What better way to bring on all the winter fun into the classroo than with winter-themed books?!
Here’s a round up of some of my favorites! Click on the links to add them to your collections!
Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliated links, meaning that I will earn a commission if you click through the links and make a purchase.
- THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats- This classic story follows Peter who takes a walk in the snow and discovers the wonders of a winter day filled with footprints in the snow, snow-covered trees, snow ball fights, snow angels, sliding down snowy hills, and melted snowballs in warm pockets.
- A WINTER WALK IN THE CITY by Cathy Goldberg Fishman and Illustrated by Melanie Hall- Take a stroll in the city in this board book to count and see how different people celebrate winter holidays! From the lights that they place on their windows to the trees with sparkling ornaments to the delicious foods that fill their stomachs. This is fun and easy read for children to explore different cultures and holidays celebrated in the winter.
- TEN WAYS TO HEAR SNOW by Cathy Camper and Illustrated by Kenard Pak- Lina wakes up to a quiet, snowy day and takes a walk to see her grandma, who lives in a nursing home. On her walk, she discovers ten different and unexpected ways to listen to snow even when the world seems so quiet. This book is encourages children to pay closer attention to their surroundings and notice and appreciate things more closely.
4. THE MITTEN by Jan Brett- This is another classic that is a favorite of mine! Retold and illustrated by Jan Brett, this book tells the story of Nikki, who loses one of his newly knitted mittens from grandma, Baba in the snow. As Nikki goes to look for it, the mitten surprisingly becomes a warm home for handful of big and small animals in the cold woods. Will Nikki find his lost mitten or will it keep the animals warm all season?
5. BRAVE IRENE by William Steig- Irene’s mom is a dressmaker and must deliver the finished dress to the duchess for the ball in the evening. Seeing that her mom is not feeling well, Irene takes it upon herself to make the difficult trip in the snowstorm to deliver the dress. Will she be able to brave out the storm or will the duchess go without her new dress for the ball?
6. GOODBYE AUTUMN, HELLO WINTER by Kenard Pak- Take a walk outside with a brother and his sister as they witness the beauty of fall and the wonders of winter. Follow along to see the changes in the natural world as leaves change colors, the days get shorter, and animals prepare for the magic of winter when snow blankets the ground and evergreens stand firm and tall.
7. SNOW by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated Lauren Stringer- What to do on a snow day? Come along with a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother as they enjoy a day off of school to play and enjoy the snow. From rolling down the hills to watching the snow fall from inside, this book is both lyrical and beautiful!
8. ANIMALS IN THE WINTER– Learn how animals adapt and prepare for the winter with this easy-to-read text filled with beautiful photographs of animals in the wild. It’s the perfect nonfiction text for students to gather simple facts and build background knowledge.
9. SNOW BIRDS by Kristen Hall and Jenni Desmond- Do you ever wonder what birds do during the winter? While some birds migrate, others stay and have learned many ways to adapt to their frosty environment. This book is filled with intiguing information on what various birds do to survive in the snow and breath-taking illustrations.
10. SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Illustrated by Mary Azarian-Based on the true story of Wilson Bentley, this Caldecott award winning book traces the humble beginnings of an inquistive boy who grew up to photograph and catalogue hundreds of snowflakes and shared with the world. Because of Bentley that we, too have become fascinated and learned so mcuh about with these natural works of nature!
11. WHEN WINTER COMES by Nancy Van Laan and Illustrated by Susan Gaber- Want to know what happens to the plants and animals during winter? Walk alongside a little boy and his parents as he asks and finds out about the changes that occur in this sweet and beautiful rhyming book.
Need some fun and engaging winter-themed activities to go along with these books? Check out the resources below! Click on the images for more details!
