Cozy Winter Picture Books: Our Top Picks
These books bring warmth and comfort to your heart, even on the coldest days. Perfect for curling up with when the weather turns chilly, they explore themes of winter, animals, hibernation, friendship, kindness, and courage. Along with sharing why we chose each book, we’ve included a few activity ideas to help extend the themes and bring the stories to life!
Mice Skating by Annie Silvestro and Illustrated by Teagan White
This charming story follows a field mouse who loves the snow and her friends her prefer to stay indoors. As Lucy searches for the perfect way to convince them to join her outside, she learns how to balance her own excitement with consideration for others. The tale celebrates adventure, friendship, and finding joy together.
A perfect seasonal read and a great choice for exploring themes of friendship, empathy, and thoughtfulness.
Ideas for play and discovery:
Decorate your own “brave” snow hat
Go ice skating
Research field mice
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
This touching story follows a young girl and a wolf pup who each wander away from their families and become lost. Through trust and friendship, the girl helps the wolf find its pack. What follows next is a heartwarming reminder of the importance of kindness and helping others. With minimal text and simple yet beautiful illustrations, children are encouraged to use their own imagination to help bring the story to life.
Wolf in the Snow is a great choice for winter story times, teaching children about compassion, trust, and how these qualities can help them through difficult situations.
Ideas for play and discovery:
Put on as many layers as you can and try to walk around outside
Explore how wolves and domesticated dogs are alike and how they are different
Create your own picture book without words
The Mitten by Jan Brett
You can really choose any Jan Brett book to read, but the Mitten is a classic story of animals looking out for one another. Follow the animals of the woods as they all try and fit snugly in a mitten. The story takes a funny turn, yet it shows children the importance of looking out not just for themselves, but for others as well. Like all of Jan Brett’s books, the illustrations in this story include so many little details you and your child will want to explore again and again!
This is a fantastic book to introduce kids to animals and the changing seasons while discussing themes of friendship, sharing, and kindness.
Ideas for play and discovery:
See how many stuffed animals you can fit in a pillow case or retell the story using your own stuffed animals
Choose one or two animals from the book and research how they survive during the winter.
Punch holes around a cardstock mitten and practice lacing through the holes.
Blizzard by John Rocco
Based on true events, the author shares a fun and heartwarming childhood story set during Rhode Island’s historic 1978 blizzard. Told through the eyes of a child, the storm becomes a magical adventure rather than a hardship. Kids will enjoy seeing the imaginative ways the boy and his family make it through the snowy days, turning challenges into moments of wonder. In the end, the boy comes up with a heroic plan to help his community as everyone waits for the roads to be cleared.
Blizzard is a wonderful wintertime read for all ages and an excellent choice for weather-themed unit studies.
Ideas for play and discovery:
Make a snow sensory bin
Draw a map of your neighborhood/town
Build a fort and imagine you are snowed in during a blizzard. Gather the books and supplies you would need to stay safe, comfortable, and entertained.
Winter Sleep by Sean Taylor & Alex Morss and Illustrated by Cinyee Chiu
Cozy up with the forest animals as they settle in and hibernate for the winter. This delightful story follows a grandmother and grandchild on a walk, during which the grandmother explains where the animals have gone since the child’s last visit in the summer. While the child learns where the animals have gone but cannot see them, readers get a glimpse of each one’s secret hiding spot. At the end, you will find additional details about the hibernation habits of the animals featured in the story.
Winter Sleep is a perfect book to snuggle up with, while also offering a fun and engaging way to teach children about hibernation.
Ideas for play and discovery:
Draw or build your own hibernation den
Bundle up and take a walk along a nature trail
Write a story or poem about walking in the woods in winter with a family member
More Cozy Favorites
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