'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

My parents read us The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve, and I've carried on this tradition with my own children. Books are important in our house, and they make great gifts.

Here are Whitcoulls book manager, Joan Mackenzie's top 10 Christmas books for kids:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 123

by Eric Carle

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Join the Very Hungry Caterpillar for some Christmas counting fun, from 1 to 10. This board book is a perfect size for little hands.

The 12 Engines of Christmas

The combination of Thomas and Christmas is irresistible to many young fans. This book is fun, right into the spirit of the season, and sturdy!

The Night Before Christmas: Pop-Up edition

by Clement C Moore & Niroot Puttapipat

The classic Christmas poem gets the pop up treatment in a truly gorgeous book which captures all the excitement and wonder of Christmas. We love this one!

We Wish You a Kiwi Christmas

by Lynette Evans and Myles Lawford

The great Christmas song gets a totally Kiwi makeover - and includes a CD for a great old family sing-along.

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The Twelve Days of Kiwi Christmas

by Myles Lawford

Another Kiwi take on a classic tale - with meat pies, boogie boards, and rugby balls! - plus CD!

A Kiwi Christmas Carol

by Chris Gurney and Philip Webb

The classic Dickens story gets a local makeover, with miserly old Jerry from the Corner Dairy as the Kiwi equivalent of Scrooge.

A Treasury of Christmas Stories and Songs

A wonderful hardback collection of 6 traditional Christmas stories and 12 seasonal rhymes.

The Jacqueline Wilson Christmas Cracker

by Jacqueline Wilson

Packed with brilliant Christmas stories, including a brand-new one, and classic favourites starring Jacqui Wilson's much loved character Tracy Beaker. Plus festive puzzles, tasty Christmas recipes, perfect present tips, and fun Christmas facts!

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree

by Kingi M Ihaka & Dick Frizzell

A wonderful New Zealand adaptation of The Twelve Days of Christmas - with an audio CD for a great singalong!

Let It Snow

by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

A collaboration between one of the year's bestselling authors and two others - set on a snowy Christmas Eve, as the three stories collide. Touching, hilarious, and full of alternative Christmas cheer.