As the light fades into darkness, the Winter Solstice and Yuletide celebrations that coincide with it bring joy to many who welcome the return of the Sun. Whether Germanic or Scandinavian, pagan celebrations of Yule on the Winter Solstice go back to the time of the Vikings. Today, Yule is celebrated by many people around the world. These children’s books about Yule are equally fantastic for those who practice the craft as well as those who delight in the sharing of cultures and traditions.
Early Readers
On The Shortest Day by Laura Sulentich Fredrickson, Illustrated by Laurie Caple
A beautiful story depicting a young child and their grandparent on a hike through a snowy wood, discovering what animals still thrive in the depths of winter. Soon, the shortest day becomes the longest night, providing hope for a better tomorrow with spring on its way. The illustrations pull the reader into the winter wonderland of Minnesota with crisp, white snow contrasting against gorgeous watercolor sunsets.
The Longest Night by Marion Dane Bauer, Illustrated by Ted Lewin
This lyrical story takes readers into a wintry forest with various animals trying to wake the Sun. The frosty wind blows, each time telling the animals they are not the ones to bring back the Sun, for the wind knows that it is the chickadee, with its simple song, to wake up the world and bring spring back to the land. Realistic watercolor imagery covers each page, capturing the essence of the animals and their home with picturesque perfection.
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper, Illustrated by Carson Ellis
This poem-turned-children’s book illuminates the celebrations of Yule for any young reader, from its earliest rituals to mainstream traditions such as caroling. With illustrations depicting menorahs and festive trees and an afterword mentioning Hanukkah and Diwali, this non-secular read can easily fit into any home library this winter season.
The Light of the Winter Solstice by Florian Eizaguirre, Illustrated by Maitane Bautista
Autumn is over, and Zuri and her friends try to find ways to stay warm as the days grow dark and cold. But, they’re running out of firewood. Is there anyone who can help them? Weaving together Basque lore with the changing of the seasons, readers are reminded that the light always returns. Stunning illustrations accompany this magical story that will captivate tiny bookworms from cover to cover.
Yule: Learn About Paganism with Grani Hulda by Grani Hulda
A wonderful introduction for curious minds, Grani Hulda takes readers through the Wheel of the Year in her Learn About Paganism series. This volume explains the basics of celebrating Yule and the Winter Solstice by showing us Grani Hulda’s own pagan traditions, accompanied by her friend, the goose. Children are sure to love the bright and colorful illustrations as they are introduced to the return of the Sun’s power and the Holly King surrendering to the Oak King.
Elementary Readers
Old Mother Frost: A Children’s Yuletide Book by Jennifer Hartman, Illustrated by Mousam Banerjee
Old Mother Frost stems from Norse origins as a goddess (Frau Holle) who wakes only during the darkest and coldest nights of winter to ensure the children are happy and healthy. The illustrations are cute and expressive, complementing this sweet tale perfectly. Families will enjoy sharing this story of Yuletide year after year. Additionally, there is a fun fact page at the end of the book, detailing what modern traditions stem from pagan origins.
The Solstice Badger by Robin McFadden
The animals of Earth bemoan the perpetual hot days, while the Sun roams, happy and free. Over time, he becomes lonely, and all the animals try to befriend him, but they find his radiance too hot to bear. This glamorous retelling of how seasons were born from the Sun’s friendship with a badger is a heartwarming tale that kids everywhere will love.
The Holly King & The Oak King: A Pagan Children’s Tale by J. C. Artemisia, Illustrated by Sarah A. Chase
This retelling of the Holly King and the Oak King recounts the all-familiar folklore for a new generation. Beginning as twin stars who fell into the forest, the two kings live on this magical mountain until one day, a tremor shakes, and they end up in the lands below with the humans. The world they find is fraught with a lack of symmetry between the seasons. Of course, the two kings cannot agree, prompting the infamous battle throughout time. The colorful illustrations and unique art style contribute to the ever-important balance of life, a crucial concept for budding minds to learn.
Bringing Back the Sun: A Winter Solstice Tradition by E. B. Woodward
Throughout Autumn, the days grow shorter and the nights ever longer. Then, on the day of the Winter Solstice, we rejoice in the Yuletide celebration as the longest night of the year. E. B. Woodward invites readers to make beeswax candles, collect evergreen branches, and admire the beauty of winter — from silhouettes of bare trees to crisp stars in a frosty sky. The beautiful artwork complements the story as a child journeys to welcome back the Sun.
Children’s Intro to Yule: An Illustrated Guide by Liam Carew
Watercolor illustrations highlight the themes around celebrating life, hibernation, and rebirth of Yule, while providing activities that people of all faiths can choose to partake in. This fantastic introduction to the holiday teaches readers the basics of the celebrations and that not one form of Paganism fits all. The way one family practices is not the same as the next, based on many differing factors such as culture, personal connections, and even geography. The Wheel of the Year Series is meant to normalize Pagan holidays, which makes Children’s Intro to Yule a great choice for your young reader’s bookshelf.
The Oak King: A Yule Story by Beth Buchanan
Another traditional tale takes the form of a picture book with The Oak King, introducing children to the eternal battle over the Wheel of the Year while utilizing Welsh and Arthurian origins. This story opens with the Holly King, Gwyn, on the throne, with his brother, Gwythyr, seeing the land encased in snow, people freezing, and food stores running low. As the magic of the turning seasons rises within Gwythyr, he challenges his brother for the throne. Winning the battle will allow him to bring back the Sun, and with it, the promise of spring. Akin to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, this Yuletide story features prominent illustrations alongside the tale that would make a great fireside read as part of your yearly traditions.
Middle-Grade Readers
A Yule Story by Jacob Toddson
Readers will follow Erik along a personal journey, dealing with the changes in his family after his father’s death many years ago. Mysteriously, he meets Yulenir, who shows him how to bring the magic back into the season. Tipping the hat to all the winter-time stories from the past 100 years, this heart-warming tale reminds us that traditions are more akin to living things, that ebb and flow with time, and the most important part is spending time with the ones we care about.
The Unconquered Sun: Tales of Yule, Christmas, and the Winter Solstice by Chris Thorndycroft
This educational, time-traveling anthology takes readers into the past to discover historic traditions for the darkest part of the year. Middle-grade readers will love these easily digestible short stories, ranging from Yuletide celebrations to the Lord of the Wild hunt. These stories, thematically centered around the return of the light, are a wonderfully put-together compilation for your collection.
The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice by Carolyn McVickar Edwards
Twelve short stories from around the globe offer middle schoolers a collection of traditional tales that honor the return of the light. So, whether you want to hear about Italy’s La Bafana and the Royal Child of Light or how Loki causes the Death of the Light, this is a marvelous choice for reading one story each of the 12 nights of Yule. In addition to the 12 tales, the backmatter contains a collection of games to play on Solstice night and carols to sing with your loved ones.
Yule is a time for reflection, communal gathering, feasting, and sharing hopefulness for the eventual return of spring. As we learn about one of the oldest celebrations in the world, these children’s books about Yule observe the changing of the light, the legends surrounding the holiday, and settling down for a winter of rest.
Learn more about the Winter Solstice: Embracing the Magic of the Darkest Day here.
Explore our Young Reader’s and Children’s Holiday Recs bookshelf on Bookshop.org for more awesome recommendations.
