Not every family celebrates the same holiday, but almost every child waits for the first snow. A winter book makes a good gift for anyone, and it keeps working long after the decorations come down, all through January and February.
These books won or were honored by the Caldecott and Newbery juries, plus one from Canada's Governor General's Awards. Some are about the pure joy of snow, some about the hush of a winter night, and a couple are about getting through a hard winter together. Several are nearly wordless, which makes them easy to share with children of any age.
We picked nine, starting with the youngest readers and finishing with a chapter book for 8 to 12.
Winner1963
Ezra Jack Keats
Great for a first winter
Peter wakes up to snow and goes out to explore: footprints, a stick against a tree, a snow angel, and a snowball he saves in his pocket. Ezra Jack Keats' collage pictures won the Caldecott Medal, and the book still captures exactly what a first snow feels like. Best for 1 to 5.
1963 Caldecott Medal winner
Honor1999
Uri Shulevitz
Great for the very young
One snowflake falls, and the grown-ups say it is nothing. A boy and his dog know better. As the flakes keep coming, the gray town turns white and magical. Very few words, lovely to read aloud and a Caldecott Honor Book. Best for 2 to 5.
1999 Caldecott Medal Honor Book
Honor1950
Ruth Krauss
Great for toddlers
Bears, mice, squirrels and snails are asleep in the snow, until they all wake, sniff and run toward something wonderful: the first flower of spring. Ruth Krauss's short text and Marc Simont's pictures made it a Caldecott Honor Book. A perfect book for the end of winter. Best for 1 to 5.
1950 Caldecott Medal Honor Book
John Schoenherr
Great for a child who loves the outdoors
Late one winter night, a child and a father walk into the snowy woods to look for an owl. They must be quiet, and patient, and brave. Jane Yolen's words and John Schoenherr's pictures won the Caldecott Medal. A book about being outside together. Best for 3 to 8.
1988 Caldecott Medal winner
Winner2018
Matthew Cordell
Great for pre-readers
A girl caught in a snowstorm finds a lost wolf pup and carries it home to its pack, and then the wolves help her find her own way home. Almost no words, lots of tension and a warm ending. It won the Caldecott Medal. Best for 3 to 7.
2018 Caldecott Medal winner
Honor1968
Leo Lionni
Great for a little dreamer
While the other mice gather food for winter, Frederick gathers sunshine, colors and words. When the cold, gray days come, it is his stories that keep them going. Leo Lionni's fable about art and community was a Caldecott Honor Book. Best for 3 to 7.
1968 Caldecott Medal Honor Book
Winner2021
Sydney Smith
Great for a city child
A small child walks through a busy city on a snowy day, giving advice to someone who is lost: where to hide, where to find something warm. Only at the end do you understand who they are looking for. Written and illustrated by Sydney Smith, it won Canada's Governor General's Award. Best for 3 to 7.
2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winner
Winner1999
Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Great for a young scientist
The true story of Wilson Bentley, a Vermont farmer who spent his life photographing snowflakes and proved that no two are alike. Mary Azarian's woodcuts won the Caldecott Medal. A gift for a curious child who asks how things work. Best for 5 to 9.
1999 Caldecott Medal winner
Honor1941
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Great for reading aloud on a cold night
Blizzard after blizzard cuts off a small Dakota town for months, and the Ingalls family has to make every scrap of food and fuel last. Part of the Little House series and a Newbery Honor Book. Best read aloud to 7 to 10, or alone by 8 to 12.
1941 Newbery Medal Honor Book
The Snowy Day and Snow are both simple and short. The Happy Day is lovely for the end of winter.
Yes, every book on this list. They are about snow, winter nights and the seasons, so they work for any family.
The Long Winter, from the Little House series, is a gripping read for 8 to 12. Snowflake Bentley suits curious children of 5 to 9.
For holiday picks, see our Christmas books guide and our holiday gift guide with one pick for every age.