Winter is the perfect time to cozy up with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa. These winter picture books are sure to be a hit with your students during writing workshop or your own children on a snowy day.
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Winter Picture Books
The Three Snow Bears
This story is a snowy twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Instead of Goldilocks finding the bears’ home, Aloo-ki encounters the polar bears’ igloo. Readers are introduced to Arctic animals and the Inuit people through beautiful illustrations. Any text by Jan Brett is sure to be a classic and The Three Snow Bears is no exception! (Don’t miss her other winter classics: The Hat, The Mitten, and The Snowy Nap).
Snow
Through beautiful descriptions and illustrations, Cynthia Rylant masterfully captures the magic of falling snow in her book Snow. Readers will experience the delight that snow brings and all of the exciting activities we can enjoy together. A perfect mentor text to use for descriptive writing!
The Story of Snow
The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino answers all of the questions young readers have about snow. How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? The book features facts and photographs of ice crystals that will get students to see snow from a whole new perspective!
Over and Under the Snow
Over and Under the Snow is part of Kate Messner’s nature series also featuring Over and Under the Pond, Over and Under in the Rainforest, and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt. In this book, readers discover animals living under the snow through gorgeous illustrations. A perfect cross-curricular text to introduce the concept of hibernation.
Winter Dance
Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer informs readers how animals prepare for winter through stunning illustrations and a captivating story. As the animals begin preparing for winter Fox doesn’t know what to do so he asks others for advice. But none of their suggestions seem right for him. How will he finally prepare before the winter arrives?
The Snowy Day
No winter picture book roundup would be complete without The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. This timeless classic describes the unmatched magic of the first snowfall of winter. A must-read book to celebrate a snow day!
Brave Irene
Brave Irene by William Steig tells the story of a dressmaker’s daughter who must bravely face a fierce snowstorm. Her mother isn’t feeling well, so it is up to Irene to deliver the ball gown to the duchess and keep her word despite the difficult obstacles she encounters. This text also works well for teaching theme.
Blizzard
In Blizzard, John Rocco recounts his own childhood experience of a blizzard that brought 53 inches of snow to his small town. Young readers’ can begin to imagine what it might be like to be snowed in their house for over a week until the snow plows finally arrive. An ideal mentor text to use for teaching personal narrative and small moments stories.
Ten Ways to Hear Snow
Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper beautifully describes the sounds of snow as we realize it isn’t as silent as we initially may think. Readers are also introduced to an Arab American family and their culture, as the main character is going to her grandmother’s house to help her make warak enab. Along the way there, Lina discovers the many sounds that snow can make!
The Snow Globe Family
I always loved reading The Snow Globe Family by Jane O’Connor to my students because it makes for a fun creative writing prompt. Students imagine what it might be like to live inside of a snow globe. Plus they can also make a plastic plate snow globe to display with their story!
What other winter picture books do you love using? Share in the comments!
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