Snow picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. These titles may be found on my Amazon Storefront under Snow Picture Books– https://amzn.to/48NBD2O .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Winter Is Wonderful
by Emma Dodd (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: A mama fox and her two kits spend the day in the wintry forest playing in the snow, stopping to look at the landscape, and eating berries before heading home to their den for a sleep.
Comments: This is a lovely bedtime story, and the illustrations are beautifully highlighted with foil throughout.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Just Us
by Molly Beth Griffin (Author), Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrator)
Summary: A young girl’s family usually celebrates the holidays by having extended family come from all over to share a meal and play games. However, the snow made it too dangerous for everyone to visit. Her mom, mama, and brother decided to improvise and prepare a meal together. They even called Grandma for advice on how to make a dessert.
Comments: The digitally created illustrations showed details of all of the relatives. Many young readers may wonder what to do if traditions cannot be kept. This story shares how we can still have a good holiday by making the best of what we have.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Voice in the Hollow
by Will Hillenbrand (Author)
Brief summary: A blizzard causes the library to close early. Hubert must walk home in the storm, deciding a shortcut through the Hollow would get him home quicker. Although it looked spooky and the wind picked up, the mouse entered the Hollow. He was met by a fox who took his hand, and they made a dangerous trek across the snow-covered landscape. He safely returns home to his parents and siblings to share his adventure.
Comments: The illustrations expressed and captured the snowfall and coldness of the blizzard with a beautiful double gatefold at the story’s climax.
This would be a perfect fit snow story for young readers on a gray wintery day.
Teachers teaching winter units should definitely include this picture book.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
I’m Going to Build a Snowman
by Jashar Awan (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A little boy wakes to see that it has snowed. After eating his breakfast and putting on all of his snow gear, he is determined to build the BEST SNOWMAN EVER.
Comments: The story explores how one’s expectations may not be realistic but still can be enjoyable in a positive mindset.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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The Snow Man: A True Story
by Jonah Winter (Author), Jeanette Winter (Illustrator)
Brief summary: billy barr (he prefers all small letters) lives ALONE in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, eight miles from the nearest town. He first moved there as a college student in 1972 for the summer. He lived in an abandoned shack with dirt floors and no electricity or running water. He began to take meticulous notes of all of the wildlife and weather of the mountains.
He stayed for fifty-one years and is still there.
The scientists at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory used his notes and observations, all written in notebooks, to chart how the mountains’ climate was changing. He still takes notes but enters them into a computer.
Comments: There is an Author’s Note in the back explaining billy barr in more detail.
I had so many questions while reading this biography. Why is he a hermit? What made him go there? Why did he stay so long? Would I want to live like that? What would that be like? Can I get my library up there? And could I bring all of my cats?
This biography picture book could spark some interesting classroom discussions.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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On a Flake-Flying Day: Watching Winter’s Wonders
by Buffy Silverman (Author)
Brief summary: When winter arrives, nature changes in many ways to prepare for snow.
Comments: There are large and brilliant Nature photos in this narrative nonfiction picture book.
The back section includes the question: What can you see on a white winter’s day? and then in-depth answers correlating to the pages before, Further Reading, and Glossary.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Just SNOW Already!
by Howard McWilliam (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A boy excitedly waits for the snow expected that evening in his neighborhood. He dreams of all the wonderful things he will do in the snow. He keeps checking out the window, not noticing all of the stupendous things taking place on his street, believing that nothing is happening because there is no snow yet.
He begins to wonder what it would mean if it never snowed again.
Comments: The details in these illustrations are action-packed and hilarious. I love the boy’s giant head and all of his facial expressions. This would be a fantastic read-aloud for kids, especially the day before the first snowfall of the year.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Wonder & Awe
by Annie Herzig (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: A girl creates a snowwoman she calls Wonder. She and Wonder play throughout the forest with the snowwoman pointing out the beauty around them which leaves the girl in awe. Each day, they play and say goodbye at the end. One afternoon, they both realize that they do not have much time together as spring is coming soon.
The girl shares with her friends all of the wonderful things in Nature that she and Wonder noticed together during their winter discoveries. Will she ever see her friend again?
Comments: The illustrations were created using watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, graphite, and water-soluble crayon.
It is a beautiful story about a magical friendship who discovers together the beauty of Nature.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Christmas Snow Globe
by Sibylle Delacroix (Author), Polly Lawson (Translator)
Brief summary: Noah and Lucy looked out the window on Christmas Eve, hoping for snow. The girl received a snow globe as a gift and took it with her to bed. That night, she and her brother felt cold snowflakes on their faces and got out of bed to discover that the house was filled with snow. They made a snowman, slid down the stairs, and had a snowball fight. But did it really snow inside the house?
Comments: A delightful bedtime story about the anticipation of snow on Christmas Day, something we can all relate to.
The illustrations were created using graphite pencils, colored pencils, and watercolor paper.
This book is a French translation first published in 2021.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.