Variations on a Theme: Snow

There's snow on the ground! I woke up to a world covered in white and decided to celebrate by posting children's books about snow and wintery things. Cause, honestly, who doesn't want to turn back into a child when they see snow on the ground? There's just something about the glittery, white stuff that makes us want to go sledding, throw snowballs, and drink hot coca.

More pretty flakes please!

Snow
Cynthia Rylant

Cynthia Rylant’s lyrical descriptions of the sights and feelings evoked by falling snow blend gorgeously with the rich and beautiful world created by Lauren Stringer’s illustrations, in which a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother enjoy the many things a snowy day has to offer.

Snow
Uri Shulevitz

No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations. As snowflakes slowly come down, one by one, people in the city ignore them, and only a boy and his dog think that the snowfall will amount to anything. 

Eric Carle

It's December 24th, and the old farmer settles down for a winter's nap, wondering how Christmas can come when there is no snow! It is in his dream that he imagines a snowstorm coming and covering him and his animals—named One, Two, Three, Four and Five—in a snowy blanket. But when the farmer awakens, he finds that it has really snowed outside, and now he remembers something! Putting on his red suit, he goes outside, puts some gifts under the tree for his animals, and presses a button near a Christmas tree, creating a most surprising musical treat for children everywhere.

Valerie Bodden 

This book is a welcome addition to the early education science curriculum. As part of "Our Wonderful Weather" series, this book explains, in elementary terms, what snow is and how it forms. One of the most stunning photographs is that of a snowflake less than half an inch across, which will delight young readers. The book explains the role of meteorologists, who try to predict the path of a snowstorm with the aid of radar and satellites. The book points out, however, that scientists only need a ruler to measure how much snow has fallen. At the end of the book there is a simple experiment, using some common kitchen utensils, which youngsters can perform to demonstrate how ice, liquid, and vapor form.

Margaret and H.A. Rey

George and the man with the yellow hat enjoy watching the winter sports competition. When they stop to warm up with some cocoa, George's curiosity about the racing equipment leads to some wild rides up and down the slopes. He creates quite a stir at the resort, and may even create a new sport! A curious monkey causes quite a commotion on the ski slopes. 

Ezra Jack Keats 

Waking up to a world of snowy white-what could be better? Young peter can't wait to jump in his snowsuit and run out to explore. There are snowmen to build snowballs to pack, mountains to climb and snowbanks to collapse in-to carve a snow angel! And when the day is done, there's a dark night of dreams and drifting snow, and a new snowy day to awake to. No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal. The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.


Other Snowy Children's Books
Clifford's First Snow Day - Norman Bridwell
Rabbit's Snow Dance - James Bruchac
Snow Friends - M. Christina Butler
Katy & The Big Snow - Virginia Burton
Let it Snow - Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Snow - P.D. Eastman
It's Snowing! - Gail Gibbons
Snow! Snow! Snow! - Lee Harper
Snow Day! - Lester L. Laminack
Snow Globe Family - Jane O'Connor
Snow Puppy - Marcus Pfister
The Snow Day - Komako Sakai
Snow Party - Harriet Ziefert

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