25 Cozy Snow Day Picture Books You'll Love Snuggling Up To

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25 Cozy books to read with your little one on a snowy day, handpicked by a librarian

Reading books to your little one is one of the best ways to spend a snow day. Snuggle up with your little one, settle in somewhere comfy, and take a peek at these cozy snow day books.

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Whether you’re looking for beautiful illustrations, extra cozy vibes to match your cozy day, a book that will teach your little one about winter wildlife, a book to celebrate the first snow of the season, a good laugh, or a book to inspire wonder, there’s something for everyone here.

For a similar list of snow day Board Books books for younger readers, check out Snow Day Board Books.

winter wildlife learning
first snow
funny

wonder

Beautifully Illustrated

1. The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear

A beautiful, imaginative tale of a boy and his sled (“Boggan”) who accompanies him through the forest in search of a “wish tree.” Charles and Boggan help forest animals along the way and in the end, find a magical tree to wish on and celebrate over a magical woodland feast with all the forest creature friends they met and helped along the way. Through enchanting illustrations and soft colors, this one celebrates the power of imagination.

2. Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

This rhyming tale about choosing a tree in the forest to take home and decorate is gorgeously and intricately illustrated. After bringing home the tree, a family invites over some friends to help decorate with them. At the end of the book, there is a pop-up of the tree brilliantly decked out in all its glory, with the people watching in awe. It celebrates the magic of holiday traditions and seeing the tree lit up for the first time after turning off the lights.

3. Ella’s Night Lights by Lucy Fleming

Enchanting illustrations and simple lyrical rhymes depict a moth girl named Ella and her magical wintry nighttime forest romps. Ella gathers moonlight to share with her nocturnal woodland friends, helping them through their fears. Her friends work together in the end to help Ella.

A girl and her bear friend spread kindness to their forest friends who need some uplifting. Bear is sad because the other forest animals are afraid of him due to his size, so they show the other animals through kindness what a friendly bear he is. In the end, they find that kindness is a gift that comes from the heart.

Cozy Vibes

5. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (also available as Board Book)

A heartwarming tale of a boy who befriends a sad penguin and learns a lesson about friendship. The boy tries to help his sad penguin friend by bringing him back home to the South Pole by boat. After sailing the open seas and dropping the penguin off at the South Pole. The boy realizes his penguin friend was just lonely, and finds his penguin friend once again.

6. The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett

Hedgie the Hedgehog loves winter and doesn’t want to hybernate this year and miss out on all the fun! He tries his best to stay awake this year, but accidentally falls asleep outside. A girl finds him, thinking he is frozen stiff, and takes him inside to warm up. He cozies up in the window sill and watches his friends have wintry fun outside.

7. Flannel Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan

A cozy peek at a family enjoying winter activities. Throughout the book, there’s a contrast of cold and warm woven together as the family leaves their warm flannel sheets to play in the snow, and then come back inside to warm up by the fire with steamy mugs of hot cocoa and stew. It depicts the childhood joy of playing in the snow and then warming up inside together as a family.

8. My Pillow Keeps Moving by Laura Gehl

A funny, adorable story of a man who intends to buy a pillow but accidentally leaves with a dog instead. He tries to use the pup as a pillow, but it must be broken because it keeps moving! Dog lovers will eat this one up.

9. Blanket: Journey to Extreme Coziness by Loryn Brantz

This is the picture of coziness, and absolutely perfect for snuggling up in your blanket inside on a cold snowy day. A child, wrapped up in a blanket like a cocoon, teaches us about caterpillars in their cocoons and how, much like caterpillars, we can make our own warm and safe cocoons out of blankets. The child teaches us to be ourselves both inside and outside of our safe little cocoons we make.

10. Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler

Beautiful, soft, intricate watercolor illustrations show a family moving into a little shack in the woods and making it their home. It shows the home throughout the seasons and how they’ve turned it into their own by restoring it, planting a garden, falling in love with the nature surrounding it, chopping wood for fire, canning picked berries from the woods, sewing , learning to read, and creating a family farm together. It’s not about winter per say, but rather an extra cozy book about family bonding and creating a home together. **Trigger warning: mention in the very beginning about death of the father, which is the reason they have to find a new home.

Winter Wildlife Learning

For more books about nature and the outdoors, check out this list.

11. The Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer (also available as Board Book)

Beautiful illustrations depict a fox wondering through a wintry forest asking his friends what to do to prepare for winter. As he passes by each of his woodland friends, they tell him how to prepare for winter based on what they do, but he says “that won’t do for me.” Finally he finds another fox who he can relate to, and the story ends with the foxes dancing in the snow.

12. Once Upon a Winter Day by Liza Woodruff

A boy goes on a nature walk through the snowy forest and finds things animals have left behind, such as feathers, fallen evergreen sprigs, bones, and tracks. In the end, the boy tells his mom a story about everything he learned. Gorgeous illustrations show wildlife by name (red squirrel, white-tailed deer, Cedar waxwings, etc.).

13. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Did you know “owling” was a thing? Me either, but it’s now it’s on my winter activity bucket list. A lyrical tale that paints a wondrous picture of a child and father who go owling in the snow one wintry night. They hear night sounds like trains and farm dogs and call to Great Horned Owls. They have to be very quiet, patient, and brave, and eventually they see their owl. It’s a story full of hope.

For more books about nature and the Great Outdoors, check out this list

14. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

Pretty illustrations show a father and child skiing down a mountain slope and passing by wildlife. The illustrations show what’s happening above and beneath the snow as creatures burrowing for winter, taking a peak at what the author calls the “Secret Kingdom Under the Snow.”

First Snow of the Season

15. First Snow by Bomi Park

A quiet tale of a child who wakes up at night to the first snow of the winter. The child puts on her winter gear, sneaks out of the house, and builds a snowman beneath the stars with her accompanying puppy. The girl and her puppy pass woodland animals and come across a magic opening where there are lots of other kids playing in the snow. The illustrations are black and white, save for her red scarf.

16. First Steps, First Snow by Harriet Hodgson

A book about the magic and wonder of taking those first steps into fresh snow, the first snow of the year. Siblings take a walk through a snowy, wintry night and spot woodland creatures enjoying the snow. Gentle rhyming throughout adds to the serenity of this book.

Funny

17. I Wish It Would Snow by Sarah Dillard

A cute, goofy little story about a bunny who desperately wants it to snow! However, when it finally snows, it snows TOO much. Luckily, the snow melts and it’s just right for sledding…until it melts TOO much.

18. The Mitten by Jan Brett (also available as Board Book)

This is a classic Jan Brett story, perfect for winter, and my personal favorite of hers. Gorgeous snowy illustrations of winter wildlife depict a hoard of animals who take shelter in a warm cozy mitten. Kids love this one, and it’s hilarious for parents the end. Fun fact: this book taught my daughter to “fake sneeze,” which became quite the party trick of hers.

19. The Hat by Jan Brett (also available as Board Book)

The Hat is a companion book to The Mitten. Hedgie the Hedgehog gets a stocking stuck on his head and funny antics ensue as he tries to get it off. All the forest animals laugh at Hedgie, but he gets the last laugh in the end. This one is SO cute.

20. There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow! by Lucille Colandro

A goofy rhyming book about a woman swallowing various winter things (snow, coal, sticks, pipes, her scarf (“she tried not to barf”)). She hiccups everything up in the end and it all comes out in the form of–you guessed it–a snowman. Part of the There Was an Old Lady series.

21. A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson

Pretty, cheery illustration juxtapose a grumpy tortoise who hates winter and is just trying his darndest to nap but all the forest animals keep waking him up with their antics. Beaver knocks down the tree he’s sleeping in, squirrel throws snowballs at him, etc. He finally finds peace and solitude and a quiet place to nap, but realizes it’s on a sled when he starts to slide down a hill. He surprises himself with absolute joy at this whole sledding thing, and decides he likes winter after all.

22. Hockey in the Wild by by Nicholas Oldland

Hockey lovers will really appreciate this one, but it’s a cute read for all little ones. Silly illustrations of wildlife partaking in relatable winter activities make this one a fun read.

Full of Wonder

23. Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper

Famous illustrator Kenard Pak shows us the wonder of snow and paying attention to the world when it goes quiet. A girl travels to her grandma’s house and hears all the different sounds snow makes along the way, such as when it falls off the tree, crunches beneath her boots, etc. It also shows the girl making grape leaves, a Mediterranean dish, with her grandmother and how the traditions of making food with family are special bonding occasions.

24. When the Snow Falls by Linda Booth Sweeney

Simple rhymes and enchanting illustrations evoke the childhood wonder of playing in the snow and listening to all the wintery noises outside. This one encourages mindfulness and enjoying all of the things that come with playing in the snow.

25. Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealy

A rhyming tale with soft, pretty illustrations about the magic that can be found on a snowy day when the power goes out. A family takes the black out as an opportunity to unplug, unwind, and spend time together by camping out in the living room. It shows how these occasions can bring people together and create a snow globe feeling of a peaceful winter wonderland.

Comment below if you have another snow day favorite not found on this list. Subscribe for more book lists this!