12 awesome books about snow!

I love winter.  I also love spring, summer and fall - somehow by the time each season comes around, I'm ready for it again.  I love all the fun things each season brings: snow, green leaves and flowers, long lazy days, brightly colored leaves... so welcome winter!

This month the KinderFriends are bringing you some of our favorite books (you'll want to blog hop and check this out!),

and I guess I have snow on the mind, because I started pulling out my snow books, and... well, sure enough, I have some favorites!  Who doesn't?!

 I have to start with Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, one of my all time favorite authors, and all time favorite books.  I love her collage style illustrations, how she uses photos of real objects, plus paper crafted details!  She also does a marvelous job of using items from world cultures: amongst the items included in this book you'll find a Bolivian hat, Peruvian sock, African kente cloth, a Guatemalan purse, English silk tie, and a Thai applique heart.  The story stands alone, but so do the illustrations, and you could spend a long time searching for all the amazing little details Ehlert has included.  I'll be reading this book to the children later this week!

You can't have a list of snow books without the classic The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats.

The little boy in the book, Peter, discovers snow, and explores it thoroughly.  It almost makes me want to go play in the snow too!  I found a cute follow up art activity via pinterest, and drew some silhouettes of Peter to use in it.  I've scanned it, and you can grab it free here.

The "snow" in the picture is a mix of about half paint and half shaving cream, spread around with my fingers.  Your kiddos can add foot prints or lines from a stick, just like Peter did in the story!

While you are reading about snow, how about some snow themed learning activities?  I recently finished Snow: STEAM learning, which includes 6 activities for science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).

Here are some of more of my favorite snow themed stories:
The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: a wordless book that will have your children reading the pictures and telling the story.
Let's Go Home, Little Bear, by Martin Waddell: little bear is scared of the unfamiliar sounds he hears while walking in the snow, but the real focus is on the loving relationship between big bear and little bear.  This is one to snuggle up and read with your own children, but will also be loved for group story time.
I Have to Go!, by Robert Munsch: What can I say, Robert Munsch totally understands children, and if you ever were a child, or have parented someone who is toilet training, this is hilarious!
50 Below Zero, by Robert Munsch: While you're looking for Robert Munsch books, grab this one too!
Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner: This lovely book imagines the reason why snowmen sometimes look a little worn around the edges in the morning - surely it's not just the weather, what have they been doing?
Stranger in the Woods, by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick: The authors/photographers spent many winters feeding and photographing forest animals, and turned their amazing photos into an award winning picture book.  You'll want to have birdseed on hand after reading this book, so your children can leave it out for the critters that live near you.
Snowy, Flowy, Blowy, by Nancy Tafuri: In just 24 words Tafuri sums up the months and seasons of a year.  Illustrated beautifully, this deceptively simple book is wonderful for starting conversations about the seasons and weather.

Now, for even more favorite stories, hop on over to Pocket Full of Centers!