Christmas and the New Year have come and gone. Now it’s time to settle in for the cold months of winter. It’s a great time to snuggle with with some winter snow picture books (and activities) to celebrate this beautiful time of year.
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I’m so excited to share these winter snow picture books with you! I have included what I consider to be some classics, some new ones, and even sciency educational ones! PLUS, be sure to stay tuned till the end where I share bunches of snow themed activities!
20 Winter Snow Picture Books
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats – this story beautifully depicts a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The quiet fun and sweetness of Peter’s small adventures in the deep, deep snow is perfect for reading together on a cozy winter day.
Sugar Snow (Little House Picture Book)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!
The Calendar Kids Meet January by April Martin – January is a lovable character we can all relate to: trying to get out of bed on the first day back to school after winter break. January loves to be cozy and warm and play with her new toys. Finally, the day comes when winter break is almost over. She does not like to walk to school in the cold, but she wants to wish her friends a Happy New Year! Will she make it to school? January finds herself feeling blue, but with the help of friends, that feeling fades away.
If I Lived in a Snow Globe by Chelsea McGlothlin – Follow a little boy on his imaginary journey through snow as he discovers what it would be like to live in his very own snow globe.
Barn in Winter: Safe and Warm on the Farm by Chambrae Griffith – Winter has come to the farm and covered everything in a blanket of icy snow. But where is the cow? Where are the pig and the goat? They are snuggly and snoozy, dozy and dreaming, tucked in all toasty, safe, dry and warm inside the cozy barn. Celebrate winter with this beautiful keepsake book that any farm-loving toddler is sure to love! Lyrically written in rhyming verse with gorgeously rich illustrations.
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton – This was a favorite of mine as a child! 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.
Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes – Snow falls, animals burrow, and children prepare for the wonders winter brings. Kevin’s striking text introduces basic concepts of language and the unique beauty of the winter season. This is an engaging companion to the bestselling When Spring Comes and In the Middle of Fall. Winter Is Here is an ideal choice for story time, seasonal curriculums, and bedtime reading.
Snow by Cynthia Rylant – 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.
Jan Brett’s Winter Collection
Jan Brett has so many wonderfully illustrated winter snow books that I decided to give them their own section!
Winter Snow Non-Fiction (or at least more educational based) Books
The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonderland by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson – How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity.
Whose Tracks in the Snow? by Alexandra Milton – A beautifully illustrated non-fiction book that asks readers to identify whose tracks are in the snow. The soft, textured illustrations give a 3-dimensional quality to the page, making readers want to touch each animal. Clues to the animal tracks can be found on the right-side page before we turn to discover if we were right!
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 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.
Snow is Falling (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out-Science) by Dr. Franklyn Branley – Snow is wonderful—for sledding, for skiing, and for building snowmen. But did you know that snow can actually keep things warm? Find out how snow helps plants, animals, and people to survive. But when a blizzard blows, watch out! The snow that is so useful can be dangerous too.
Animals in Winter (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out-Science) by Henrietta Bancroft – Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can’t survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate. Woodchucks don’t like cold weather either, but they don’t migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. How do these and other animals handle the cold and snow of winter?
Curious About Snow (Smithsonian) by Gina Shaw – When does it snow? Why is snow white? How do we know no two snowflakes are alike? (Hint: the proof is in the photographs, first made in the 1890s!) With full-color photographs and the Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos, this new Curious About title looks at the science behind snow, and the history of record-setting blizzards and snowstorms—plus how people have fun in the snow!
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Brigs Martin – Wilson Bentley was always fascinated by snow. In childhood and adulthood, he saw each tiny crystal of a snowflake as a little miracle and wanted to understand them. His parents supported his curiosity and saved until they could give him his own camera and microscope. At the time, his enthusiasm was misunderstood. But with patience and determination, Wilson catalogued hundreds of snowflake photographs, gave slideshows of his findings and, when he was 66, published a book of his photos. His work became the basis for all we know about beautiful, unique snowflakes today.
Winter Snow Activities
- The Winter Homeschool
- The Snowy Day Unit Study
- Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening Homeschool Tea Time
- A Winter Homeschool Snowflake Study with Snowflake Bentley
- Paper Snowflake Craft
- Preschool Snow Activities and Printable Nature Journal
- Winter Homeschool Physical Education
- Homeschool Snow Study
- Simple Snow Science for Your Weekly Homeschool Lessons
More Themed Book Collections
Themed Book Lists for Your Homeschool is a huge collection of themed books to make your search for books on a specific topic easier. We have science topics, holidays, art and music, and more! Plus we are continually adding to it!
Activities for Every Month of the Year!
Engaging Themed Homeschool Activities for Every Month of the Year – You wouldn’t believe all the themed homeschool activities that can be explored based on the month of the year! You can cover history with topics like MLK Jr. Day and Patriot Day. You can explore the seasons with year round nature studies! Learn about obscure holidays each month like Measure Your Feet Day and National Sewing Month! Spice up your homeschool studies this year with some fun themed homeschool activities! Take a look at the extensive list we have compiled for each month!
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