15 Winter Picture Books for Kids (Diverse Picks)

These winter picture books are perfect for reading aloud to kids when everyone is snuggled up with a cup of hot apple cider and a plate of gingersnaps. 

Even if you live in the desert I bet you find it so comforting and magical to look at children's books filled with snowy landscapes! Whether you favorite winter activities are ice skating and sledding, or building snowmen and snow forts, these titles will inspire your kids to actually bundle up and go outside!

So read aloud to your children during the short winter days and long winter nights. Because before you know it, spring will be here, and you'll be checking out one of these spring family read alouds!

(Note: book covers and titles are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

The Magical Snowflake by Bernette Ford, illustrated by Erin Robinson. Ori and her friends eagerly await the arrival of snow so they can build snowmen, throw snowballs and enjoy wintery white fun. Then, a single, magical snowflake begins the transformation of the community, culminating in the cheerful wishes of a "merry winter."

MORE: Picture books about snow

Winter: A Solstice Story by Kelsey E. Gross, illustrated by Renata Liwska. In this beautifully illustrated selection, the animals of the woods gather to share a story of hope, kindness and friendship on the longest night of the year.

I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan. When a boy wakes up with the excitement of fresh snow he jumps at the chance to build the best snowman ever! As he gets ready to go outside he declares his intentions again and again. Enthusiastically, he perseveres and although when readers are presented with the best snowman ever, their opinions may differ. But their smiles will be big.

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Park. Two children go for a walk to explore nature as they experience the transition from fall to winter. The see animals preparing for the cold, the trees dropping all of their leaves. Back at home and snuggled safe in their beds the snow begins to fall and upon waking they rediscover the landscape, this time blanketed in snow.

MORE: Picture books to inspire a love of nature

Cold Snap by Ellen Spinelli, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. The days are getting colder and colder, the icicles getting longer and longer. The people of the town are getting fed up with the frigid weather! But then, the whole community gets together for a winter surprise orchestrated by the mayor's wife.

A Perfect Day. Carin Berger's concise text about a sublime day of snowy play is paired with creative collage illustrations. It's hard to beat this joyful winter picture book depicting a diverse group of children frolicking in a winter wonderland.

Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. I know, it sounds crazy to set up a lemonade stand in the snow, but these young entrepreneurs will not be dissuaded. Your kids will be singing a catchy little tune, setting up their own stand and counting their change by the time you finish reading.

The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi. Kikko follows her father through the woods with a pie that her father has forgotten on the way to grandmother's house. Along the way she stops for a tea party with the woodland animals. The real star of this winter picture book is the illustrations.

MORE: Books about Tea Parties

The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming is a fun diverse winter picture book to add to your preschool bookshelf. Fleming's signature torn paper collage illustration sparkle in this cumulative tale about a boy joyfully building a snowman.

Iguanas in the Snow: And Other Winter Poems / Iguanas en la Nieve: Y Otros Poemas de Invierno by Francisco X. Alarcón is a bilingual collection of poems, part of a four book series spanning the seasonal year. Each short, free verse poem is in both Spanish and English, presenting snapshots of a diverse group of children enjoying wintery life to the fullest.

MORE: Winter Poetry for Kids

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. What can I say about this wonderful classic winter picture book? If by some chance you haven't already read it to your kids, rectify that error immediately!

Immi's Gift by Karin Littlewood. This is a lovely story about how people in distant locations can still be connected, and how when it is winter one place, it's not winter in another! Immi goes fishing and pulls out a little wooden bird on her line. She gets a new surprise every day which connects her to a faraway boy on a sunny beach.

MORE: Books about the Northern Lights

When This World Was New by D H Figueredo, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. Danilito and his family have immigrated to the United States from their warm Caribbean home. The family faces common anxieties of moving to a new country such as the search for work, learning a new language and adapting to new customs. When it begins to snow, their anxieties are suspended. The novelty of snowfall for the first time lifts up everyone's spirit and fills them with the hope of new beginnings.

Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright. Avi lives in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem and Hamudi in the Muslim quarter. Unbeknownst to each other, they each take care of the same white cat which has been travelling between the two homes. When the cat disappears, each boy worries. Avi ends up following the cat's trail to Hamudi's home. When they meet, the boys bicker over ownership. However, when a rare snowfall begins in Jerusalem, the boys put aside their differences to look for the cat.

Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee. I love this little book about a girl following tracks in the snow. I can recite the rhythmic text almost from memory I read it so many times!