Winter is here and with that comes the snow. If there is one thing my kids love, it is to read picture books about snow. We’ve got quite a few in our home library and some more on the way from Amazon. Enjoy this post about picture books about snow. Amazon affiliate links present.
Top 15 Picture Books About Snow
First Snow by Bomi Park Look out. Now look up. From the sky one flake falls, then another. And just like that—it’s snowing.
In this beautiful book from debut creator Bomi Park, a young girl wakes up to the year’s first snowy day. From her initial glimpse out the window to her poignant adventures—rolling a snowman, making snow angels—the girl’s quiet quests are ones all young readers will recognize. Simple, muted text and exquisite, evocative art conjure the excitement of a day spent exploring the wonder of snow—and the magic that, sometimes literally, such a day brings. As subtly joyful as a snow day itself, this book will find its home in the hearts of young adventurers everywhere.
Waiting for Snow by Marsha Diane Arnold Badger cannot wait one more minute for it to snow. When his friend Hedgehog explains that everything comes in its time, Badger is as unconvinced and impatient as ever. But Badger’s friends have a few tricks up their sleeve to try to get the snow’s attention and distract their pal in the meantime. In the end, Badger sees there’s no trick—only waiting—until at last, it’s time.
Brave Irene 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. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, as Irene proves in the danger-fraught adventure that follows. She must defy the wiles of the wicked wind, her most formidable opponent, and overcome many obstacles before she completes her mission. Surely, this winning heroine will inspire every child to cheer her on.
Snow Day! By Lester Laminack When the television weatherman predicts a big snowfall, the narrator gleefully imagines the fun-filled possibilities of an unscheduled holiday from school. Piling under warm blankets. Sipping hot chocolate in snowman mugs. Building a snow fort. Sledding in the neighbor s field. In scene after snowy scene, from sunrise to sundown, a pair of siblings, with their father in tow, show how they would make the most of their day off. But when the family wakes up the next morning, they are in for a disappointment. No snow! As the family members pile into the car so they won t be late for school, an unexpected twist reveals who wanted the snow day most of all. Adam Gustavson’s expressive illustrations comically capture the excitement of pure possibility in author Lester Laminack s thoroughly original tale.
The Big Snow by Berta Hader The woodland animals were all getting ready for the winter. Geese flew south, rabbits and deer grew thick warm coats, and the raccoons and chipmunks lay down for a long winter nap. Come Christmastime, the wise owls were the first to see the rainbow around the moon. It was a sure sign that the big snow was on its way.
White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt When the first flakes fell from the grey sky, the postman and the farmer and the policeman and his wife scurried about doing all the practical things grownups do when a snowstorm comes. But the children laughed and danced, and caught the lacy snowflakes on thier tongues. All the wonder and delight a child feels in a snowfall is caught in the pages of this book — the frost ferns on the window sill, the snow man in the yard and the mystery and magic of a new white world. Roger Duvoisin’s pictures in soft blue half-tones with briliant splashes of yellow and red emphasize the gaiety and humor as well as the poetic quality of the text.
Snow by PD Eastman This classic Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss is a delightful ode to winter. Brrrrr—it snowed! From snowball fights and skiing to fort building and snowman-making, P. D. Eastman and Roy McKie’s Snow will have young readers eager for the kind of fun only a wintry-white day can bring. Perfect for enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa, it makes an ideal gift for the holidays, and happy occasions of all kinds!
Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Lee Just outside my window/ There are tracks in the snow./ Who made the tracks?/ Where do they go? A little girl follows tracks outside her window after a fresh snowfall, only to realize that the tracks in the snow are her own from the day before―and that they lead her home. This diminutive and sweet picture book is as cozy as a cup of hot chocolate. Like Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, this lovely celebration of snow and winter is just right for the littlest readers.
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming Alive with swirling snow and lots of outdoor fun, the first ten days of winter bring special gifts for a special friend. This cumulative tale will have children chanting along as they discover all the trimmings needed for the most perfect snowman ever!
Snow by Cynthia Rylant Cynthia Rylant’s lyrical descriptions of the sights and feelings evoked by falling snow blend gorgeously with the rich and beautiful world created by Lauren Stringer’s illustrations, in which a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother enjoy the many things a snowy day has to offer.
Over and Under The Snow 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.
The Hat by Jan Brett A Publishers Weekly #1 bestseller, Jan Brett’s heartwarming story of Hedgie the hedgehog’s misadventures in the snow has become a family favorite. When Lisa’s woolen stocking flies off the closeline, Hedgie can’t resist poking his nose in. He tries to pull it out, but the stocking is stuck on his prickles. At first the other animals laugh at the sight of him, but when they realize they might like something to keep their heads dry and ears warm, too, even more silliness ensues. Like its companion The Mitten, The Hat is now available as a wonderful board book to share with young children.
The Mitten by Jan Brett The bestselling modern classic, in a sturdy board book edition perfect for little hands. When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals find it and crawl in; first, a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse and what happens next makes for a wonderfully funny climax.
Snow by Uri Shulevitz Snow is a 1998 New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year and a 1999 Caldecott Honor Book. No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. Uri Shulevitz’ playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.
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