Offbeat Holiday Kids' Books That Adults Will Enjoy

A walking, talking lump of coal wishes for a Christmas miracle. A delicious crispy Hanukkah latke is repeatedly frustrated with people's astonishing ignorance about his holiday. Although these two delightful Lemony Snicket tales (and two others shown below) are shelved in MGPL's youth services department, they have certain qualities that will appeal to adults already well-versed (and perhaps weary) with more traditional holiday fare.

Red Ranger Came Calling: A Guaranteed True Christmas Story By Breathed, Berkeley 1994-10 - Little Brown and Company 0316108812 Check the Library While spending Christmas in 1939 with a well-meaning aunt, a young boy who does not believe in Santa Claus has an unusual experience that changes his thinking. …More

Santa Claws By Leuck, Laura Illustrator Grimly, Gris 2006-09 - Chronicle Books (CA) 0811849929 Check the Library Mack and Zack may be monsters, but their excitement about Christmas is the same as that of children the world around. …More

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story By Snicket, Lemony Illustrator Brown, Lisa 2007-10 - McSweeney's Books 1932416870 Check the Library Latkes are potato pancakes served at Hanukkah, and Lemony Snicket is an alleged children's author. For the first time in literary history, these two elements are combined in one book. A particularly irate latke is the star of "The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, " but many other holiday icons appear and even speak: flashing colored lights, cane-shaped candy, a pine tree. Santa Claus is briefly discussed as well. The ending is happy, at least for some. People who are interested in any or all of these things will find this book so enjoyable it will feel as though Hanukkah were being celebrated for several years, rather than eight nights. …More

The Lump of Coal By Snicket, Lemony Illustrator Helquist, Brett 2008-09 - HarperCollins 9780061574283 Check the Library The bestselling team behind the Series of Unfortunate Events saga unwraps an uproarious, irreverent picture book that introduces the next great holiday hero: one that is small, dark, and flammable. …More