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Home » Books for Kids » Book Lists » 31 Read-Alouds for January Holidays

31 Read-Alouds for January Holidays

December 29, 2024 •

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read alouds for january

Welcome to a year-long series of posts celebrating and honoring different holidays of the year from the well-known holidays to the obscure, weird, and wacky holidays.  We kick off the new year with holiday read-alouds for January.  Enjoy reading a book a day with the children in your life.read alouds for january

Books for Kids About January Holidays

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

January 1st: New Year’s Day

freedom soup

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces us to a Haitian custom that takes place on New Year’s.  This tradition dates all the way back to the Haitian Revolution.  And, there is a recipe in the back of the book to try.

And, for more New Year’s books, check out my whole list.—>New Year’s Day Books

January 2nd: National Science Fiction Day

the way back home

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers is the story of a boy who takes a sputtering plane to the moon where he discovers another nervous creature on the other side of the moon.  Will these two become friends and help each other find their way back home?

January 3rd: Festival of Sleep Day

This is a day to celebrate good sleep habits.  And, what better habit before sleep than a bedtime story?

everybody in the red brick building

Everyone is asleep in the red brick building until the baby wails, “Waaaaah!” That starts a chain reaction of sounds and awakenings. But, just as soon as the noises rise everyone, other noises soothe everyone back to sleep.  Check out Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter.

January 4th: World Braille Day

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant is the story of the inventor of the touch alphabet.  Learn all about him in this fascinating read.

January 5th: National Bird Day

Bird Watch by Christie Matheson

Bird Watch by Christie Matheson is a great introduction and inspiration for bird watching through all the seasons. Plus, you can bird-watch right in the book and find the birds on each page. The dedication sums it up by E.B. White, “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” You’ll want to grab a bird guide from the library and head out into nature after reading.

For more books about birds, check out this list.—>Bird Books for Kids

January 6th: National Cuddle Up Day

no more cuddles

No More Cuddles! by Jane Chapman is the story of a very cuddly creature, but he’s getting a bit tired of all the cuddles.  So, he comes up with a plan!

January 7th: Old Rock Day

A Dinosaur Made Me Sneeze: A Rock Cycle Adventure

In A Dinosaur Made Me Sneeze: A Rock Cycle Adventure by Carla Mae Jansen, you’ll learn about how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks are formed and how that cycle repeats over and over again. It’s fun, playful, and educational read.⁣

For more books about rocks, check out this list.—> Books About Rocks for Kids

January 8th: National Bubble Bath Day

How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps

Discover that the best step for giving a bath is to NOT do it in How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley.

January 9th: National Word Nerd Day

Word Collector

The Word Collector by the great Peter H. Reynolds. Most people love to collect things and Jerome loves to collect words.  I love what Reynolds writes on the end page, “Reach for your own words. Tell the world who you are and how you will make it better.”

January 10th: National Houseplant Appreciation Day

the plant sitter

The Plant Sitter by Gene Zion is an oldie.  Tommy has a holiday job of caring for houseplants and he does a mighty fine job…almost too fine.

January 11th: National Milk Day

the cow loves cookies

When you are a milk-producing cow, of course, you must love cookies too. The Cow Loves Cookies
by Karma Wilson is a fun read-aloud.

January 12th: National Hot Tea Day

Chaiwala! by Priti Birla Maheshwari

Chaiwala! by Priti Birla Maheshwari introduces us to the warm spiced milk tea- chai.  Come to India and get in a line for a cup.

For more books about tea, check out this list.—> Teatime Books

January 13th: National Rubbery Ducky Day

Ducks Overboard! by Markus Motum

Ducks Overboard! by Markus Motum takes us to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to learn about the impact that plastic and garbage are having on our oceans.⁣ We take this journey with thousands of yellow rubber ducks that fell overboard off a ship during a storm at sea.⁣⁣

January 14th: International Kite Day

Kite Flying by Grace Lin

Kite Flying by Grace Lin is a story that celebrates the Chinese tradition of kite making and kite flying.  Follow a family as they shop for materials to build a kite and follow them through the kite-making process.

January 15th: National Hat Day

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub

We all think we know what a hat is. But, this book challenges you to think outside the box.⁣
⁣Hats are really everywhere you look.⁣
-Bubbles make great bath time hats.⁣
-Some jobs require certain hats.⁣
-Clouds can airplane hats.⁣
⁣A fun and playful read-aloud that will engage kids and have them looking for all those less obvious hats.⁣ Enjoy Very Good Hats by Emma Straub.

January 16th:  Appreciate a Dragon Day

Long Goes to Dragon School by Helen H. Wu

In Long Goes to Dragon School by Helen H. Wu, we meet Long (Chinese word for dragon) who is off to dragon school. The professor announces that the dragons are there to discover their unique talents. And, their first lesson is using fire breath to cook. But, Long doesn’t breathe fire but rather water. Can he use his unique talent to cook food?⁣ Don’t miss sliding off the book jacket of the book to reveal a poster. I love a book with a bonus!⁣

January 17th: Kid Inventors’ Day

What Do You Do With An Idea?

What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada is a wonderful and inspirational book about nurturing new ideas and watching them grow. It is a great reminder not to discount an idea that seems too big, too hard, or too odd. Give it time and space then watch it grow!

January 18th: National Thesaurus Day

Stegothesaurus

Stegothesaurus by Bridget Heos is one of my favorites on this list.  This little dinosaur has a way with words. When the other dinos say something is big, his mind fills with more descriptive words like gargantuan, gigantic, and goliath.  And, then one day he meets an Allothesaurus and he says a whole new set of words.

January 19th: National Popcorn Day

Let's Pop, Pop, Popcorn

How does popcorn end up in your bowl?⁣ Well, first you have to grow the popcorn.⁣ Take the journey from the garden to your mouth in Let’s Pop, Pop, Popcorn by Cynthia Schumerth.
⁣
This informational book works well for a story time read-aloud because it has lots of rhythm and bright engaging illustrations.

January 20th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream and You

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford shows us how we can emulate many of the qualities of a man who created great change in the world.

January 21st: Squirrel Appreciation Day

Girl Versus Squirrel

Girl Versus Squirrel by Hayley Barrett is the story of a birdfeeder problem and squirrels.⁣ But Pearl is resourceful. She is up to the challenge of keeping the squirrel out of the feeders. She comes up with some clever ways to keep the squirrel out of the seed, but really she ends up creating quite the amusement park for the squirrel in the process. A squirrel can be very determined. And, then Pearl discovers something that changes her heart about the squirrel.⁣

January 22nd: National Grandpa Day

The Big Five by Bella Makatini

The Big Five by Bella Makatini is the story of a young boy who is staying with his grandpa for the week. Grandpa has a picture of animals from his home country that the boy notices.  That leads to a story a day.

January 23rd: National Pie Day

https://www.amazon.com/Blueberry-Pie-Elf-Jane-Thayer/dp/B0DNV4MNGJ?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._-SHLid1VHOr6xQxJL43UFg8j_KkTGe6h_6cn0E4c9bGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.z4ra-XILI8t11svIBg5pBDEEPNGVVVf1MnCHb29NZgc&qid=1735503372&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=groboobyboo-20&linkId=f9e050ca78f059c355fe7ac85a5bb95f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

The Blueberry Pie Elf by Jane Thayer is an older book about an elf who loves blueberry pie.⁣ He’s determined to let the family of humans know that he wants them to make another blueberry pie. ⁣ And, he finds a creative way to do so.⁣

January 24th: Global Belly Laugh Day

Crash, Splash, Moo!

Warning…Crash, Splash, Moo! by Bob Shea is not the one to read if you are trying to quiet the kids. This is one that will stir all their sillies. This is one that will make them laugh. This is one that will make them say, “Read it again!” It is game show meets book and your kids get to be the contestants.

And, for more laugh-out-loud books, check out this list.—>Funny Read Alouds

January 25th: Opposite Day

The Perfect Seat by Minh Le

The Perfect Seat by Minh Le and Gus Gordon is all about the quest for that just-right spot. But some seats are too big and some are too small. And, some are too tall and some are too short.

For even more opposite reads, check out this list.—> Books About Opposites for Kids

January 26th: Australia Day

Wombats are Pretty Weird

Wombats are Pretty Weird by Abi Cushman introduces to a fascinating animal from Australia.

January 27th: National Geographic Day

Photo Ark ABC: An Animal Alphabet in Poetry and Pictures by Debbie Levy

Celebrate the gorgeous photographs of National Geographic with one of their many books for children. Photo Ark ABC: An Animal Alphabet in Poetry and Pictures by Debbie Levy gives us stunning photography and poetry.

January 28th: International Lego Day

I'm Fun, Too! by Jonathan Fenske

In I’m Fun, Too! by Jonathan Fenske, a LEGO figurine of the past meets LEGO figurines of the present.

January 29th: Curmudgeons Day

Ten Grouchy Groundhogs

Rhythm, rhyme, and silliness are what you get in Ten Grouchy Groundhogs by Kathryn Heling. This is a good one for a circle time read-aloud for young preschoolers because they can join in on repetitive parts and predict the number coming next.

January 30th: Read Your World Day

Eyes That Speak to the Stars 

Check out Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho.  In this story, a young Asian boy notices his eyes look different from other classmates after looking at a drawing by his friend.  After talking and reflecting with his family, he develops a great appreciation for his eyes, himself, and his connection to his family.  It is the companion book to the beautiful, Eyes that Kiss in the Corners.

For more multicultural books, check out this list.—> Multicultural Books for Kids

January 31st: National Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light.

Sometimes little brothers and sisters can get ahold of our artwork.  That is what happens in Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light.

For more artish reads, check out this list.—>Art Books for Kids

Printable List of January Holiday Books

Grab a printable list of the books to enjoy with the kids.

Enjoy reading this January.

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About Jodie Rodriguez

Jodie Rodriguez is a mom of two young boys and an early childhood/elementary educator with over 20 years of experience. Jodie's passion is helping parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else interested in nurturing and reaching ALL of our youngest growing readers.

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