There are so many truly great picture books with a winter theme that a best-of list would be too long. And since these lists are subjective anyways, here is a list of 5 of my favorite winter picture books. (Actually, there are 6 because the 5th spot was a tie and I couldn’t choose. I’m also including a few honorable mentions because whittling it down to 5 – or 6 – is impossible!)
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats – My all-time favorite winter picture book. There’s so much I love about this book: the writing, the wonderful illustrations, the textures, the gentle pacing, capturing childhood wonder. It’s about as perfect as a picture book gets.
- Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper – This is a recent addition to my favorites list. The author’s voice is authentic and I love the way she weaves the story with words. Kenard Pak’s brilliant artwork takes it to the next level.
- Blizzard by John Rocco – Living in the midwest, I completely relate to this book. It’s the author-illustrator’s own story of how he survived the blizzard of 1978 (the year I was born, so maybe that’s another reason why I connect with it). But beyond that, the illustrations are clever, the pacing is spot on, and it’s just a good story.
- Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner – My nonfiction pick. I’m a fan of the entire Over and Under series – the setup, the illustrations, the clever storytelling intermixed with facts. This was the first in the series that I read, so it holds a special place in my heart.
- A Sled for Gabo by Emma Otheguy – This story has so much heart and authenticity. Every time I read it, I fall more in love with it. Though Gabo is a shy Latino boy and I was a shy white girl, we both have so much in common that his story spoke to me on so many levels. (Read Our Review)
- Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi – This ties with Gabo for the last spot. It’s a quiet, fanciful story with gorgeous illustrations. Seriously. The illustrations are GORGEOUS.
Honorable Mentions (these are also amazing!)
- A Big Bed for Little Snow by Grace Lin
- The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story by Sean Taylor
If you’re looking for picture books to add to your library this winter, you can’t go wrong with anything on these lists. Of course, this is my biased opinion. But trust me, they’re good reads!