Cozy Tales for Chilly Days: 12 Books For Winter
And how I'll be staying warm this season
Winter is the season of opposites. It’s the coziest season to be sure, but it needs to be since it’s also the coldest and darkest. The sun is more welcome in the winter than it is in the summer.
Lately, winter is the season that makes me appreciate all the other seasons more. Every morning, I’d stop in front of my front window every day and see if the cluster of trees just beyond were naked yet. I knew winter had arrived when I could see past the skeleton trees onto the hill below. I used to love the winter. I still do—I just hate the wretched stretch from January to March.🙃 The pandemic has done a number on my appreciation for this season.
Pre-pandemic, I looked forward to winter for baking, curling up under a blanket while watching TV, and tiptoeing around the ice on winter walks. It’s still all of those things but there’s a bitterness to it. It’s like the veil has been lifted and you realize just how fine the line is between winter’s joy and its grimness. How easily it can isolate you.
I’m going to try my damnedest to focus on winter fun and reclaim my joy for this time of year. (I bought a Kitchen Aid stand mixer so let the baking commence!). Here’s the plan:
Finding out the warmest time of the day and getting out of the house. Having lived in Canada, I strongly believe in the saying, “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothes.” I use this as a guide to dress us appropriately.
Getting inspired by My Hygge Home* and opening more windows for fresh air, lighting candles, and practicing hygge any way I can.
Becoming a PBS Masterpiece junkie in the winter. On the watch list:
World on Fire Season 2 — a great drama about WWII from the European lens. In Hollywood, we start most of our films and TV shows just as America joins the war. We don’t see the Polish Resistance, the horrifying things the Nazis did in Germany, the North African theater, etc.
Rewatching Miss Scarlet and the Duke to get ready for Season 4
Lazy parenting whenever and wherever possible. Preferably, horizontally*.
And, in those moments when it feels like the darkness will never end, I’ll be reaching for What You Need To Be Warm by Neil Gaiman*. It’s a poem picture book that he drafted by asking people on Twitter what memories they had of being warm. He received around 1,000 responses and it’s all distilled into this poem. Gaiman used this poem for a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees campaign to highlight how unprepared refugees are for the winter. It’s a book that strips away the melancholy of the season and lets in hopefulness.
❓A few questions for you (hit the comment button below to respond):
What are the things you’re most looking forward to this winter season?
Any tips and tricks for staying warm and getting out of the house?
P.S.
Next week will be my last newsletter for 2023 and it’ll be a reflection on this past year and some of the things I’ll be focusing on for 2024.
Winter is for babies and toddlers…
Red Sled
Written and Illustrated by Lita Judge
Recommended Ages: 0-5 years old
This cozy, onomatopoeic book (written sounds) makes it easy for anyone to “read” this book. A bear comes across a red sled propped up against the side of a house. What happens next is a night-long revel as a bear and its animal friends sled gleefully up and down the snowtopped hills. The kid whose sled it is realizes something’s afoot and wouldn’t you know it, joins in on the fun the next night. The soft, pencil and watercolor illustrations beautifully capture the stolen fun of sledding on a winter night.
Buy now*
Bunny Slopes
Written and Illustrated by Claudia Rueda
Recommended Ages: 1-5 years old
Want to go skiing without actually leaving the comforts of your home? Then this is the book for you! In this interactive book, a bunny needs our help hitting the slopes. The instructions are simple and show kids what to do with the book. For example, there are visual cues via arrows or words being angled to indicate what the child should do. It’s a great way to teach kids concepts like up vs down, right vs left, etc. Also, it’s just a lot of fun! Even my 8-year-old niece “read” this book multiple times.
Buy now*
Winter is for Nature…
Over And Under The Snow
Written by Kate Messner and Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
Recommended Ages: 3-7 years old
We all know bears hibernate in the winter. But what about all the other animals? In this book, a father and his child go cross-country skiing observing the different animals and tracks they encounter. The illustrations provide peeks into how the animals sleep away the winter. The end of the book provides more information on how the "subnivean zone” (the underground winter ecosystem) operates. This book does a gentle job of educating and would also be a great bedtime read.
Buy now*
Owl Moon
Written by Jane Yolen and Illustrated by John Schoenherr
Recommended Ages: 3-8 years old
An absolute winter classic—and Caldecott Medalist—for good reason. A father and child go on a night walk into the woods to find a Great Horned Owl. Told in haunting, poetic verse, you can feel the stillness of the moonlit evening as the duo carefully steps into the woods. The descriptive verse and the watercolor illustrations are so stunning that they draw you in. You feel like tiptoeing through the book, your eyes widening as the father calls out to the owls. I love winter nights because it feels like Nature reclaims dominion over the world and you feel that 100% in this book.
Buy now*
Winter is for community…
Paperwhite
Written and Illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Recommended Ages: 3-8 years old
Miss Mamie is a lady after my own heart: she wants to grow a little bit of spring to brighten up the dark, long days of winter. When Lucy, a young bunny living across the street, sees that Miss Mamie is gathering stones for a planter, she runs over to see if she can help. What follows is a blossoming friendship between young and old throughout the winter season. This book, with its bright, cozy collage artwork, reminds us that friendship can grow anywhere at any time between anyone—even in cold, dreary winters.
Buy now
A Sled For Gabo
Written by Emma Otheguy and Illustrated by Ana Ramirez-Gonzalez
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years old
When you first open this book what catches your eyes is the warmth that radiates off the page. Set on a soft, sunny yellow backdrop the artwork is toasty with bright colors and prints. Gabo wakes up on a snowy morning and sees kids sledding and he desperately wants to join them. The problem is that he doesn’t have the clothing or a sled to join in the fun. His mother reassures him, switching between Spanish and English, that they will figure it out. Sorting out the clothing, Gabo, a shy boy, goes out in search of a sled. It’s pretty clear that Gabo and his family are likely new to a cold climate and have limited means. It’s a great book to read to show how much more significant income disparities can be in harsh climates and seasons. Additionally, it’s a great read for kids who believe they are shy because you see that Gabo believes he is shy but even so, he has built a wonderful community around him.
Buy now: English* | Spanish*
Cold Snap
Written by Eileen Spinelli and Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
Recommended Ages: 6-10 years old
What starts with enthusiasm for a cold, snowy day quickly becomes an ordeal when the cold turns fri..gi..d. Soon the small town begins to measure the severity of the cold by how long the icicle hanging off the town statue is. Train doors freeze shut. People tape hot water bottles to their feet. It sounds grim but it’s anything but. Instead, you see kinship amongst the townspeople as they rally together to support each other. You see kindness and compassion. And it all culminates in one big town gathering that lets the heat emanate off the page. A kooky, delightful book on how community can warm up your soul.
Buy now
Winter is for fun and magic…
Snow
Written and Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
Recommended Ages: 2-5 years old
Once we head into winter temperatures, every child begins The Long Wait. They wait for that first magical snowfall of the season when the world is frosted white. In this book, a snowflake falls and a boy with a dog announces, “It’s snowing.” The adults are quick to brush him off, telling him a snowflake or two doesn’t mean it’s snowing. But the boy persists and soon snowflakes are dancing in abundance, merrily down from the sky. This book is perfect for those kids waiting, fervently hoping for snow.
Buy now*
The Snow Globe Family
Written by Jane O’Connor and Illustrated by S.D. Schindler
Recommended Ages: 5-8 years old
Two families mirror one another but are very different. One family is a “real life” family. The other family lives in a snow globe that sits atop the mantle of the real family’s home. Only the baby in the real family suspects something is suspicious with the snow globe. The snow globe family is happy but wistful for a good snowfall. One day, when everyone is distracted, the real baby gets hold of the snow globe and gives it a good shake. This book is a fun romp of whimsy and imagination. It’s a great read for kids who love imaginary play.
Buy now*
Winter Is The Warmest Season
Written and Illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Recommended Ages: 6-9 years old
A jolly reminder that if you need warmth, winter should come to mind, not summer! A young boy compellingly shows us how all the things we do in the winter keep the cold at bay. If you’ve got a winter non-believer this book just might convert them! A boisterously fun book with some great ideas for snug winter activities.
Buy now*
Winter is for holidays…
Winter Candle
Written by Jeron Ashford and Illustrated by Stacey Schuett
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years old
Of all the books I’ve listed, this one is the one that warmed my heart the most. When a family is hosting Thanksgiving, they need a candle for their centerpiece but unfortunately have run out of candles. With guests arriving any minute, they ask their landlord if he has a candle. He hands over a lumpy stick of wax. Making the best of the situation, the family uses it for their centerpiece and despite its appearance, the candle gives off a bright, effervescent glow. The candle slowly makes its way through the homes of other residents—a substitute for a missing havdalah candle (Jewish Sabbath) to beaming proudly in the kinara (Kwanzaa). This is a story of community and supporting each other’s (holiday) differences. If you’re looking to expand your kid’s understanding of winter holidays and cultural differences, this one is a delight.
Buy now*
Winter Lights
Written and Illustrated by Anna Grossnickle Hines
Recommended Ages: 4-10 years old
A picture book of poems that will make your heart smile and your eyes twinkle. The poems beautifully capture the spirit of winter. The book switches between poems about winter and poems about various holidays. The holidays it encompasses: St. Lucia, winter solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas (and farolitos), Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year. If you have kids who aren’t reading poetry, the good news is that these poems are short and very accessible and a great place to get started. The real masterpiece of this book is the “pictures.” When you look closely, you’ll see that all the illustrations are gorgeous, handmade quilts.
Buy now
Let’s keep the conversation going…
What are the things you’re most looking forward to this winter season?
Any tips and tricks for staying warm and getting out of the house?
*Thank you for using (at no additional cost to you) the affiliate links in this post! :-)
Thank you for your honesty about winter! I feel the tinge of bitterness too and have felt like a curmudgeon the past few years. Like, what's wrong with me that everyone loves this time of year and I do not!?
You already mentioned this, but whenever I'm feeling crabby about the winter hassle or the holiday hassle (I don't love hassle😂) I do try to focus on how grateful winter makes me for the other seasons--and it really does--I wouldn't appreciate going barefoot in our backyard or running outdoors in just shorts and a tank nearly as much without the inability to do these things in winter:).
Also, we're in Colorado, which means that we get so many sunny days, even in winter--and the snow makes the mountains even more magical.
I have the Hygge Home book on hold at the library! It seems helpful.
Wonderful list. btw. I'm adding Winter Candle and Snow Globe Family to our collection!
I am too a PBS masterpiece junkie and I share mixed feelings about winter. The best thing I have done for myself is invest in really good gloves. My kids do like to play outside in the winter which is a good thing, and not because I despise putting gloves on kids, they take them off immediately and then request them to be put back on...