WINTER BOOK LIST
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MY TOP FIVE
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This list includes books about hibernation, snow,
the change of season, and so much more.
by Susan Edwards Richmond
A young girl and her mother participate as community scientists in the Christmas Bird Count. Using her most important tools―her eyes and ears―she eagerly identifies and counts the birds they observe on their assigned route around town.
by Aimee Bissonette
Though a forest may be blanketed in snow or a lake frozen over, families who enjoy the outdoors in winter, happily bundled up to play in the energizing weather, know that wildlife is still teeming there.
by Kyo Maclear
Charles wants to find a wish tree. His brother and sister don't believe there is such a thing, but his trusty companion Boggan is ready to join Charles on a journey to find out.
by Wendy Pfeffer
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.
by Uri Shulevitz
No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular.
by Sang-Kuen Kim
Little Mole is new in town, and he's lonely. On his way home from school on a winter day, he rolls a snowball all the way to the bus stop. He tells it his problems and grows very attached. But when Little Mole tries to take the snowball home with him on the bus, the driver refuses and leaves without them. So Little Mole comes up with a plan:
by Linda Booth Sweeney
With sparkling flakes calling from outside, this sister and brother bundle up for an outdoor adventure with Grandma. In the hushed woods, they see and hear wildlife thriving under a new blanket of snow.
by Eileen Spinelli
It’s snowy cold in the town of Toby Mills. The thermometer is sinking toward zero, and the icicle hanging from the nose of General Toby’s statue is growing closer to the ground. The newspaper headline reads “COLD SNAP!”
by Jonathan Bean
While "helping" his mother with holiday housecleaning, a boy keeps a watchful eye on the progress of a winter storm. He's hoping for a big snow. A really big snow.
by Karma Wilson
It’s winter, and deep in the forest, Bear should be fast asleep. But when his friends come by to check on him, they realize that Bear is still awake! They brew him hot tea and sing him lullabies, but nothing seems to work. Can Bear get to bed? Or will he be up all winter?
by Cathy Camper
One winter morning, Lina wakes up to silence. It's the sound of snow -- the kind that looks soft and glows bright in the winter sun. But as she walks to her grandmother's house to help make the family recipe, she continues to listen.
by Poppy Green
Winter has finally arrived in Silverlake Forest and Sophie and her friends are having some snowy fun! While playing one day, they accidentally wake a hedgehog named Pippa who has been hibernating all winter. Though Pippa is a little foggy at first, Sophie, Hattie, and Owen show her all the fun things to do in wintertime.
by Lynn Plourde
Baby Black Bear has had so much fun with his friends moose, owl, and rabbit, that he's decided not to join his parents in hibernation for the winter. So as the weather begins to turn cold and snow starts to fall, Baby Bear just keeps frolicking, all under the watchful but unseen eye of his dad.
by Kenard Pak
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
by Gary D. Schmidt
Eager for maple syrup, Ethan can’t wait till sugaring time rolls around. And he can’t wait till his loose tooth falls out. But his father keeps telling him it’s not time yet, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t make time pass more quickly.
by Tony Johnston
Day after day, a girl goes to her favorite place in the woods and quietly watches from her tree house as the chipmunks, the doe, the rabbits prepare for the winter. As the temperature drops, sunset comes earlier and a new season begins.
by Sean Taylor
In the frosty, quiet forest, the snow blankets the ground and the trees have shed their leaves. Where have all the animals gone? Are they asleep too? 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.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The fledgling town of De Smet in the Dakota Territory is hit hard by the brutal winter of 1880-1881. Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace face the winter as best they can, but soon, blizzards have covered the town in snow that piles up to the rooftops, cutting the town off from supplies and trade.
by Jane Yolen
Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Whoo-whoo-whoo, the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird.
But there is no answer.
by 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.
by Jan Thornhill
Lily, a young snowshoe hare, is surprised to notice the leaves changing color in her forest home. She hears from the other animals that “Winter’s coming,” but who― or what―is Winter?
by Dawn Watkins
Jack doesn't think he will ever get used to the cold and snow at his grandparents' house. It's so different from the bronze beauty of New Mexico. But Grandfather's chickadees delight Jack and Nora by accompanying Grandfather into unfamiliar surroundings and they help Jack to understand that his new life might become bearable after all.
by William Steig
Brave Irene is Irene Bobbin, the dressmaker's daughter. Her mother, Mrs. Bobbin, isn't feeling so well and can't possibly deliver the beautiful ball gown she's made for the duchess to wear that very evening. So plucky Irene volunteers to get the gown to the palace on time, in spite of the fierce snowstorm that's brewing-- quite an errand for a little girl.
by Rhea Tregebov
Jeanette accidentally leaves her cat Kitty Doyle outside during a big snowstorm and fears for her safety
by Linda Ashman
Just when William is ready to fall asleep in his cozy cabin, there is a tap on his window. A chilly chipmunk asks to stay, and Will scooches over in bed. "There's room for two--I'm sure we'll fit."
by Lora Koehler
On the Mighty Mountain Road Crew, the trucks come in one size: BIG. That is, until the little snowplow joins the crew. None of the other trucks think that the little snowplow can handle the big storms, but he knows that he can do it
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura is delighted when a soft, thick snow falls in late spring in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. A late snow helps the trees make more sap for maple syrup, and maple syrup means sweet sugar cakes and sticky fingers for Laura!
by Ged Adamson
A little fox is digging for food when--OUCH! What is that?--the fox finds a box! When the fox brings the box home to his animal friends--and turns a funny-looking knob--the box starts to sing, and music fills the forest.
by Matthew Cordell
A girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home? Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust.
by April Jones Prince
In the midst of a whirling snowfall, a girl and her father pile into their big red snow plow. Through slippery streets, up winding hills, they race-- clearing the snow and heading for the train station to meet a very special traveler.
by Marion Dane Bauer
Snow is coming, and it's time to get ready! The squirrel gathers nuts, the geese soar south, and the snowshoe hare puts on its new white coat. But what should the fox do?
by Miriam Moss
A polar bear cub has lost his mother in the snow-covered forest. Unable to find her after a long search, he decides to build a big white bear out of snow to keep him company while he waits.
by Stephen Krensky
Chaucer knows that bears are supposed to sleep through the winter. But it's much more fun to stay up and play! Chaucer's first winter is full of snowball fights, sledding, skating, and all of the most exciting parts of winter.
by Eugenie Doyle
A captivating exploration of how a family gets a farm ready for the snow of winter, Sleep Tight Farm lyrically connects each growing season to the preparations at the very end of the farm year.
by Kathy Duval
Deep in her den under a snowflake blanket, Mama snuggles her newborn babies. When spring arrives, the bears awaken and emerge from their lair, and as the weather warms to summer, Mama teaches her young ones to fish, gather berries, and dig for roots.
by Katy Hudson
Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn’t missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter?
by Michelle Meadows
The creatures on the train are preparing to snuggle into sleep, although with a passenger list that includes chipmunks, bears, snakes, hedgehogs, groundhogs, frogs, turtles, mice, bats, and more, there’s a lot of noise! Will the hibernating critters ever get to sleep?
by Virginia Brimhall Snow
Slide, step, and stomp through the snow with “Grammy” as she takes her grandkids on a winter adventure. As they explore the woods, they spot a cardinal, learn why some trees are green all year, and build a tall snowman. At the end of the day, they learn how to build a pinecone bird feeder.
by John Rocco
Blizzard is based on John Rocco's childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island. Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the book opens with a boy's excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window.
by Apryl Stott
Bear is sad. All the other animals think he’s mean because he’s so big. But his human friend, Coco, offers to help him. Coco shares her grandmother’s advice: “When life gets dark as winter’s night, share some kindness, bring some light.”
by Owen Gildersleeve
Set in a winter wonderland, follow one child on his journey home through a snowy landscape. Lights are revealed by diecuts throughout, becoming lit-up shop windows, carol singers' candles, stars in the sky and finally a star on the tree.
by Lauren Stringer
Most people think summer is the warmest season. This story, however, is brimming with evidence to the contrary--from roaring fires to grilled cheese sandwiches to toasty flannel pajamas. A unique twist on the traditional wintertime picture book, the beautiful visual narrative follows a boy and his family through a day of hot breakfasts, steaming afternoon cocoa, and a festive candlelit party before bed.
by Lindsey Barrett George
The woods are cold and desolate as Cammy and William hike through the snow, yet signs of animal life are everywhere. Help them find the clues—a pellet of feathers and bones, a fish head by the brook, a patch of bark rubbed off the trunk of a birch tree, and more—and join in guessing, "Who's been here?"
by Diane Ohanesian
As winter arrives and fluffly snowflakes begin to fall, animal families gather together to snuggle down deep against the cold. They prepare and cozy up their dens, nests, and underground tunnels. Then they curl up nose to nose, cheek to cheek, snuggle down deep, and sleep.
by Berta Hader
When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.
Katy and the Snow
by Virginia Lee Burton
Katy, a brave and untiring tractor, who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter, makes it possible for the townspeople to do their jobs.
by Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, like winter. But when the snow is deep outside and there’s nothing to do inside, even a cozy winter day can be a little slow. Not for long! When Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog, Zeke, pull two sleds out of the garage, the four friends head for the sledding slope for the wildest ride ever. Maybe winter is not so slow after all!
by Denise Fleming
A chill is in the air and Bear knows it is time for her winter nap. But first, she must tell Snail. And Snail must tell Skunk. And Skunk must tell Turtle. Each animal who tries to put off going to sleep just a little longer.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Winter has come to the Big Woods! Laura and Mary help Ma with chores around the house. When the frost comes, they draw pictures in their windows.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Winter has come to the Wilder family farm in upstate New York. Almanzo goes through his afternoon barn chores, and then sits down to eat a hearty farm supper with his family.
by Cynthia Rylant
Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And they're ready for a snowy winter!