Books About Snow

Yesterday we woke up to frost and my daughter was sure it was snow. After preschool, I took her to the library and we gathered some new books about snow to learn more. These books about snow range from funny to touching and all will have you hoping for a snow day. All of the book titles in our book lists are affiliate links.

The Mitten by Jan Brett is visually impeccable, each page is so full of details that you will find yourself staring at them long after you have read the words. The story is about a little boy who loses a mitten and what happens next. It’s a sweet retelling of a Ukrainian folk tale but the detailed and layered illustrations really steal the show! My kids love this book but when I told them this same story they told me they hate folk tales. The illustrations by Brett bring this story to life much better than I could obviously!

The Lonesome Polar Bear by Jane Cabrera is a lovely book about a little polar bear who’s only friends are a snow cloud and snow animals and they all keep melting away. The book has an important message about not giving up hope and to keep trying to make friends, a lesson that is worthwhile for everyone. The illustrations are very cute and my son (who was a toddler when we read it )loved it!

Holly’s Red Boots by Francesca Chessa was a delight to read. Holly wants to go outside in the snow but can’t find her boots and we follow along as she looks for them. It’s a cute story and the pictures are scrumptious. My son loved that the dinosaur was wearing her boots and wanted to read that page over and over. I also loved that when she does go outside her mom has her baby sibling in a baby carrier. Fun book!

Un-Brella by Scott Franson is such a cool book. There is not a single line of text in the book, and it’s not missing a thing! The illustrations are so vivid, so layered, and tell the story perfectly. A little girl has a magical umbrella that brings sun on a snowy day and snow when her yard is green and sunny. My 2-year-old was beside himself laughing and saying “No no” to the little girl wearing her swimsuit in the snow. Grab this book and enjoy!

Stella, Queen of the Snow by Marie-Louise Gay is my kind of book. If I were to quote all my favorite bits of this book I would write out most of it. I just love the writing. It’s simple but doesn’t talk down to the reader. The characters are sweet but not saccharine and I love how inquisitive Sam is. Stella is a know it all but not bratty about it at all! Sam has never seen snow before and Stella tells him all about it as they explore the first snowfall of the year.

Snow! Snow! Snow! by Lee Harper captures the excitement of a snow day spent sledding and defying gravity for those precious few moments as you zoom down the hill. My son gave the book a thumbs up but my daughter wasn’t as into it although when the 3 dogs in the book landed with a thump both kids were giggling. Edited to add:  This morning my daughter ran to this book and smiled the whole way through loving it! Funny how 8 am reading gets a different response than 5 pm after a long day.

Snow Sounds: An Onomatopoeic Story by David A. Johnson is a wonderful book about onomatopoeia and even though I did not tell my son that  that was the point of the book when we were done reading and I asked for his thoughts he said “I liked all the words that are sounds.” The teachable moment was not lost. I loved the illustrations that made me want to put the kettle on and grab some fuzzy slippers.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic. Some classics are the type of books that lose their relevance and leave readers wondering what the hype is about. This book is timeless. A little boy goes exploring in the snow and discovers his world in a new way. The illustrations are magical and the way that they convey the emotions this little boy experiences throughout the day are nothing short of perfect.

Here Comes Jack Frost by Kazuno Kohara is another fantastic book that will have you aching for snow. A little boy is lonely after his friends have all gone into hibernation for the winter when Jack Frost shows up. They frolic and play exploring all the fun that winter has to offer friends but when the first signs of spring arrive Jack is gone. The illustrations are perfectly simple and will suck you into a wintery world that you won’t want to leave. My kids love this book and after one reading at the library we bought our own copy.

Birthday Snow by Kim Messinger and Michael LaLumiere is such a sweet book about believing in something even when all the facts say maybe you should give up. Daniel doesn’t give up hope waiting for the snow to come on his birthday, but who really steals the show is his mom and her continued support of her little guy and his determination. A very cute book and a new addition to my must-buy list!

Snowbots by Aaron Reynolds is funky, fun, and full of really awesome rhymes. The robot reality is a sweet one and my kids totally dug this book. We were picking favorite robots in the first few pages and loving the book more and more as we read it. The story is a familiar one but with the substitution of robots instead of humans basic snow day things get more interesting. My son loved the snowball fight and my daughter was all over the pink robot. I loved how they had cereal with gasoline and an oil bath. A huge hit with all of us.

White Snow, Bright Snowby Alvin Tresselt is a total throwback to another time and it’s awesome. I love books that haven’t been updated because they offer readers a chance to go back in time and get a glimpse of the past. The story is about a town expecting a snowstorm and how it’s different residents prepare and deal with it. The animals, adults, and kids all go about it very differently. The character that stood out for me was the policeman’s wife who doted on her husband and cared for his cold with a mustard plaster. I told you it was a total throwback! I didn’t know they still used mustard plasters in the 40s but that’s why these books are such treasures for kids and parents alike.