Favorite Winter Picture Books

If you walk into our house, you will get the impression we like books. Nearly every room in our house contains a bookshelf, or two. But very rarely do we buy a book at full price. Most of our books have come from used book sales or Paperback Swap.

To me, a large book sale is like turning a child loose in a candy store. I love the searching through boxes of musty books looking for treasures to take home. But I've talked to others who are completely overwhelmed at a book sale. How do you ever find what you want? Especially when there is a crowd of other people also looking for books.

I wish knew more about books, but slowly, over the years, I've become familiar with titles and authors that I like. Sometimes I pick up a book that just looks good. At book sale prices I can pitch it, or swap it, if I don't like it. I have also spent a lot of time browsing book recommended book lists to become familiar with the titles and authors that others like.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to share some of my favorite children's books. Hopefully it can be helpful to some mothers (or grandmothers) as you shop for books or even look for good books at the library. There is lots of truly awful children's literature out there. You may not totally agree with my idea of a "good" book but maybe it will introduce you to something you wouldn't find yourself.

Today I'll share some of our favorite winter picture books. Last year the shelf for children's picture books was overflowing so I put all the snowy winter books away for a few months. I promised the children that I would get them out at the first snowflakes.  I forgot about the promise, but they certainly didn't. The children so enjoyed seeing these books after a few months of absence that I'm thinking of putting more of our books away on a rotational basis. (I may have just admitted that we have too many books!)

I'm including the links to Amazon so that you can learn more about the book. If you make a purchase through these links, I will get a small percentage. But really I don't care about the money. I'd rather you get these books at a used book sale or Paperback Swap if possible!

Favorite Winter Picture Books


Katy and the Big Snow by Virgina Lee Burton - always a favorite with my boys!


Sadie and the Snowman by Allen Morgan


Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett - also enjoy The Mitten, The Hat, The Gingerbread Baby, and others by the same author. Love her illustrations!


Akiak by Robert J Blake - story of the Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska


The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader - a snowy nature classic


The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen - a sweet story of the joy of giving in secret.


Snipp, Snapp and Snurr and the Yellow Sled by Maj Lindman - I loved these books as a child as well as the companion series Flicka Ricka, and Dicka. Working cheerfully and sharing generously is the theme of this one.


First Snow by Kim Lewis - I'm a sucker for lovely illustrations of the agrarian life.


Marven of the Great North Woods by Lasky - true story of a city boy in a logging camp one hundred years ago.

What winter books have you enjoyed with your children?