Picture books featuring winter weather

I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan
JE AWA

When a little boy wakes up to see a blanket of snow covering the world outside, there's only one thing to do: make a snowman, and not just any snowman--he wants the best snowman ever. But when his perfectly packed and powdery dreams clash with cold, slushy reality, he realizes the best snowman ever may be out of reach...but he can make his best snowman yet.

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett
JE BAR

Follow a magnificent polar bear through a fantastic world of snow and shockingly blue sea. Over the ice, through the water, past Arctic animals and even a human . . . where is he going? What does he want? Acclaimed author Mac Barnett's narration deftly balances suspense and emotion, as well as poignant, subtle themes, compelling us to follow the bear with each page turn. Artist Shawn Harris's striking torn-paper illustrations layer white-on-white hues, with bolts of blue and an interplay of shadow and light, for a gorgeous view of a stark yet beautiful landscape. Simple and thought-provoking, illuminating and intriguing, this engaging picture book will have readers pondering the answer to its final question long after the polar bear has continued on his way.

Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes 
JE HEN

The wind is howling.The flakes are falling.The snow is sticking.The drifts are growing.The ice is dripping.The dog is bounding.The squirrels are scurrying.The birds are huddling.The children are slipping, digging, skating, building, sledding . . .

Why is this all happening?

It's winter! Winter is here!

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
JE KEA

One snowy morning, a little boy named Peter puts on his snowsuit and steps out of his house into a winter wonderland. He is captivated by the way the snow has transformed his world, and spends the day making snow angels, building a snowman, sliding down slick mountains, and much more. By the time he comes inside, Peter thinks his adventures in the snow are over. But when he wakes up the next morning, he realizes that new snowfall has covered the earth once more!

Universal in its appeal, this treasured story beautifully depicts a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that curiosity forever. The Snowy Day is perfect for reading together on a cozy winter day.

Snow Days by Deborah Kerbel & Miki Sato
JE KER

First snow, surprise snow:
Nature’s sparkly magic show

For small children, snow is a wonder. It sparkles and glitters. It transforms the outside world. Every kind of snow brings its own magic. It invites snow angels, skating, fort-building, and snowballs. Even blizzard days are exciting, when routines are overturned and everyone bands together to clear the snow away. For the youngest among us, winter is magical.

In Snow Days, author Deborah Kerbel captures that magic with nimble couplets that celebrate every kind of winter pleasure. Illustrator Miki Sato’s fascinating textural collage art looks intimately touchable. She recreates the coziness and spectacle of the season in paper, felt, and embroidery silk, creating masterpieces that invite readers to look again and again.

First Snow by Peter McCarty
JE MCC

When Pedro comes from far away to visit his cousins, who are eager to introduce him to snow, all Pedro can think about at first is how much he dislikes cold.

Ruffles and the Cold, Cold Snow by David Melling
JE MEL

Ruffles loves a lot of things, like howling, scratching, eating, and playing with the teeny, tiny kittens. He does not love the snow. But when the kittens want to play outside, Ruffles decides to tag along. And it's a good thing he does! The kittens quickly get stuck in the deep, cold snow. Even though Ruffles doesn't like the snow, he knows he must bravely free his friends and bring them back to the warm and cozy house. And Ruffles discovers something new that he loves: helping his friends.

So Much Snow by Hyunmin Park
JE PAR

When snow blankets the world overnight, two children set off to explore--but this is no ordinary snowstorm. What they discover on their wintry journey will surprise and delight readers of all ages.

Award-winning debut author-illustrator Hyunmin Park redefines what a picture book can be in So Much Snow, a bold, nearly wordless exploration of winter's quiet magic. Told entirely through expressive visuals and creative book design, this story transforms a simple morning into a tactile adventure that invites young readers to flip and fold their way through pages of towering snowbanks and surprising discoveries.

Ideal for ages 3 to 8, winter reading lists, and early childhood educators, So Much Snow is a book they'll want to open again and again--each time finding something new.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
JE SHU

No one in the city thinks much of a few snowflakes. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it.

Uri Shulevitz’s lively depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, lyrical text and effervescent illustrations.

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
JE BIO ARTIST BENTLEY

From the time he was a boy, Wilson Bentley was captivated by snow. Where others saw cold and inconvenience, he saw miracles: each snowflake a tiny, one-of-a-kind work of art. With the encouragement of his parents, Wilson pursued his passion, eventually receiving a camera and microscope that allowed him to photograph snowflakes for the first time.

Though his fascination was often misunderstood, Wilson persevered. Over decades, he carefully documented hundreds of snowflakes, shared his discoveries through lectures and photographs, and at age sixty-six, published a groundbreaking book that forever changed how we understand these delicate crystals.