Winter Books for Children
Winter is such a fun season in the classroom. You can fill the months with snow activities, winter crafts, and cozy opportunities to read good books. I love it when these books also teach children about winter and snow. In this post, find 16 of the best Winter and Snow books for children. I have added affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Read my affiliate disclosure here.
Informational Books about Snow
Snow is one of my favorite topics to explore with young children. Whether you’re doing snow experiments with them or playing with a sensory bin full of faux snow, it’s fun to learn about the fluffy white stuff! Here are my top picks for snow books to add to your home or classroom library.
The Story of Snow | Jon Nelson
One of my favorite winter books for children is this one! How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity.
Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow. Snowflake-catching instructions are also included for aspiring young snow scientists!
It’s Snowing | Gail Gibbons
Small, soft flakes fall quietly from above. It’s snowing! People like to sled and ski in it, but what exactly is snow? How does it form? Included in this crystal clear introduction to one of winter’s wonders is information about different types of snowstorms, regions where snow falls, and how to prepare when a snowstorm approaches.
Snowflake Bentley | Jacqueline Martin
Snowflake Bentley is another great winter book for children. From the time he was a small boy in Vermont, Wilson Bentley saw snowflakes as small miracles. And he determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal.
Bentley’s enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each one is startlingly beautiful. His story is gracefully told and brought to life in lovely woodcuts, giving children insight into a soul who had not only a scientist’s vision and perseverance but a clear passion for the wonders of nature
Curious about Snow |Gina Shaw
When does it snow? Why is snow white? How do we know no two snowflakes are alike? (Hint: the proof is in the photographs, first made in the 1890s!) With full-color photographs and the Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos, this new Curious About title looks at the science behind snow, and the history of record-setting blizzards and snowstorms—plus how people have fun in the snow!
Winter Books about Animals
Winter is the perfect time to learn about animals and animal behavior. You can study hibernation, animal features like camouflage, and animal habitats. Here are some of my favorite winter books about animals that would be great additions to your library!
Animals in Winter | Henrietta Bancroft
Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can’t survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate.
Woodchucks don’t like cold weather either but they don’t migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. Read and find out how other animals cope with winter’s worst weather.
Over and Under the Snow | Kate Messner
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow.
This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.
Books about the Season of Winter
Young children don’t always have a clear understanding of what seasons mean. But when we teach them to observe and recognize the changes that occur with each new season, this tough concept becomes easy to understand. Use these books to help little ones grasp what winter truly means.
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter | Kenard Pak
As leaves fall from their trees, animals huddle against the cold, and frost creeps across windows, everyone knows―winter is on its way!
Join a brother and sister as they explore nature and take a stroll through their twinkling town, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the setting sun to curious deer, they say goodbye to autumn and welcome the glorious first snow of winter.
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice | Wendy Pfeffer
The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year the sun started moving toward them again.
In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been observed by various cultures throughout history. Many contemporary holiday traditions were borrowed from ancient solstice celebrations.
Winter Sleep | Sean Taylor
In this cozy bedtime story, follow a child and his grandma through a winter landscape to explore how the Earth goes to sleep for winter. Spot the sleeping animals as the tale unfolds, then learn about their hibernation habits from the information pages at the end.
In each cutaway scene, see what the child cannot—that underground below his feet are dens with sleeping creatures, and within the hollow trunks of trees, animals are nesting. After the story, annotated illustrations explain the hibernation facts for each animal and what they will do when they wake up for spring.
Classic Winter Books for Children
These books may very well already be in your library of winter books because they’re so well-loved. These true classics have been loved by generations of children. Which one is your most loved old favorite?
The Mitten | Jan Brett
This classic winter book for children has been loved for more than 25 years! When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing.
One by one, woodland animals find it and crawl in; first, a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse and what happens next makes for a wonderfully funny climax.
The Snowy Day | Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day follows a boy discovering the pleasures of new-fallen snow. Bright color cut-outs and lively language complement each other to create a story that’s both soothing and exciting. This is a true classic and is one of my favorite winter books for children!
Snowballs | Lois Ehlert
Pull on your mittens and head outside with Lois Ehlert for a snowball day! Grab some snow and start rolling. With a few found objects, like buttons and fabric and seeds, and a little imagination, you can create a whole family out of snow.
Ehlert uses collages of cut paper and vibrant, textured objects to dazzling effect in her tribute to building a snowman–and snowgirl and snowcat.
Snow | Uri Shulevitz
“It’s snowing, said boy with dog.
“It’s only a snowflake,” said grandfather with beard.
No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it.
Uri Shulevitz’ playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations. This is the perfect winter book for children of all ages.
Favorite Snowman Books
Snowman books are always a favorite. These funny and memorable characters capture the hearts of children. You definitely need to add some good snowman books to your collection.
Sneezy the Snowman | Maureen Wright
B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”. Hilarity chills the air with playful mixed-media illustrations by Stephen Gilpin as Sneezy attempts to warm himself with some silly results.
All You Need for a Snowman | Alice Schertle
One small snowflake fluttering down–That’s all you need for a snowman.
Or is it? In these pages, an exuberant crew is summoned to create a snowman of heroic proportions. This is another fabulous classic winter book for children of all ages!
The Magic of Friendship Snow | Andi Cann
Jojo looks around and everyone seems to have friends but her. She feels sad and lonely. Then, Jojo meets Puddles, the snowman made with magic friendship snow.
For every child who struggles to make friends and parents who try to show them how, this children’s book celebrates the special bond between friends.
WINTER AND SNOW THEMED BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Or, download a printable list of the books by clicking the image below.
MORE IDEAS FOR WINTER:
- January Lesson Plan Ideas {with FREE Printables}
- Winter and Snow Classroom Printables & Activities
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