While winter doesn’t officially hit until Dec. 21, many of us are already experiencing winter weather. And what better way to celebrate the snow flying than with picture books. The following books are some new releases that are sure to get you into the spirit.
Board Books
SNOW! by Leslie Patricelli, Candlewick, Sept. 12, 2023, Board Book, $8.99 (ages 0-3)
Bundle up in snowsuits and boots, and out we go . . . Whump! Right into the fluffy, soft snow. We don’t care! There’s a hill to climb up and sled down, a snowperson to build, and skis to try out. Swish! Then—brrr—inside, please! What better way to warm up than a bubbly tub and a snuggle on the couch to watch the storm? Everyone’s favorite baby joins an adorable pal to revel in a seasonal adventure that will have little listeners eager to explore their own white, wintry world. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
BUNDLE UP, LITTLE PUP, by Dori Elys and Elena Comte, Little Simon, Sept. 12, 2023, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-3)
Is there anything better than waking up next to your furry best friend? Together, child and puppy pals put on their winter gear: jackets to keep warm, boots to protect their feet, and scarves to snuggle into. Then, they’re ready to explore the snowy world outside! —Synopsis provided by Little Simon
WHOSE PRINTS? by Kari Allen and Kim Smith, Little Simon, Sept. 19, 2023, Board Book, $8.99 (ages 0-3)
Go on a snowy adventure through the woods and match animals to their tracks in this beautiful board book with die-cuts throughout!
Who tiptoed across the snow? Who scurried and skittered? Who slink-slink-slinked along? Little readers will love looking at different tracks in the snow and figuring out which animal made each one. —Synopsis provided by Little Simon
Ages 3 and up
THE SNOW MAN: A TRUE STORY, by Jonah Winter and Jeanette Winter, Beach Lane Books, Oct. 3, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 3 and up)
Meet the man living alone in the mountains whose hobby of measuring snowfall led to a global understanding of climate change in this nonfiction picture book from celebrated mother-son team Jonah and Jeanette Winter.
When Billy Barr came to the mountains as a young man, his only companions were a skunk and a pine marten. He needed something to fill the hours. So, he began measuring the snow that fell. Day after day, and year after year, he measured.
As he grew older, he noticed something: the snow was disappearing. It arrived later, melted sooner, and there wasn’t as much of it. He shared his records with a local scientist, who shared them with other scientists, until his measurements were used by scientists all over the world studying climate change. Thanks to his curiosity, groundbreaking data was gathered that still helps us today! —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
Ages 4 and up
SLOWLY SLOWLY, by Toni Yuly, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Sept. 12, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
A persimmon branch takes its time creating a wonderful gift for the community around it in this charming picture book celebrating the beauty that can be found in slowing down.
In this this simple yet stunning picture book, a persimmon tree stretches across every page, changing with the seasons. In the world beyond its branches, a boy and his puppy delight in the wonders they see around them. All the while, the tree is slowly growing, blooming, and creating fruit to be enjoyed. —Synopsis provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
WINTER: A SOLSTICE STORY (THE SOLSTICE SERIES), by Kelsey E. Gross and Renata Liwska, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, Oct. 10, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Tonight is the longest night of the year—solstice is here! Deep in the forest, the dark, cold, and quiet of winter is all around. Owl, Mouse, and Deer all watch the light fades and dark surrounds them, but they have a gift of hope to share with their neighbors. The moon and stars shine down on a lone tree in the forest, and the animals gather around to bask in its light. Winter Solstice arrives as the winter sky brings magic for all to share. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
BRAVE LITTLE BEAR, by Steve Small, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, Oct. 24, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
It’s time for Arlo the bear and his family to leave their winter den and journey to Spring Valley, but he doesn’t feel ready for the big departure from the home he likes just the way it is. Sometimes Arlo wishes he could be brave like his sister, Eva. But when a snowstorm hits and separates the family as they travel through the Great Wood, Arlo finds that being brave when you’re afraid is the bravest brave of all. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
IF I HAD A POLAR BEAR (If I Had A…Series), by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow, Thames & Hudson, Oct. 24, 2023, Hardcover, $15.95 (ages 4-8)
A boldly illustrated bedtime story that imagines what it would be like to have a snuggly and super-strong polar bear for a pet.
If I Had a Polar Bear imagines what it would be like to have a polar bear as a pet. It might be an unconventional choice, but it would be sure to give the best bear hugs . . .
Polar bears are cuddly but they’re also very strong. As marine mammals, they can swim for days at a time―that’s serious perseverance! So, if Santa ever needed help delivering his presents, guess who he would call? Join our funny female protagonist as she wonders, “What would life be like . . . if I had a polar bear?” —Synopsis provided by Thames & Hudson
Ages 7 and up
DO PENGUINS LIKE THE COLD? by Huw Lewis Jones and Sam Caldwell, Thames & Hudson, Oct. 10, 2023, Hardcover, $18.95 (ages 7-10)
Do Penguins Like the Cold? takes readers on a tour of the Southern Hemisphere to meet eighteen species of penguin and to witness the conservation work underway to protect these incredible birds and their native habitats.
By observing penguins firsthand, readers will discover whether penguins truly like the cold, how their diving skills make up for the fact that penguins can’t fly, and how to tell what a penguin had for dinner based on the color of its poo!
Along with zoological facts, field guide Huw Lewis Jones has some helpful tips on how to track penguins’ movements from space, on what prehistoric penguins can tell us about their descendants, and advice on what we can to do help penguins faced with a warming world.
Packed with information about penguins living in Argentina, Australia, Chile, the Galápagos Islands, Namibia, New Zealand, Peru, and South Africa, Do Penguins Like the Cold? also gives readers a hands-on look of what it’s like to work in the wild. —Synopsis provided by Thames & Hudson
WHO WILL MAKE THE SNOW? by Taras Prokhasko (Author), Marjana Prokhasko (Author, Illustrator), Jennifer Croft (Translator), Boris Dralyuk (Translator), Elsewhere Editions, Dec. 12, 2023, Harcover, $22 (ages 7-11)
The two newest moles in the forest learn to dig themselves out of their comfort zones and experience the boundless, unpredictable world around them—a Social Emotional Learning adventure
Twin moles, Purr and Craw, are born on the first day of spring. The newest members of their woodland world, they’re curious about everything. What is swimming? Why does mother speak French as she makes pancakes? What does father scrawl in his notebook? Do animals live in the sea? Why do grownups eat smelly cheese? How do we get better when we’re sick? What happens when we die?
As they start to grow up, every day is filled with another adventure as they explore the peculiar characters that surround them in the forest. Home is always waiting for them, filled with the clacking of father’s typewriter, the sound of mother playing her upright bass, and the smells of quince jam and medicinal moss brews.
During their adventures outside the home, they learn that the world is sometimes scarier, stranger and more dangerous than it seemed from the pocket of their father’s coat. Each new encounter leaves Purr and Craw a little braver and wiser and with a few extra friends.
Beautifully illustrated with scenes of mischief and discovery by Marjana Prohasko, Who Will Make the Snow? reminds us that the world is always larger and more wonderful than we can see from our own corner of the woods. —Synopsis provided by Elsewhere Editions
Copyright © 2023 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
