Start with The Snowy Day, The Snowman for a read that needs no words, or Snow Treasure for an older reader. At ReadNext, we grouped the nine books below by age and by the kind of winter story, so you can match a title to your child without reading every description.
The selection covers books about winter as a season: snow, cold, short days, and animals in winter. The picture books come first, split into snow-day stories and gentle winter stories for little listeners. The four middle-grade novels follow. Christmas and other holiday titles are covered on a separate page, so this selection stays on the season itself.
Winter Books for Kids, Grouped by Age and Story Type
Snow-day picture books for read-alouds
1. The Snowy Day
Ezra Jack Keats
A small boy explores his first big snowfall in a city neighborhood.
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2. Snow
Uri Shulevitz
A boy waits for snow to fall, told with spare, lovely text. Read it slowly so your child can hear the hope in each line. It pairs well with The Snowy Day for a two-book snow-day read.
Find it on AmazonGentle winter picture books for little listeners
3. The Mitten
Jan Brett
Woodland animals crowd into a lost mitten in a snowy forest. Skip it if your child wants a human hero, since the animals are the focus.
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4. Time to Sleep
Denise Fleming
Bold, simple art shows animals settling in for winter sleep.
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5. The Snowman
Raymond Briggs
A wordless winter tale of a boy and the snowman he builds. With no text on the page, your child can tell the story in their own words. Content note: the snowman melts at the end, and the story is gentle throughout. Skip it if your child needs words on every page to follow along.
Find it on AmazonMiddle-grade winter novels
6. Snow Treasure
Marie McSwigan
Norwegian children sled hidden gold past enemy soldiers across snowy hills. Content note: Nazi occupation, wartime danger, and tense confrontations with soldiers. Pick it for a middle-grade reader who can handle wartime peril, and preview it first if your child is sensitive to danger.
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7. Brian's Winter
Gary Paulsen
Brian faces a northern wilderness winter alone in this alternate-ending sequel to Hatchet. Content note: survival peril, injury, hunger, and encounters with dangerous wild animals. Skip it if you want a cozy winter story, since this one is about staying alive.
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8. Julie of the Wolves
Jean Craighead George
A girl survives the Arctic by living alongside a wolf pack. Content note: marriage at age 13, an attempted sexual assault by her husband, and Arctic survival hardship. It is worth reading ahead before you hand it over.
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9. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Joan Aiken
Two girls are sent to a harsh orphanage by a scheming guardian and are menaced by wolves in the English countryside. Content note: being sent away against their will, wolf attacks, and frightening peril throughout. Skip it for a younger listener, since the peril runs throughout.
Find it on AmazonHow to Choose Winter Books for Kids by Age
Start with who will hear or read the book. The first two groups are picture books to read aloud. The middle-grade novels in the last group suit a child who reads chapter books alone.
Interest matters as much as reading level. A child who loves animals may enjoy The Mitten and Time to Sleep more than a survival story, while a child who likes outdoor challenges may prefer Brian’s Winter. Pick by what your child likes most: animals, weather, or outdoor adventure.
Our pick would change if your child cannot handle peril. In that case, skip the four middle-grade novels and stay with the picture books.
- Read aloud: The Snowy Day, Snow, The Mitten, Time to Sleep, and The Snowman.
- Read alone, once chapters feel comfortable: Snow Treasure, Brian’s Winter, Julie of the Wolves, and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.
Content Notes for Parents and Teachers
Most of the heavy material sits in the middle-grade group. Snow Treasure includes Nazi occupation and wartime danger. Brian’s Winter includes survival peril, injury, hunger, and encounters with dangerous wild animals. Julie of the Wolves includes marriage at age 13, an attempted sexual assault by her husband, and Arctic survival hardship. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase includes two girls sent away against their will, wolf attacks, and frightening peril.
The Snowman melts at the end, and the story is gentle throughout. The notes here are a summary of the main difficult points, not a full review of each book.
Reading ahead is one safeguard. For Julie of the Wolves and Snow Treasure especially, read the difficult passages yourself before you hand over the book, then decide whether your child is ready for them.
What to Do When a Winter Pick Does Not Land
Put the book down and try another title from the same group.
For a picture book that falls flat, read it aloud and pause for questions on each page. Because The Snowman has no words, the listener can supply them.
If a middle-grade novel stalls, switch to a picture book from the first two groups and return to the novel later. For a child who wants a different kind of story, try the What should I read quiz or adventure books for kids.
Who These Picks Are Not For
The selection covers winter as a season. Families who want Christmas or other holiday stories should use the Christmas books page, and a book advent calendar for kids has its own page. A child who is sensitive to peril should skip the four middle-grade novels and start with the picture books.
For a wider set of reading ideas by age, start at Books to Read for Every Age and Moment. For picture books on their own, see picture books. Pick one of these winter books for kids and read it aloud this week.
