Read This, Do That: How to Have a Holiday Storybook Adventure

We've paired new holiday-themed books by Bay Area authors and illustrators with adventures that you and your family can have to make the stories come to life.

By rtemmasmith October 10, 2015

What’s better than escaping into storyland with your kids on a chilly December morning? How about exploring the the Bay Area’s winter wonderland and making some adventures of your own? Pour a cup of cocoa and snuggle up with these titles from Bay Area authors and illustrators. Then, let their stories inspire you and your family to venture forth and create some yuletide memories. Click through to see all of our recommended book-meets-real-life activities!

Ride Em Reindeer!

Read This: Little Santa
A wry, ridiculously silly origin story of you-know-who has young Santa’s family getting caught in a snowstorm as they prepare to flee to Florida to escape the cold. Little Santa (who just happens to wear a red hooded onesie) finds a sleigh, enlists a flying reindeer, and saves the day—and when his family goes through with the move, he chooses to stay behind and start a new career. Bold illustrations and deadpan humor make this an instant classic.

Then Do This: Go nose-to-nose with Frosty and Holiday, the reindeer who will be spending their own holiday in the garden of the California Academy of Sciences. Take it further with science exhibits that explain how reindeer find food buried beneath the snow, why their antlers are unique, and other fascinating reindeer facts.

Want more? Fly on over to this page to find out where to bring the family to see the man in red.

Wed., Nov. 25-Mon. Jan. 3
Mon.-Sat. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Members-only hours: Tues. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., Sun. 10-11 a.m.
Online calacademy.org

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Do you have a suggestion for a book-meets-local-adventure pairing? Tell us in the comments below!

–Emma Bland Smith