There’s just something magical about snow! Wintertime is such a fun opportunity to introduce little learners to the wonders of the season and learn about the cold, fluffy white stuff. If you’re planning to focus on this topic in your classroom, you won’t want to miss this post! Come along to see some of my favorite picture books about snow and ideas for using them with your kids.
Thematic Lessons & Picture Books About Snow
Whether you live in an area that gets real snow or not, chances are that your students are fascinated by winter weather! And who could blame them? The magical sparkle that snow leaves behind is like no other, making it a fantastic theme for winter learning.
Use the winter months to teach students about the science of snowfall, all about snowmen, and animals that live in the snow. These themes are guaranteed to offer high engagement in your classroom all season long!
I like to choose at least one read-aloud per day that goes along with whatever theme we’re focusing on. When it comes to snowy themes, we touch on topics like snowflake formation, snow days, hibernation, animals in the snow, snow day activities, snowmen, and more!
There’s a little something for everyone on this list so that you can pick and choose what works best for your themes. Without further ado, here are 10 of my favorite picture books about snow!
1. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
We’re kicking off this list with the ultimate, classic picture book about snow! This story has been beloved by generations and for good reason.
This captivating tale takes readers along as a young boy named Peter explores the snow. He bundles up and heads outside to see what’s in store on a snowy day in his neighborhood.
Students will love following along on his adventure as he makes footprints, snow angels, snowballs, and more!
This book offers a great way to introduce the concept of freezing and melting points to your students as well when Peter discovers his snowball melted when he went inside.
2. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino
If you’re looking for a way to introduce students to the science behind snowflakes, this book is the one for you!
In this picture book, students will learn about how snow crystals form, the shapes they can take, and so much more. Students will even get instructions on how to collect snowflakes without damaging them.
This book includes real photographs taken by a nature photographer that will captivate your students!
3. Whose Tracks in the Snow by Alexandra Milton
This book is great if you’re planning to learn about animals that live in snowy climates!
In this story, students will get to guess which animal left behind each set of tracks in the snow.
I love using this book to encourage brainstorming and conversation among young learners. Expand on their thought process by asking why they think each pair of tracks belongs to the animal they guessed!
After reading, have children choose their favorite animal tracks and draw a snowy picture of their own with the animal they belong to.
4. Good Morning, Snowplow by Deborah Bruss
Most classrooms with young learners have at least a few fans of construction trucks and vehicles. This book will wow them and become an instant favorite while offering a new perspective on snowy days.
Most children have probably never considered how the snow gets moved off the streets since the snow plow is running in the wee hours of the morning.
Offer them a glimpse into the life of a snowplow driver to see how it’s done.
Students will love following along in this story as the man, his trusty dog, and the snowplow get to work!
5. The Night Before the Snow Day by Natasha Wing
Next up on my list of picture books about snow is one that mimics the classic story of “The Night Before Christmas”.
All of Natasha Wing’s books use fun rhymes and descriptive language that students will love. This book is no different and tells the story of snow falling hard all night long!
In this book, students will follow along as they watch to see if there will be enough snow to warrant a snow day off from school.
I like to read this book before having students write their own snow day story about the types of activities they’d do on a day home in the snow!
6. Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper
If you’re looking for a picture book about snow that’s a little bit different from the rest, you’ll love this one!
In this book, a young girl pauses to listen to things that are often unnoticed on a snowy day. She discovers ten ways to “hear” snow as she walks to her Grandmother’s house.
This is a cozy read that will get your students thinking and observing snow on their own!
7. Our Wonderful Weather: Snow by Valerie Bodden
This non-fiction book is the perfect addition to your science lessons this winter!
It includes real-life pictures and plenty of factual information about snow and how it forms.
Students will love listening and discussing how precipitation forms and freezes in the clouds before falling to the earth in a snowy blanket!
If you’re looking for a deep dive into the science of snowy weather, this book will hit the mark!
8. The First Snow by Nancy Viau
Have you ever celebrated the first snowfall of the season? That’s exactly the idea behind this fun picture book about snow.
Students will love following along as the children in this story celebrate the first snow with sledding, snowball fights, hot chocolate, and more!
This book screams winter fun! I like to use this book as the basis for anchor chart to help expand vocabulary.
After reading, ask students to reflect on the activities mentioned in this book. Write the words down and draw a simple picture beside them. Students can follow along and create their own word list too!
9. Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
Every book list for young readers needs at least one that is pure silliness!
This book is exactly that! If you’re using a snowman theme in your classroom, your students will love this fun book about a snowman who can’t stop sneezing because he’s so cold!
Sneezy decides to warm up by drinking hot cocoa, standing by a fire, and even sitting in a hot tub.
Ask your children what they think will happen when Sneezy is exposed to so much heat and they’ll likely guess that he will melt! Follow along to see how the children in the story build Sneezy again.
10. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Last on my list of picture books about snow is a fun one that takes students along to learn about animals living under the snow.
This is a great choice if you’re studying hibernation or animals in snowy climates. Children will love learning about the caves, tunnels, and burrows found under the snow that animals use to stay warm and dry.
This book is filled with fun facts and interesting illustrations that students will love.
Using Picture Books About Snow
Now that you’ve seen a list of my favorites, you might be wondering how to use these in your classroom. As with all of my lessons, I’m a big fan of using thematic teaching.
Choosing a few central themes per month and planning your read-alouds, centers, and other activities will help create a simple framework for lesson planning!
I like to use these picture books about snow along with my All About Winter teaching unit.
This huge resource is packed with writing activities, math and literacy centers, mini-readers, science activities, crafts, and more!
All of the activities use a theme of winter weather, polar bears, and penguins making them a great choice to use alongside these picture books about snow.
Try a Winter Reading Challenge
Another fun way to use these books is with my Winter Reading Challenges!
These are a new twist on a traditional reading log that uses thematic elements and fun prompts to encourage students to read.
Each reading challenge includes prompts like “Read under a cozy blanket fort.” and “Read by the light of a flashlight.” Children will choose 1 space per day and color in a square as they go. The idea is to fill the whole log before the month ends!
There are 2 pre-filled options included in the resource with 15 spaces and 31 spaces to meet a variety of needs.
There are even editable options too, so you can add your own, fun winter prompts! Check them out here to get your kiddos excited about these books about snow!
More Picture Books About Snow
I hope this list offered some inspiration and a jumping-off point when planning your snowy winter lesson plans! If you’re anything like me, it’s likely you can’t pick a favorite! But no worries, when it comes to books, I always say, “The more, the merrier!”. I have plenty more favorites to share on my Amazon book list here. Check it out if you’re looking for even more favorites to add to your collection!
Here are a few more posts with some other book lists in case you’re looking for books with other winter themes:
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