? How will you know winter is over? Do you know the secrets of winter? Ask the animals in the book! They will tell you the secrets. The language in this book is good for beginning readers. Young children will enjoy reading this tale while learning about different animals and the changing of seasons. There is also a jigsaw game in the interactive Ellabook App version.
很美的一本中国原创绘本。小朋友，你是怎么知道冬天来了呢？你又是怎么知道冬天要走了呢？你知道冬天的秘密吗？快点问问大牛、小熊、小鹿、小狗和小兔子吧，看看小动物们都知道哪些冬天的秘密。这是一本关于冬天的美丽童话。书里面有我们日常生活中贴近小朋友的各种自然现象，用动物童话故事的形式来讲述，富有童趣。小朋友们可以感受到大自然的季节和万物变化。
12. D.W.’s Perfect Present 最好的礼物 (zuì hǎo de lǐ wù)
Author: Marc Brown
Country of Origin: USA
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: It's almost Christmas and D.W. is wondering what presents she will receive. She searches around the house and she finds her mom, dad and brother, Arthur, are preparing presents for others. When D.W. remembers that Christmas is a time for sharing, she starts searching for presents she can give rather than receive. With a little time and creativity, D.W. makes presents for each member of her family and finds that giving is the best present she can receive! Each page has about 4 lines of everyday, commonly used language. Children love the vivid illustrations and tender story in this book and the rest of the D. W. series.
圣诞节就快到了，朵拉很好奇大家都会为自己准备什么礼物。在寻找礼物的过程中，朵拉发现爸爸、妈妈和各个亚瑟都在忙着为别人准备礼物！她突然意识到自己也应该为家人做点什么，她决定马上行动起来！她开动脑筋，发挥创意，为每一位家人做了礼物。她也明白了学会分享和给与是她得到的最好的礼物！大家都会从朵拉那里得到什么礼物呢？这本书和深受小朋友喜爱的朵拉系列丛书一样，充满着现实生活中的日常对话，帮助小朋友熟悉圣诞节有关的日常交流语言。
13. Tom’s Christmas 汤姆的圣诞节 (tāng mǔ de shèng dàn jié )
Author: Colette Hellings and Marie-Aline Bawin
Country of Origin: France
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: What is Christmas? What does it mean to children? Maybe it means delicious food, beautifully decorated houses or surprising presents. What about little Tom? When the big day arrives, the whole family gathers at grandparents’ house and prepares the Christmas celebration with great excitement. Tom meets his favorite cousin and shares his worries. He is worried because a big fire has been lit in the fireplace. How will Santa be able to come down the chimney with his presents? Will Tom and his family receive the presents? We believe this warm and adorable tale will delight your child as Tom’s emotions and concerns mimic some thoughts of their own.
圣诞节是什么？圣诞节对孩子们来说可能意味着可口的食物、漂亮的屋子和惊喜的礼物。在圣诞节来临的前一天，小兔子汤姆和她的家人聚在一起，他们装饰圣诞树、一起吃晚餐庆祝，屋子里充满了浓浓的节日气氛。 汤姆焦急地等来了巴西勒堂哥，跟他分享自己的忧虑——汤姆当心壁炉里的火太旺了，会烧到圣诞老人，这样大家就拿不到圣诞老人的礼物了。汤姆会怎么做呢？圣诞老人从烟囱顺利进来了吗？这个暖洋洋的故事一定会让小朋友们喜欢。
14. Babar And Father Christmas 巴巴和圣诞老人 (bā bā hé shèng dàn lǎo rén)
Author: Jean De Brunhoff
Country of Origin: France
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: Jean de Brunhoff’s tales of Babar have charmed readers around the world for almost 90 years. We love his masterful stories that attract kids’ attention with unexpected spins and vivid details about the secret lives of some sophisticated elephants. In this book, children of Babar the elephant, have heard of a fellow in Man's country named Father Christmas who brings joy and toys to little children. "If only we could bring him here," they wish. So, they write a letter to invite Father Christmas to visit them. But they never get a reply. Their father, Barbar, rushes out to look for Father Christmas. In Barbar's unexpected journey, he goes through fun and unexpected adventures. Can Babar find Father Christmas? Can he find a way to bring him to Elephant country?
“大象巴巴”系列图书是法国著名画家和作家让·德·布朗霍夫的经典之作，该系列已经有快九十年的历史了。“大象巴巴”系列图画色彩明丽、故事情节生动，极富吸引力。在《巴巴和圣诞老人》这本书里，小猴子泽菲尔和小象们听说人类世界里有圣诞老人，能给孩子们带来礼物和欢乐。于是，他们给圣诞老人写信，希望圣诞老人能来他们的大象王国。可是，他们迟迟没有收到回信。大象巴巴为了实现他们的心愿，收拾行囊上路了。他会顺利地找到圣诞老人吗？圣诞老人会来吗？
15. The Snowboy 雪孩子 (xuě hái zi)
Author: Shanghai Animation Film Studio
Country of Origin: China
Digital book: Ellabook App
Description: This is a heart-warming story adapted from a 1980 classic Chinese original animation. For the past 40 years, it has stayed on top of Chinese children's winter reading lists.
Heavy snow has been falling for a whole day and night. Mother Rabbit is going out for food. She builds a snowboy to play with Little Rabbit. When mom leaves, the Snowboy comes to life. They sing, dance and hop around, having a lot of fun. When Little Rabbit is taking a nap, the house is on fire! The brave Snowboy saves Little Rabbit from the big fire but he is evaporated. Where does Snow Boy go? He flies to the sky and becomes a white cloud—a very beautiful white cloud, as beautiful as his heart!
40多年来，这个从1980年上海美术电影制片厂拍摄的经典动画片《雪孩子》改编的故事书一直是中国孩子最喜爱的故事之一！兔妈妈出门找食物，怕小兔子在家孤单，便和小兔子堆了个雪人给小兔作伴。兔妈妈离开后，雪孩子活了，还和小兔子一起玩耍。不好，小兔子的房子着了火！勇敢的雪孩子冲进房子，救出了小兔子，自己却融化成一片水。太阳出来了，那片水变成了水汽，向蓝天飞去，变成了一朵白云。白云很美很美，就像雪孩子的心灵一样。
16. Christmas Tree 圣诞树 (shèng dàn shù)
This final book is a Chinese reader and is the third of the holiday series co-authored by Pearl You (Founder of You Consulting) and Qin Hua (JoJo Educator in Residence), two experienced Chinese immersion educators. Short and sweet, it is a suitable book for reading aloud in the classroom and teaching Christmas–related language to beginner Chinese learners. There are two levels of the book in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Click the following links to read or listen to these ebooks for free.
- Beginner reader, Simplified Chinese
- Beginner reader, Traditional Chinese
- Bridge reader, Simplified Chinese
- Bridge reader, Traditional Chinese
这本原创的幼儿圣诞节故事是由双语教育专家You Consulting 创始人Pearl You (珍珠姐姐)、IB-PYP老师华沁(JoJo Educator in Residence)共同创作，插画师廖思敏绘图。故事背景是一家人在圣诞假期里的庆祝活动。绘本语言简单、人物生动、故事温馨、绘图色彩明亮。这次的中文版故事有简体和繁体两种字体。绘本故事难易程度分为简易本Level 1(Beginner Level) 和非简易本Level 2(Bridge Level)两个等级，方便语言程度不同的孩子阅读。
At JoJo, we believe that cultivating early literacy is the key to helping a child retain a second language for life. We hope your children and students enjoy these wonderful books about Christmas! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
