If you’re looking for amazing children’s books about winter for a squirrely 5-year-old, you’ve come to the right place. I’m an avid children’s book junkie and love any and all things picture books. In this blog post, I’m aiming not only to present you with some of the very best winter books I’ve come across as a formal elementary school teacher but books that I believe are particularly amazing for 5-year-old children and students.
Though these picks will undoubtedly earn thumbs up from your 5-year-old, they also work well for most elementary-aged students. To make things simpler,I’ve highlighted the pros and cons of each book so that you, the expert here, can best gauge whether or not a book would be appropriate for your children or students and why. Oh, and, of course, just because I think a book is the bees knees for kindergartners doesn’t mean yours will love it – hey, we’ve all got our own preferences, and not every kid will like every book – and that’s okay!
So, without further ado, join me as we explore some of the best children’s books about winter for your 5-year-old child or students.
1. Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
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Pros:
- Engaging illustrations
- Silly plot
- Easy science integration
- Repeated words and phrases prepare children for comprehension skills needed in older grades
- Fun, smooth, and engaging rhymes embedded within the text
Cons:
- None.
Sneezy the Snowman written by Maureen Wright is currently is my 5-year-old’s favorite winter book. The plot is relatively simple, detailing a few children who encounter a snowman who desperately claims to need to be ‘warmed up” from the cold. He then takes on a series of tasks by which he inevitably melts himself, as the children also take part in making him feel warmer, much to his demise.
Each page is full of repeated lines and phrases that make predicting what comes next in the story easy and fun. The illustrations are interesting and engaging, and though not the most sophisticated I’ve seen, are still interesting enough to keep your 5-year-old captivated.
I love that Sneezy the Snowman alternates between characters quite often, which gives nerdy teachers and parents like me plenty of time to fluctuate between voices to add even more life to the story. The book can also easily lend itself to a quick integrated science lesson that looks at how heat affects snow.
Overall, Sneezy the Snowman is a joyfully silly read that I believe almost any 5 to 7-year-old child will undoubtedly enjoy.
2. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Pros:
- Short and sweet
- Simplistic yet engaging illustrations
- Relatable adventures that will resonate with a younger audience
- Character, setting, and major event in the story are easily identifiable by young children
Cons:
- Plot and text may be too simplistic to engage older readers
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is one of the best children’s books about winter for 5-year-old children, especially for those who live in areas where they see a lot of snow every winter. Most of us can agree that there’s something very special about winter’s first snow, and this book captures the beauty of it all perfectly.
The Snowy Day starts out with Peter, the main character, awakening to the beautiful sight of fresh winter snow having fallen overnight. He puts on his snowsuit and rushes outside, where a world of icy wonder awaits. Peter encounters several situations throughout the course of his wintery day that children will likely find interesting and relatable. There’s even an opportunity for children to make a hypothesis about melting snow as Peter places a snowball in his pocket towards the end of the story, only to find that it “disappeared” the next day.
One of the things I love about The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is its childlike simplicity. With its craft-like illustrations and simple silhouettes, the book feels like a journey back to times when life just felt simpler. This book is one of the first books I ever purchased for my daughter, and she still listens to it with wonderment every time I read it. I highly recommend this book and am willing to bet your kindergartener will, too.
3. Snow by Uri Shulevitz (Caldecott Honor Book)
Pros:
- Engages readers with old-fashioned yet entertaining illustrations
- Potential for math integration (counting snowflakes)
- A child well-versed in sight words may be able to read the majority of this book on his or her own
Cons:
- The book may come off a bit bland to some listeners
Snow by Uri Shulevitz is one of the best children’s books about winter because of its simiplicity. The characters aren’t well-developed and there isn’t anything super impressive about the plot, yet the read is still quite enjoyable for 5-year-olds. The book follows a young boy and his dog who discover that snow is indeed on the way, despite the town’s obliviousness to what is taking place. As one small snowflake falls, then two, then three, children are enthralled with the opportunity to search for and count each snowflake barely seen on each page, until the entire town is covered by the end of the book. The illustrations are silly and slightly old fashioned with quite a few surprises sprinkled in that make for lots of giggles. Overall, my 5-year-old daughter seemed to enjoy this unique take on a winter read aloud, and I often catch her peeking back at the illustrations for a good laugh.
4. Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder
Pros:
- Basic yet educational
- Interesting facts that will capture attention of your children and students
- Causes children to pause and think while inspiring them to ask more questions and maybe even perform their own research
Cons:
- May come off as a bit dry to kiddos who are more accustomed to entertaining fictional plots and adventurous characters
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not one of those teachers who has an affinity for non-fiction books. However, Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder is an exception. As I sat my five-year-old down and began to read it to her, I noticed how intrigued she became. She started pointing to the pictures and asking questions, demonstrating active engagement. She wasn’t the only one – I, too, found the facts shared within the story interesting and informative.
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder is a story written in very simplistic language but the absence of fluff and distracting fictional scenarios make the story seem as serene as the quiet winter season itself. Having the opportunity to cuddle up with my daughter and enjoy discussing various facts about animals including their hibernation routine was very enjoyable. And though the illustrations seem slightly outdated, my daughter found them entertaining and often pointed out minor details that even I failed to notice. Overall, I highly recommend giving Animals in Winter a go – its educational content and overall delivery is a win.
5. Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes
Pros:
- Kid-friendly poetic personification of winter
- Detailed illustrations
- Relatable happenings
- Fairly simple text
- Great for all ages
Cons:
- Not as exciting as some of the other winter books for 5-year-olds
- Some of the wording may cause children to question the meaning. For example, “The wind howls in every language…” and other similar statements may be difficult for younger children to understand
I’m not a Wisconsin native, but it didn’t take long after moving to the state to realize Kevin Henkes is quite the popular author here. I picked up Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes when my daughter was only 2 years old and felt the illustrations and basic storyline were quite a pleasant experience.
The story doesn’t focus on the characters but instead on the winter season itself. With beautifully written sentences on each page, the reader is drawn not only to the illustrations but is also invited to feel the season through the vivid verbal imagery provided by the author. Winter is personified in a crafty yet child-like way, while the pictures and text remain relatable for the youngest listeners.
All in all, though not as enthralling in terms of plot as some of the other books on this list, Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes is one of my favorites for poetic wording and realistically beautiful illustrations.
6. Snow by Ray McKie and P.D. Eastman
Pros:
- Filled with lots of silly humor
- Plenty of relatable scenes
- Engaging and funny illustrations
- Some children may be able to read this book on their own
Cons:
- This is a longer read than some of the others
If you’ve got a sillier kid (and who doesn’t, right?) they’ll love Snow by Ray McKie and P.D.Eastman. The book follows a boy, a dog, and his friend through fun and silly winter adventures that will keep your kid guessing. I’m recommending this as one of the best children’s books about winter because it doesn’t only make them laugh but is easy to read, particularly if your child is well-versed in sight words and can decode CVC words. And though it can be just as beneficial to purchase a few cheap comprehension worksheets for Kindergartners, it is often more engaging for kids to be able to pick up a book and read it themselves –- especially when they find it entertaining!
If your kiddo can’t read just yet, no worries -– you can simply read it to them. Either way, I’ll caution that, true to Dr. Seuss style, this book runs a little longer than the average picture book, which may tire some little listeners out. Take breaks when needed, but for a fun and light-hearted read, I definitely recommend giving Snow by Ray McKie and P.D.Eastman a try.
Honorable Mention: The Mitten by Jan Brett
I wasn’t going to mention The Mitten here as I intended to feature this wildly popular children’s read-aloud as part of my future winter blog book round-ups for older children. With that said, I totally believe The Mitten by Jan Brett is a great read, even for Kindergarten students.
Complete with beautifully old-fashioned illustrations, the book follows a young boy on a winter quest who loses a white winter mitten against the cold, pale snow. As animals burrow into the mitten one by one, children become enthralled by every passing page, wondering what could possibly happen next. This book may come off a bit bland to children who like more adventurous plots and may even prove a little long for some littles. I’d recommend giving it a go for your 5-year-old, but if they seem a little distracted, consider saving it for another year or two before pulling out this classic once again.
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to learn more about my reading resources and elementary school worksheets, be sure to check out my shop here.
With love,
Bizee-Bee
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