We are lovers of books, especially books celebrating holidays and the changing seasons. Over the past few weeks, we have been enjoying winter books on repeat.

I’ve found that books about snow tend to be Christmas-themed, so I’ve been on the hunt to find winter books that are not Christmassy. This way, we still have special books to enjoy throughout January and February.

I’ve compiled a round-up of our favorite winter books. They range from scientific guides to snow, to adventurous winter tales, to stories featuring ideas for enjoying the season from the warmth of your home (think: steamy mugs of cocoa and blanket forts). We hope you enjoy these titles as much as we have!

1. What is Snow? Usborne Lift-the-flap Very First Questions and Answers

What is Snow?

My preschooler loves lift-the-flap books. With over 30 flaps to lift, this book is definitely a favorite for her. It serves as an educational tool explaining the science behind snow in a format that’s engaging for young kids.

2. Mice Skating by Annie Silvestro

Mice Skating

This is my favorite winter book. It’s about a mouse named Lucy who loves snow and tries to help her mouse-friends appreciate the wonders of winter. Filled with clever puns and whimsical illustrations, this book will make you fall in love with winter all over again.

3. Sleep Tight Farm by Eugenie Doyle

 

Sleep Tight Farm

This is a sweet story about a farm preparing for winter. Watch the family stack wood, build a windbreak for their beehives, and put straw over the berry plants. At the end, once the farm is ready for snow, the family makes vegetable soup, lights beeswax candles, and tells their farm to sleep tight until spring.

4. White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

White Bright Snow

 

A Caldecott award-winner, this book was written in 1947 as an ode to snow days. Truly a classic book for your collection, this is a beautiful depiction of the different ways we spend a snow day.

5. Bunny Slopes by Claudio Rueda

Bunny Slopes

Another favorite for my preschooler, this one is a simple story about a bunny hitting the slopes. It requires little hands to tilt, shake, and tap the pages to help the bunny in his ski adventure.

6. Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder

Animals In Winter

This book is highly educational, but still keeps kids’ attention with an engaging storyline about the fascinating ways animals prepare for winter.

7. Snow Sisters! By Kerri Kokias

Snow Sisters

The tagline for this book sums it up best: “Just like snowflakes, no two sisters are alike.” This is an endearing story about two sisters on a snowy day. It’s a perfect book to teach sisters to celebrate differences and remind them of the strength of sisterly love.

8. Winter Days in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Winter Days in the Big Woods

For children too young for the Little House chapter books, the My First Little House Book series is a gentle introduction to Laura and her family. This one walks through the ways the Ingalls family prepares for winter.

9. The Mitten by Jan Brett

The Mitten

The Mitten is a Ukrainian folktale about a boy named Nicki who asks his grandmother to knit him a pair of white mittens. As it turns out, one of the mittens has a wild adventure of its own.

10. The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett

The Snowy Nap

Jan Brett’s whimsical and cozy illustrations make this the perfect book for winter. It’s a sweet tale about a hedgehog who doesn’t want to miss out on the joys of winter when he settles in for his “snowy nap.”

11. Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Wolf In The Snow

My preschooler adores this book. The book’s only words are the sound effects of the characters, but the illustrations provoke strong emotions and do a beautiful job telling the story of a girl and a wolf pup lost in the snow. This won the 2018 Caldecott Medal.

12. Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes

Winter Is Here

A look at the way winter transforms the world, both outside in the cold and inside our homes. This is a great tool for introducing preschoolers to all things winter.

13. Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant

Little Penguin

Written by a Newbery Medal-winning author and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator, this is a simple story about a penguin family enjoying the snow. It contains a limited text but is great for reinforcing adjectives and vocabulary words. One thing I love about stories with limited words is that it allows us to expand on the story in our own way. What are the characters doing? How are they doing it? Why do you think they are doing this? What does this look like to you? It often takes us a long time to read simple stories, because we spend so much time discussing each page.

14. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

Over and Under the Snow

One of my favorites on this list, this book is a beautiful story to read aloud. It introduces the secret world existing under the snow.

15. The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph.D.

The Story Of Snow

This book takes an in-depth look at the science behind snow. Perhaps more appropriate for kindergarteners, my preschooler still loves looking at the pictures and reading portions of the text. This is a book that will grow with her.

I hope you enjoyed our round-up of winter stories. What are your favorite winter books? Tell me in the comments! We are always looking for new titles to enjoy.

—Chelsea