Christina Dendy
- Dec 18, 2020
- 4 min read

Wonderful Winter Reads

Updated: Feb 3, 2021

So, admittedly, I'm a little late with this. It's been that kind of year. Here's hoping I'm not too late for you to get some good winter reads in.

First, I posted a long list of seasonal and holiday picture books last year, so if you don't see something to cozy up to here, check out my previous Winter Picture Books blog.

Next, I know I won't hit every awesome and gorgeous winter-esque book here. These are just some of our new and older favorites, which I've been posting in some other venues. I'll try to group them in a reasonable way.

How about a trailer for one of our favorites, Wolf in the Snow, by Matthew Cordell

Seasonal and Solstice Board and Picture Books

The Tomten and the Fox, retold and illustrated by Astrid Lindgren

Bear and Wolf, written and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

Snow and Dusk, written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz

Extra Yarn, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klasses

Before Morning, written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes

The Shortest Day, written by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis

Cozy, written and illustrated by Jan Brett

Brett has too many wonderful winter books to list here, but this is her most recent one. Other favorites include The Mitten and The Hat. Our absolute favorite Brett winter book is The Trouble with Trolls.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of the Snowy Day, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

The Winter Solstice, written by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis

Snowballs, written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert

The Tea Party in the Woods, written and illustrated by Akiko Miyakoshi

Winter Candle, written by Jeron Frame, illustrated by Stacey Schuett

The Snowman, illustrated by Raymond Briggs

Grandmother Winter, written by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Blizzard, written and illustrated by John Rocco

Snowflake Bentley, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian

Owl Moon, written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr

Mice Skating, written by Annie Silvestro, illustrated by Teagan White

A Winter Walk in the City, written by Cathy Goldberg Fishman, illustrated by Melanie Hall

Wintery, Seasonal and Holiday Chapter, MG and YA Books

Greenglass House, written by Kate Milford, illustrated by Jaime Zollars

The Girl Who Saved Christmas, written by Matt Haig, illustrated by Chris Mould

The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu

Dead Voices (sequel to Small Spaces, which makes an excellent autumn read), by Katherine Arden

A Christmas Carol, unabridged, by Charles Dickens

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, the Subtle Knife, the Amber Spyglass, written by Philip Pullman

The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey

Mr. Popper's Penguins, by Robert Lawson and Florence Atwater

The Snow Bear, written by Holly Webb, illustrated by Simon Mendez

Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail, written by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illustrated by Marc Simont

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, written by C.S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes

When the Moon Comes, written by Paul Harbridge, illustrated by Matt James

Winterhouse, written by Ben Guterson, illustrated by Chloe Bristol

The Snow Queen, original story by Hans Christian Anderson, retold bySarah Lowes, illustrated by Miss Clara, narrated by Xanthe Gresham Knight

The Call Of The Wild and White Fang, by Jack London

Winterfrost, by Michelle Houts

Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls/Shiver Series #1), by Maggie Stiefvater

How about a story read aloud from Brightly?

Holiday Board and Picture Books

The Tree That's Meant to Be, written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer

Red and Lulu, written and illustrated by Matt Tavares

The Night Before Christmas, written by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Douglas Gorsine (our favorite version)

Together for Kwanzaa, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger, illustrated by Juwanda G. Ford

The Magic Dreidels : A Hanukkah Story, written Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Katya Krenina

Always Together at Christmas, written by Sara Sargent, illustrated by Mark Chambers

Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, written and illustrated by Selina Alko

The Wish Tree, written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Chris Turnham

Hanukkah Bear, written by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

The Legend of the Poinsettia, retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Emma Randall

Brave Irene: A Picture Book, written and illustrated by William Steig

Meet the Latkes, written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, written and illustrated by Robert Berry

Zigazak!: A Magical Hanukkah Night, written by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Jon Goodell

Madeline's Christmas, written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans

The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats

My First Chanukah, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Santa Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Little Blue Truck's Christmas, written by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry

Hanukkah, written by Bonnie Bader, illustrated by Joanie Stone

The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumer Godden and Barbara Cooney

The Night Tree, written by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Rand

And a peek into the making of one of our favorite holiday picture books, The Gift of Nothing, by Patrick McDonnell:

Adult Seasonal Reads

The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle, by Joanne Huist Smith

Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice, by Susan Pesznecker

Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson

Mr. Dickens and His Carol, by Samantha Silva

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

What's more winter than "winter is coming" at Winterfell? If you haven't read it yet, try Game of Thrones, the first book in George R. R. Martin's now infamous series ... yet to be completed!

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, by Jon Krakauer

Hercule Poirot's Christmas, by Agatha Christie