10 wonderful winter reads!
Winter Tales: Folk Stories From Around the World by Dawn Casey
Illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk
A treasury of stories celebrating the wonders of winter, and the qualities within that warm our hearts through the long cold. This stunning book brings together a selection of wintery tales from all over the world - from North America to Siberia, Scotland, France, Russia and Norway. Written by award-winning author Dawn Casey and with beautifully detailed artwork by illustrator Zanna Goldhawk, this is a magical book to be treasured for generations to come.
A Poem for Every Winter Day edited by Allie Esiri
Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with all the family, this book dazzles with an array of familiar favourites and remarkable new discoveries. These seasonal poems – together with introductory paragraphs – have a link to the date on which they appear.
Includes poems by Mary Oliver, Edgar Allan Poe, Thomas Hardy, E. E. Cummings and Robert Burns who sit alongside Benjamin Zephaniah, Wendy Cope, Roger McGough and Jackie Kay. This soul-enhancing book will keep you company for every day of winter.
Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O'Farrell
Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini
Have you ever woken up suddenly, in the middle of the night, without knowing why?
Best-selling and award-winning storyteller Maggie O'Farrell weaves an extraordinary and compelling modern fairy tale about the bravery of a little girl and the miracle of a snowy day.
Flower Fairies of the Winter by Cicely Mary Barker
Relive the magic of Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies of the Winter with this beautiful new edition - the perfect gift. Since the publication of Cicely Mary Barker's first book in 1923, the Flower Fairies have been ethereal companions to readers around the world. Her charming poetry and delicate illustrations have sparked the imaginations of children for over ninety years and continue to inspire a lifelong love for fairies and all things magical.
The Good Bear by Sarah Lean
Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
A wintry animal story for readers aged 9+ that will warm your heart and take you on an adventure you will never forget.
When Thea arrives in Norway to spend the Christmas holidays with her distant dad and his new family, everything feels... wrong. Then Thea makes a surprising discovery. Deep in the snowy woods by the house, is a bear. He’s scared and hungry and he desperately needs Thea’s help.
Thea needs to show everyone that he’s not dangerous – he’s a good bear – if she’s to save him.
There May Be a Castle by Piers Torday
When Mouse Mallory is involved in a car accident he wakes, he finds himself in a magical landscape, with only a talkative sheep and a very bossy horse for company, and they tell him: this is your story now.
So begins Mouse's extraordinary quest through a world of wonder. A world of monsters, minstrels, dangerous knights and mysterious wizards; a world of terrifying danger but also more excitement than Mouse has ever known. All to find a mysterious castle, somewhere, beyond.
A remarkable story about love, loss and the power of the imagination.
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
Illustrated by Carson Ellis
So the shortest day came, and the year died...
As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again...
Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark illustrated by Ulla Thynell
This collection of 16 traditional tales transports readers to the enchanting world of Nordic folklore. Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, and presented here unabridged, the stories are by turns magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling. They offer a fascinating view into Nordic culture and a comforting wintertime read. Ulla Thynell's glowing contemporary illustrations accompany each tale, conjuring dragons, princesses, and the northern lights.
Snow Tales by Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Michael Foreman
Two beautiful, snowy animal stories, The Rainbow Bear and Little Albatross, by internationally bestselling War Horse author, Michael Morpurgo. Collected together for the first time and featuring Michael Foreman's original stunning illustrations, this is a gem of a book to be enjoyed over and over again.
The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser
Ilustrated by Kate Hindley
On the tip of the top of a mountain all snowy, where the ice-swirling, toe-curling blizzards were blowy, in a herd full of huddling yaks, big and small, lived Gertie . . . the littlest yak of them all.
Gertie is the littlest yak in her whole herd, and she's feeling stuck in her smallness - she wants to grow UP and have bigness and tallness! But when it turns out that there are some things that only Gertie can do, might she come to see that she's perfect, just the way she is?
A rollicking, heartwarming and reassuring story from debut author, Lu Fraser and much-loved illustrator, Kate Hindley.
10 enchanting books on snow!
The Snowflake by Benji Davies
High, high up in the clouds a tiny snowflake is made. Perfectly small, fluffy, crystal and white, it tumbles and bounces inside the cloud. But then she begins to fall…
Exquisitely told and beautifully illustrated, The Snowflake tells the tale of one snowflake and one little girl, both longing for something and looking for their own special place in the world. The Snowflake is an enchanting and timeless winter tale from one of today’s most celebrated picture book stars.
A Thing Called Snow by Yuval Zommer
Fox and Hare were born in spring, grew up in summer, and were best friends by autumn. When winter comes, they can't wait to jump, leap and, bounce in this thing called snow. But what exactly is snow? Join fox and hare on an Arctic journey as they ask all their friends to help them find out.
A charming and classic-feeling Christmas picture book with a heartfelt message about seeing the wonder of the natural world.
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone
Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
You can be late for many things in life, but you should never keep an adventure waiting...
In Griselda Bone's gloomy orphanage, daydreaming is banned, skipping is forbidden and Christmas is well and truly cancelled. But for Phoebe and her sausage dog Herb, is it possible that, just when things seem at their bleakest, magic awaits in the swirling, snow-filled air?
You're Snug With Me by Chitra Soundar
Illustrated by Poonam Mistry
At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen north. "Mama, what lies beyond here?" they ask. "Above us is a land of ice and snow." "What lies beyond the ice and snow?" they ask. "The ocean, full of ice from long ago." And as they learn the secrets of the earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, "You're snug with me."
Snow by Walter de la Mare
Illustrated by Carolina Rabei
As the day draws to a close, a family prepares for Christmas - decorating the tree, hanging stockings by the fire, putting out a plate of mince pies... Outside, the world turns to white.
'No breath of wind, No gleam of sun Still the white snow, Whirls softly down'
A Dot in the Snow by Corrinne Averiss
Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
When little polar bear, Miki, and little girl, Dot, are separated from their mothers, their new found friendship gives them the strength to support each other during the course of a day that will last with them both forever. A gorgeous and poignant story set in a changing and challenging polar landscape, touching gently on important themes about empathy, kindness, and courage.
Snow in the Garden: A First Book of Christmas by Shirley Hughes
This beautiful Christmas anthology contains winter adventures, seasonal poems, festive recipes and easy-to-make craft activities as well as Shirley Hughes' trademark warm and classic illustrations. Whether reading stories and poems to little ones or encouraging them to make beautiful crafts and Christmas treats, this book is the perfect introduction to this very special time of year.
Snow by Sam Usher
Every child loves a snow day - no school and snowball fights galore! But Sam has to wait for his Grandad. Trying to hurry him up, Sam tells Grandad all the other kids have gone to the park... and all the local dogs... and all the zoo animals! Only when they finally arrive does Grandad see Sam was telling the truth - and both of them get stuck in having fun on their snow day!
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean
Illustrated by Laura Barrett
An enchanting picture book retelling of The Snow Queen - a magical, wintery tale of friendship, love and adventure.
Join Gerda on her epic journey to the mysterious, snowy lands of the frozen North. Meeting fairy-tale princesses, talking crows and wise old women with enchanted gardens, on her quest to rescue best friend Kai from the Snow Queen's icy palace.
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.
For more winter wonderful and snowy reads, check out my full bookshop booklist here!