These snowy titles are the perfect pick to give to your littlest loved ones this holiday season.
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (Infant, Toddler, Preschool)
In the classic tale, a young child builds a snowman and at night, in his dreams, the snowman comes alive. Wordless books work well for any age group, but especially for young children as they encourage grown-ups to talk about the pictures and have a conversation with their child about what they see on the page. You can have a back-and-forth dialog even with an infant! ▸ Get it at the Library
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell (Infant, Toddler)
This book is another (almost) wordless book about a young child who goes walking in the snow and finds a lonely wolf cub. The snow starts falling faster and night is coming on, so they both need to find their way home. There’s no “correct” way to enjoy a wordless book and no read-through will be the same as the next. ▸ Get it at the Library
All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle (Toddler)
Is snow really all you need to make a snowman? Find out in this charming book illustrated by Barbara Lavallee (of Mama, Do You Love Me? fame). Books that work well for toddlers have engaging pictures and a simple story. Books that have repetitive phrases and are about familiar experiences are also worthwhile. ▸ Get it at the Library
Snow Sisters! by Kerri Kokias, Teagan White (Toddler, Preschooler)
When the snow starts falling, some people like to get out and play in it and some people enjoy spending their time indoors where it’s warm. In this story, two sisters enjoy their snowy day in their own way and in the end, come to enjoy it together. Children can easily follow the simple, mirrored text and both children and adults can enjoy the detailed pictures of the girls’ adventures. ▸ Get it at the Library
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming (Toddler, Preschool)
All Henry wants to do is work on his school project at the library, but he’s got to mind his little sister Beatrice, too. But Beatrice doesn’t even want to be at the library, let alone read any of the books from the shelf. On the third day of the project, Henry sees a sign advertising a storytime at the library and encourages his sister to go. Now how will Henry get his sister to leave the library? ▸ Get it at the Library
The Little Snowplow by Lora Koehler (Preschool)
Size isn’t the only thing that matters! In Mighty Mountain, most of the trucks are BIG until the little snowplow joins the crew. The other trucks are skeptical: can the little snowplow keep up? When a blizzard arrives, the little snowplow is able to prove his worth to the team. Preschoolers have longer attention spans and enjoy listening to longer books with more involved plots. They also have developed keen interests, so picking books about those topics helps make reading more enjoyable. ▸ Get it at the Library
These resources were recommended by Samantha Blanquart, an Early Literacy Outreach Librarian with Ready to Read Resource Center. Visit their website for more info about early literacy or to check out one of their reading kits for young children.
Imagination Library Pick:
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Preschool)
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever.
The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day. ▸ Get it at the Library