Here are 100 books that The Red Suit Diaries fans have personally recommended if you like
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For decades, I both worked as a psychiatrist and volunteered as Santa. A fun idea came to me back then on an exhausted Christmas morning. During my training. I had heard stories, some real, some apocryphal, of involuntary hospitalizations of patients with delusions of being either Jesus or Santa. But what might happen if a patient with similarities to Jesus were hospitalized concurrently with a patient with similarities to Santa? Would they be friends? enemies? frenemies? And to what extent might these two really be Jesus and Santa? The final story—December on 5C4—re-enacts Jewish myths, Christian tales, and Santa legends as these two characters plot a shared escape!
I love this book because I believe it to be the first popular novelization of the life of Santa Claus. It was written in 1902 by the venerable Frank Baum. Though mostly a children’s novel, the character of Santa is given some internal development. His thoughts, emotions, and motivations are shared as he grows from an orphaned child into a beloved legend.
As a cat lover, I adore how Santa’s first-ever toy is a carving he makes of his pet cat out of boredom… The theme of the book is simple but universal: “For a generous deed lives longer than a great battle or a king's decree or a scholar's essay because it spreads and leaves its mark on all nature and endures through many generations.”
Written by the fascinating author of The Wizard of Oz, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus tells the captivating story of Claus, a child found and raised in the magical Forest of Burzee by a wood-nymph. Among the imortals, Claus grows an innocent youth, until the day when he discovers the misery that rules the human world and hovers, like a shadow, above the heads of the children. Now, in the attempt of easing human suffering, he, with the help of his imortal friends, will have to face the forces of evil and of resignation, in order to bring…
For decades, I both worked as a psychiatrist and volunteered as Santa. A fun idea came to me back then on an exhausted Christmas morning. During my training. I had heard stories, some real, some apocryphal, of involuntary hospitalizations of patients with delusions of being either Jesus or Santa. But what might happen if a patient with similarities to Jesus were hospitalized concurrently with a patient with similarities to Santa? Would they be friends? enemies? frenemies? And to what extent might these two really be Jesus and Santa? The final story—December on 5C4—re-enacts Jewish myths, Christian tales, and Santa legends as these two characters plot a shared escape!
I love how this novel humanizes Jesus by exploring his childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood through the recollections of his childhood best friend, Biff. The conceit is clever! Biff is resurrected and transported to contemporary St. Louis, where he is commanded to stay locked in a hotel room under the supervision of an angel until he completes a new gospel.
The story is humorous and entertaining but also moving and thought-provoking. Jesus is presented as a well-developed character and we share in his dilemma: “I ask for guidance, but I get no answer. I can feel that I am supposed to do things, but I don’t know what. And I don’t know how.” Wordly themes of lust, greed, and doubt are juxtaposed against divine themes of love, charity, and faith.
The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years - except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in this divinely hilarious, yet heartfelt work 'reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams' (Philadelphia Inquirer). Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes, Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the…
For decades, I both worked as a psychiatrist and volunteered as Santa. A fun idea came to me back then on an exhausted Christmas morning. During my training. I had heard stories, some real, some apocryphal, of involuntary hospitalizations of patients with delusions of being either Jesus or Santa. But what might happen if a patient with similarities to Jesus were hospitalized concurrently with a patient with similarities to Santa? Would they be friends? enemies? frenemies? And to what extent might these two really be Jesus and Santa? The final story—December on 5C4—re-enacts Jewish myths, Christian tales, and Santa legends as these two characters plot a shared escape!
I love both books in this duology—this one and its sequel, The Road to Cana. Renowned author Anne Rice not only depicts the life of Jesus as a child and young adult, but she also uses a first-person point of view.
This bold narrative choice connects us readers very deeply with Jesus as a character. We are immersed in the inner life of his thoughts, feelings and motivations, and so we get to share in his internal conflicts. The Jesus in these novels is a complex protagonist who experiences human emotions and drives but also must grapple with divine powers and perceptions. It is a coming-of-age story in which Jesus must reconcile his dual identities as both a human being and a divine entity.
'[W]hen I found Rice's work I absolutely loved how she took that genre and (...) made [it] feel so contemporary and relevant' Sarah Pinborough, bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes
'[Rice wrote] in the great tradition of the gothic' Ramsey Campbell, bestselling author of The Hungry Moon
In Israel, in the turbulent first century, a baby is born to a humble Jewish family - but to a great destiny. His is an uneasy childhood, as he begins to come to terms with his extraordinary powers, and the whispered mysteries surrounding his birth.
The Bible is the greatest mystery novel ever written. It begins in the Old Testament with seemingly random accounts of ancient people in far away places with strange customs. There’s the prophecy of a coming Hero who will conquer the villain and restore peace to the land. The mystery reaches…
For decades, I both worked as a psychiatrist and volunteered as Santa. A fun idea came to me back then on an exhausted Christmas morning. During my training. I had heard stories, some real, some apocryphal, of involuntary hospitalizations of patients with delusions of being either Jesus or Santa. But what might happen if a patient with similarities to Jesus were hospitalized concurrently with a patient with similarities to Santa? Would they be friends? enemies? frenemies? And to what extent might these two really be Jesus and Santa? The final story—December on 5C4—re-enacts Jewish myths, Christian tales, and Santa legends as these two characters plot a shared escape!
I have read aloud this family-friendly book to my children, one chapter per night in December—every December—for over a decade. The book traces the life of Santa from his origin as Nicholas of Myra, across centuries of history, up to his status as the legendary figure we all know and love today.
As a fictional autobiography, Santa himself narrates the story in the first person, so we get to share his thoughts, emotions, and motivations directly. Santa becomes more than just a magical figure but also a well-developed main character with profound humanity.
This book perfectly blends fact and fiction, history, and mythology, wonder and inspiration all together as it celebrates the Christmas spirit.
This enchanting Christmas Chronicles classic combines solid historical fact with glorious legend to deliver the definitive story of Santa Claus. For anyone who has ever wondered .... you're right to believe in him!
In The Autobiography of Santa Claus, Santa reveals his story for the first time. Nicholas (his real name) was born in the Middle Eastern country of Lycia to wealthy parents who died when he was young. The kind people of Lycia taught him the lessons of goodness and generosity, which he began to practice as a child by sharing his wealth with those in need. As a…
I was such a die-hard fan of Santa Claus as a kid, my mom had to debunk the myth two years in a row! Because, yeah, I heard you, but surely that was a bad attempt at humor last year. I won’t lie. It was traumatic. I wrote this book as a way to ease kids into the knowledge without anyone in the family feeling bad about it. It puts a great positive spin on this childhood rite of passage and empowers kids to get the info when they’re ready for it.
This is a beautiful book that delves into the origins of the Big Guy but also chronicles the contemporary images to which kids have been exposed. It’s filled with short magazine-like articles about pretty much anything you can think of that’s Santa related. Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer? Miracle on 34th street? How about Santa’s favorite cookie recipe? All there and SO much more! Clear a prime spot on the coffee table and wipe those fingers before you turn the page.
He's a symbol of hope and hapiness, of generosity and benevolence. Santa Clause is simply one of the most beloved legends ever embraced. The Story of Santa explores the history of Father Christmas. Who is he, really? Where did he come from? (His origins may surprise you!) Why does he fulfill our wishes? And what can we learn from him?
He's become a ubiquitous figure during the Christmas season with his white beard, red suit, and prominent belly, but just how much do those celebrating the happy holiday really know about Santa Claus? Here is the whole story from the…
I was such a die-hard fan of Santa Claus as a kid, my mom had to debunk the myth two years in a row! Because, yeah, I heard you, but surely that was a bad attempt at humor last year. I won’t lie. It was traumatic. I wrote this book as a way to ease kids into the knowledge without anyone in the family feeling bad about it. It puts a great positive spin on this childhood rite of passage and empowers kids to get the info when they’re ready for it.
This is the whole fantasy…Santa Claus in action. The man, The myth, The Big Guy, doing what he does. Every kid should be read this book at least once on Christmas Eve before being shooed off to bed. And this is a gorgeous edition. Beautiful illustrations throughout capture the imaginations of young and old.
Since it was first published anonymously in 1823, the poem "The Night Before Christmas" has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh. Many families read the poem every year, and now they have an edition to treasure. The poem, faithfully reproduced here, is accompanied by Charles Santore's lavish illustrations.
I write funny picture books. Since some of my best memories include reading to my kids while they were plopped in my lap, giggling at silly, fun picture books, I want to bring that same joy to families everywhere. I’m in awe of clever humor, and I’m especially fond of wordplay, puns, and jokes. Of all the holidays, Christmas is my favorite. The tree, the décor, and the traditions bring so much merriment. When my kids were young, reading Christmas books was a huge part of our holiday. Once Upon a Christmas gave me the chance to write a humorous, fun, and festive story that families can enjoy together.
This book is part of the Click, Clack series and just humorous as the others. The snow and lights and Duck in a Santa hat on the cover create a festive winter scene, full of Christmas spirit. The text is sparse and easy to read. The story also has a bit of rhyme in it which is always a favorite for me. The rhyme makes the story energetic at just the right time. The repetition of “Ho! Ho! Uh-oh!” and “unstuck duck” are fun to read. The accumulation of animals adds craziness and chaos which further heightens the humor. The ending is perfect with everyone joyfully gathered around the tree.
Santa comes to the barnyard in this holiday addition to the award-winning Click, Clack series from the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott winning team who brought you Click, Clack, Moo and Click, Clack, Peep!
It's the night before Christmas and all through the farm, not a creature is stirring, not even a...duck?
Farmer Brown is busy decorating his home in preparation for Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve! All seems calm in the barnyard, but Farmer Brown isn't the only one who is getting ready...
Ho
Ho
OH NO!
Once again, Duck has gotten the whole barnyard STUCK in quite…
I’ve always loved Christmas books. As I’ve gotten older, part of the attraction around Christmas is the nostalgia. Recalling the excitement as a child, the anticipation, but also the people who are no longer with us. When I started out writing, I only ever envisaged doing one book, but a little bit of success snowballed. When I was looking for ideas, I noticed my last Barton book would be released just before Christmas, and The Santa Killer was born. I wanted to write a book like Christie’s where there was the emotions around murder and crime, but also the drama of Christmas. Hopefully it’s sad, exciting, and thrilling but also poignant.
It’s the cover from the movie that I love the most, which my daughter has watched to death. My son’s just getting into reading, so he’ll be getting this to open on the big day. The train in the snow screams Christmas to me. Shame when he wanted a Nintendo Switch.
Discover The Polar Express, a true Christmas classic. "Magical" Guardian "Evocative and atmospheric" Sunday Times "A thrilling tale" Independent All aboard the Polar Express to the North Pole! Follow one boy's journey to receive a very special gift from Santa himself: a bell that only true believers in Father Christmas can hear ring. Discover the beloved Christmas classic that inspired the blockbuster family favourite movie starring Tom Hanks.
I write funny picture books. Since some of my best memories include reading to my kids while they were plopped in my lap, giggling at silly, fun picture books, I want to bring that same joy to families everywhere. I’m in awe of clever humor, and I’m especially fond of wordplay, puns, and jokes. Of all the holidays, Christmas is my favorite. The tree, the décor, and the traditions bring so much merriment. When my kids were young, reading Christmas books was a huge part of our holiday. Once Upon a Christmas gave me the chance to write a humorous, fun, and festive story that families can enjoy together.
This book pulled me in right from the start. When duck knows that he needs to tell Santa what he wants or else it’ll be another year of socks and underwear, we get it because we all know that no one wants socks and underwear for Christmas. Duck’s little tune, “Jingle Quack, Jingle Quack” is so cute and fitting. After Duck is mistaken for Santa, the requests pour in, and they are over-the-top funny and reminiscent of any kid’s Christmas list. I find myself reading them over and over again, smiling every time. In the end, I love that I’m left believing Duck was set up to be Santa’s helper after all.
Nicholas Duck loves Christmas, and he is happy to try on the new Santa hat that's mysteriously delivered to his house. But when his friends see him and immediately launch into their Christmas lists, he doesn't know what to do . . . until he runs into Santa himself.
When our two boys hit their difficult years around age seven or eight and the other kids at school were starting to doubt Santa Claus, they began to ask questions about how he operated. Luckily I had answers, which became, eventually, The Christmas Chronicles. Now that I was outed as a Santa supporter, I started doing Christmas readings here and there, including every year on a radio holiday show for Access Utah, a PBS affiliate. That’s given me the delightful task of seeking out all kinds of Yuletide literature. These are a few of my favorites.
Yes, that J.R.R. Tolkien. Each year he took a break from Middle-earth to write and illustrate incredible letters from Father Christmas to his and Edith’s four children, John, Michael, Christopher, and Priscilla. Being Tolkien, he created an entire polar world and history in the letters, which feature elves, goblins—who launch a major attack one year—and Father Christmas’s great assistant and companion, North Polar Bear. Here is a high Yuletide adventure from the fantasy Master, himself. And somehow reading it makes you feel more creative yourself.
This beautiful, deluxe slipcased edition of Tolkien's famous illustrated letters from Father Christmas to his children includes for the first time every available letter, picture and envelope that he sent them, reproduced in glorious colour. The perfect Christmas gift for Tolkien lovers of all ages.
This classic festive book of Tolkien's amazing Father Christmas letters written to his children between the 1920s and the 1940s has been reworked into a sumptuous, new deluxe edition. It contains brand new high-quality digital reproductions of his wonderful letters and pictures, including a number of them that have never been printed before, a revised…
