Top 20 picture books for winter
With the chilly season now in full flow and the nights drawing in, here are some of our favourite wintry picture books to snuggle up and read with the little ones.
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Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story
Author: Sean Taylor and Alex Morss Illustrator: Cinyee Chiu
Publisher: Words and Pictures
Interest age: 4-5
This beautifully illustrated, large-format picture book perfectly blends a sweet story with fascinating facts about animals sleeping through winter. As it’s all about being cosy and sleepy, it makes a lovely bedtime book, but would also work well for schools.
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A Dot in the Snow
Author: Corrinne Averiss Illustrator: Fiona Woodcock
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+Miki the polar bear cub is bored: mum is fishing on the ice, but he wants to play. He sees a red dot, far in the distance: what could it be?
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Snowflakes
Author: Cerrie Burnell Illustrator: Laura Ellen Anderson
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+Mia has left the noisy city behind, and come to live with her Grandma in a land of forest and snow.
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The Snow Beast
Author: Chris Judge
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-5
Somebody has been stealing the friendly snow beast's tools, just when he's about to help the local village put on a snow festival.
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My Grandma’s Magic Recipes - Stories and recipes for every season: Winter Warmth
Author: Ella Phillips Illustrator: Camilla Sucre
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Interest age: 4-5
Zee is excited to go to Grandma’s Christmas party, and when she gets to Grandma’s delicious-smelling house with Mummy, Daddy and her sister Ree, she goes looking for her. But, the party is busy, and Zee can’t find Grandma anywhere!
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Lines
Author: Suzy Lee
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 6-8
A winter-themed wordless picture book about a skating girl that is both deceptively simple and completely delightful.
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Miki
Author: Stephen Mackey
Publisher: Hodder Childrens Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+Shimmering like the northern lights, the illustrations' luminous blues and greens glow out of the darkness in this chilly yet elegantly magical wintry tale
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The Magical Snow Garden
Author: Tracey Corderoy Illustrator: Jane Chapman
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 3-5
Wellington Penguin wants to grow a garden - but how can he do that in the snow? A vibrant picture book about how you never know what you can achieve until you try.
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I Did See a Mammoth!
Author: Alex Willmore
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 4-5
A wonderfully funny picture book about daring to believe the unexpected. A group of explorers have come to the Antarctic to see penguins, but one young explorer discovers something quite different – a great big mammoth! But will anyone believe it?
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Penguin Problems
Author: Jory John Illustrator: Lane Smith
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+A little penguin is out in the cold, and he doesn’t like it: the sun is too bright, the ocean is too salty, and he’s tired of whales and orcas trying to hunt him. A sweet and tongue-in-cheek story about remembering all the good things in our lives.
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It's Snow Day
Author: Richard Curtis Illustrator: Rebecca Cobb
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 4-9
Reading age: 7+This must-read winter picture book is crammed with fabulously joyful and expressive illustrations and will be loved by young and old alike.
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Little Princess: I Want Snow
Author: Tony Ross
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+When the Queen sends a postcard from the South Pole, the Little Princess decides that she wants snow RIGHT NOW - but it's the middle of summer. A funny, charming addition to the Little Princess series.
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The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince
Author: Ian Eagleton Illustrator: Davide Ortu
Publisher: Owlet Press
Interest age: 4-5
Kai the lonely woodcutter meets the cursed Snow Prince – but can they ever be friends?
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The Storm Whale in Winter
Author: Benji Davies
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+The follow up to Benji Davies' The Storm Whale, this atmospheric story about friendship and family is perfect for cosy winter bedtimes.
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Brrrr: A Book of Winter
Author: Il Sung Na
Publisher: Meadowside Children's Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+When snow falls on the ground, and all the trees are bare, everything changes ... including the white rabbit!
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Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Author: Tim Hopgood
Publisher: Oxford University Press
The words to the famous Christmas song by Peggy Lee are given new life in this beautiful new picture book by Tim Hopgood - and children (and grown ups) can sing along with the singalong CD included in the book, too.
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The Not-So-Perfect-Penguin
Author: Steve Smallman
Publisher: QED
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+Big, lively illustrations and a simple message make this book ideal for classroom circle times. Points for discussion are included at the back.
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Robin's Winter Song
Author: Suzanne Barton
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 3-7
Reading age: 6+A beautifully illustrated story about the changing seasons.
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Snow Bear
Author: Tony Mitton Illustrator: Alison Brown
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 3-5
A small bear is searching for a winter home. Everywhere he tries is occupied, until he finds a cottage inhabited only by one small girl, who welcomes him inside.
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When it Snows
Author: Richard Collingridge
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+A little boy follows footprints in the snow until he finds a polar bear who leads him to the place where the snowmen live.
