What Your Children Should Be Reading This Winter

Children’s Books that Explore the Magic of Winter

The Long Winter (1940) by Laura Ingalls Wilder (recipient of the John Newbery medal) is the sixth of nine books in the writer’s beloved Little House series. This novel is especially wonderful for children as it is historical as well as autobiographical. Wilder writes of when she was fourteen years old and experienced the severe South Dakota winter of 1880 through 1881. There have been various versions of the novel throughout the years with illustrations by Garth Williams, Helen Sewell and Mildred Boyle.

The Snowy Day (1962)—written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats—is a classic children’s picture book that depicts the first snowfall of the winter season in the protagonist’s neighborhood.

Snow (2008) by Cynthia Rylant is a delightful children’s book that details a snowy day along with its many possibilities for fun! Illustrated by Lauren Stringer, is filled with whimsical winter images of intricate snowflakes, frosted windowpanes, and gleeful children.

First Snow (2016)—written and illustrated by Bomi Park—was first published in South Korea in 2012 and has been hailed as “dreamlike” as it tells the tale of a young Korean girl experiencing snow for the first time.

A Little Bit of Winter (1998) by Paul Stewart tells the story of a hedgehog who sleeps during most of the winter but asks his friend, a rabbit, if he will wake him so he can experience just a hint of the season. With adorable illustrations by Chris Riddell, this is bound to become an instant favorite.

(From Cynthia Rylant’s Snow, illustrated by Lauren Stringer, goodreads.com)

Important Themes

• All of the books mentioned above depict the sensations and magical aspects of a winter wonderland, while Wilder’s The Long Winter also describes the hardships of this time of year. It is a realistic look into what 19th-century life was like in the rural Midwest—not always easy.
• Nature—complete with snowflakes and frosty winds—is a prominent character in all of these stories.
• Discovery: a first snowfall is often a child’s favorite, most wonderfu.
• Wonder: the child-like sense of awe upon seeing a first snowfall is one of life’s purest moments.

For more information on the books discussed in this blog, visit the websites below:

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780064400060/the-long-winter/

https://everyday-reading.com/childrens-books-about-winter/

https://buggyandbuddy.com/our-favorite-childrens-winter-books-book-sets/

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/nov/23/best-childrens-books-on-winter

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/01/why-generations-children-love-snowy-day/605044/

https://socialjusticebooks.org/first-snow/

http://thepicturebookteachersedition.blogspot.com/2012/01/little-bit-of-winter.html