Delightful Picture Books to Read Aloud in Winter
Winter is the perfect time to read picture books with your kids. When everyone is stuck inside anyway, why not cuddle up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and read a fun story?!
As a homeschool mom of 10 with fifteen years of experience, I tend to be picky about choosing the very best books for our home library. I prefer living books that leave lasting impressions on the reader.
I used to think picture books were only for young children, but I have learned that even older kids enjoy a well-written picture book. We like to read our favorite stories over and over again until they become to us like good friends.
You should be able to find all of these books at your local library, but if not, I suggest slowly investing in your home library. That’s what we have done and it has proven to be a wonderful investment. These classics have paid for themselves again and again!
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Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Young Peter woke up to find snow covering the ground outside his house. Follow Ezra as he puts on his snowsuit, crunches through the deep snow, and discovers the beauty of snow. This colorful picture book displays all the exciting adventures this little boy has in the snow. Ezra Jack Keats’ sweet book is great for young children on a cold, snowy day.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Keats, Ezra Jack (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 11/05/1962 (Publication Date) – Viking Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
In a town called Geoppolis, a destructive snowstorm hit, leaving the city submerged under the snow. A snowplow named Katy broke through the drifts and rescued everyone. Where would the town be without its hero, Katy, did the job that no one else could do. This book is definitely one to put on your winter book list.
- Burton, Virginia Lee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 04/03/1974 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
This enjoyable story ( A Caldecott Award) displays a boy named Wilson Bentley who loved snow more than anything. “His happiest days were snowstorm days.” He liked to watch the snow fall on his mittens, the grass, and other objects. He observed each minute detail of individual snowflakes. As he grew into an adult, he published pictures in magazines and gave speeches about the beauty of a snowflake. That is how he got the name Snowflake Bentley.
- Snowflake Bentley By Martin Jacqueline Briggs Azarian Mary ILT
- Martin, Jacqueline Briggs (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 12/28/2009 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter by Eugenie Doyle
From chopping wood for the stove to covering strawberry plants in hay, this perfect read shows us, through beautifully illustrated pictures, the long process of preparing for winter.
- Hardcover Book
- Doyle, Eugenie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 36 Pages – 08/02/2016 (Publication Date) – Chronicle Books (Publisher)
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (A Caldecott Medal)
One winter’s night, man took his little boy owl hunting with him. The author takes the reader through what it must have been like to stare into the face of an owl. This is a delightful story for all ages.
- Owl Moon
- Hardcover Book
- Jane Yolen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/23/1987 (Publication Date) – Philomel Books (Publisher)
Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick
This book shows a normally quiet wood, now disturbed by the discovery of a snowy, white stranger with an orange nose, red cap, sticks for arms, and birdseed on top. The birds hear the noise of the stranger. Mother Doe and her little fawn hear the sounds. “Stranger in the woods!” all the animals call. Who is it? The beautiful story, illustrations, and rhymes keep the reader interested till the end.
- Hardcover Book
- Sams, Carl R. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 01/21/2025 (Publication Date) – Carl R Sams II Photography (Publisher)
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
As everything is settling in for a long winter, bear is found hibernating in his lair in the woods. As a storm brews outside, bear’s animal friends seek shelter in his den and have a little party. This hibernation story is one of our favorite children’s books to read during the winter season.
- Wilson, Karma (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 34 Pages – 10/01/2005 (Publication Date) – Little Simon (Publisher)
Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes
Winter is sticking to the trees in clumps and curls; reaching through the branches and crouching in doorways; in this beautiful book, Kevin Henkes expresses what it looks like in the dead of winter, and finally, when spring comes.
- Henkes, Kevin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 11/03/2020 (Publication Date) – Greenwillow Books (Publisher)
The Mitten by Jan Brett
Nicki accidentally drops one of his mittens outside, and a mole burrows inside it for shelter to get away from the deep snow. More and more creatures, each one larger than the last, push their way into the mitten until a tiny mouse’s whiskers tickle a bear’s nose, and they all explode out of the mitten. Jan Brett excellently captures the funny escapades of the animals as they strategically try to stay warm during winter.
- Hardcover Book
- Brett, Jan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/05/2009 (Publication Date) – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Snow by Cynthia Rylant
Some snow falls in gentle flakes; some in big heaps. Cynthia Rylant takes us through the experience of snow through the eyes of a child, reminding us that nothing lasts forever except memories. This is a well-written children’s book your little ones are sure to enjoy!
- Rylant, Cynthia (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 11/07/2017 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
This is a story that uses snowballs and simple objects to build a winter wonderland. At the end of the book, the author introduces spring to the scene. Snowballs is a favorite children’s book to read during the winter months.
- Ehlert, Lois (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 36 Pages – 08/30/1999 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
This story shows the slow but steady coming of winter as deer eat the last berries for the winter and snowflakes finally appear. This wonderfully illustrated book shows the glorious simplicity of autumn and the beautiful wonder of winter.
- Hardcover Book
- Pak, Kenard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/05/2017 (Publication Date) – Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (Publisher)
Winter Story by Jill Barklem
In this sweet story, the mice of Brambly Hedge are trying to leave the store stump before the first snow falls, so they can get home to a hot supper and the fire by the hearth. The Toadflax children can hardly sleep because this is their first snow. They are dreaming of all they will play in the snow tomorrow morning. When the snowstorm turns out to be thicker than expected, the mice agree to follow in the tradition of their forefathers and host a Snow Ball! Jill Barklem’s genius is her detailed illustrations and talent for weaving in tantalizing smells and tastes into her lovely stories.
- Jill Barklem (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/21/2025 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins Children’s Books (Publisher)
Little House: Winter Days in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura and Mary Ingalls gather their fall harvest and help Ma store everything in the attic for the upcoming cold winter. As they work through each day, the final evening draws to a close with the cold snow outside, and the Ingalls family safe and warm in their log cabin.
- Wilder, Laura Ingalls (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/15/1995 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
Dear Rebecca, Winter Is Here by Jean Craighead George
The writer of this book corresponds with an unspecified character named Rebecca. Jean Craighead George shows all the changes we experience during winter, and how you can’t make it do anything, but it makes us do all sorts of things. The author concludes with the words, “…the next thing you know, I’ll be writing, Dear Rebecca, summer is here.”
- George, Jean Craighead (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/01/1995 (Publication Date) – HarperColl (Publisher)
Learning to Ski With Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
Mr. Magee takes his dog Dee outside in the snow to ski, but as they go down the hill, they run into some trouble with a moose, a tree root, and a large crack in the ice. Chris Van Dusen artfully arranges each rhyme in a way that is easy for young readers to understand and enjoy.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Van Dusen, Chris (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 36 Pages – 10/13/2010 (Publication Date) – Chronicle Books (Publisher)
The Winter Bird by Kate Banks
As a wide variety of animals travel south for the winter, a lone nightingale stays behind, unable to fly with a broken wing. As the nightingale learns to survive in the cold weather, it sings of winter’s wonders. As spring slowly arrives, the nightingale sings joyfully, and lifts off into the air.
- Hardcover Book
- Banks, Kate (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/11/2022 (Publication Date) – Candlewick (Publisher)
Good Morning, Snowplow! by Deborah Bruss
As the first snowfall sifts down, the snowplow gets ready to do his job through the long night, shoveling snow and sprinkling salt on the slippery roads. This story of snow highlights the snowplow’s job as it works hard through the cold night.
- Hardcover Book
- Bruss, Deborah (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/30/2018 (Publication Date) – Arthur A. Levine Books (Publisher)
Blizzard by John Rocco
This is a funny, captivating read about one boy who survives a blizzard. On the first snow day, they become trapped in their home, and as the days tick by, with no snowplows to clear the roads, he realizes he must set out on a perilous journey to supply his family with the food they need.
- Hardcover Book
- Rocco, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 10/30/2014 (Publication Date) – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Reading your favorite winter picture books is a great way to spend a wintry afternoon! I tend to read to my kids more in the winter because we spend more time indoors. What books would you add to this list?
Winter Blog Posts
Looking for ideas for your homeschool this time of year? Check out these winter posts!
Heart-warming Winter Poems for Kids
Life Skills in Winter
Winter can be a great opportunity to teach our kids some of the life skills that are more applicable for the months when we spend more time indoors.I have broken these down into two categories: skills to teach everyone and skills to teach kids according to age.
Life Skills to Teach in Winter
Or for a complete list of life skills, start here!
50 Life Skills That Should Be Taught At Home
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You may also enjoy these other book list posts on the blog!
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Wholesome Books for Teenage Girls
Excellent Book Recommendations for Teen Boys
My Favorite Children’s Picture Books to Read in Fall
Creepy Crawly Bug Book List for Kids
Must-Read Children’s Books About Courage
Books and Resources to Teach Kids About Honesty
