Winter Books for Homeschool Families

Gather around the fire and snuggle up with these captivating winter books that the whole family can enjoy. Be sure to have your hot cocoa prepared as you cozy up and read these stories with your family. Are there little ones in your home? We have a compilation of winter-themed picture books galore. From poetry to classic picture books, your young ones will be asking you to read these over and over again. Take a break from the usual routine and set aside some time to read and simply spend time with the family. Are you looking for read-alouds for kids of all ages? Check out our list of winter chapter books, perfect for cold, winter months. These heart-warming stories will be sure to warm you up on a cold and chilly day! From The Long Winter to The Boxcar Children you are bound to find the perfect winter story for each reader in your family.

The winter is the perfect time to take a step back from the norm and work on some winter-themed unit studies. Maybe you want to keep doing what you are doing but want to add a book report in for one child or a lapbook for another. Now is the perfect time to add in a few of those extras!

Picture Books

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin is an award-winning picture book following Bentley, a photographer and scientist determined with all his might to capture the wonder of snowflakes for all the world to see.

Celebrate winter with Robert Frost’s Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening. Your children will be whisked away into the wintry scene that Frost paints with his award-winning and captivating poetry.

Follow a variety of woodland animals as they discover and explore a mysterious mitten in the woods with The Mitten with incredible illustrations by the beloved Jan Brett. 

Children learn the process of creating a garment out of wool as Charlie, from Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola, shears the sheep, cards the wool, and spins it until he has the material needed to create a beautiful new cloak!

Hearing the sound of an owl at night never gets old. I love when my children run in the house sharing their excitement when they hear the infamous hoot of an owl! Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is an entertaining story for kids of all ages.

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton is an adorable story of perseverance and usefulness as Katy helps the townspeople throughout the different seasons.

Follow the cute little girl in Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Lee to find out where the mysterious tracks outside her window came from! Young children love to snuggle up and get lost in the rhyming text found in this adorable story! 

The Log Cabin Quilt by Ellen Howard is a sweet story about how the children of one family are determined to preserve the memory of their beloved mother regardless of any challenges they may face.

The collections of poems in Winter Poems by Barbara Rogasky provides seasonal works from twenty-five celebrated writers including William Shakespeare, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Robert Frost, and Richard Wright.

One of the joys of homeschooling is the fact that we can celebrate relationships with grandparents. Our children can spend time with the elderly in a wide variety of ways. The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy focuses on these special bonds.

As the woodland animals prepare for winter, it is the wise owls who predict when the big snow will occur. The Big Snow by Berta Hader is perfect for young learners and adults alike.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic winter tale that follows a young boy and his experience with a fun, snowy day. Kids always laugh when they see him try to bring a snowball home in his pocket only to find that it mysteriously disappears by the next morning!

The Story of Snow by Jon Nelson looks at photographs from a nature photographer and snow scientist, perfect for young inquisitive minds.

Be captivated by the incredible illustrations found in Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett. Her illustrations always bring her stories to life, and Three Snow Bears is no different! This polar bear adventure is a fun twist on the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears!

Chapter Books

Little House on the Prairie: The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a perfect read-aloud for the whole family. Of course, if you have an avid reader in the home, this story is sure to keep them on their toes as they follow the Ingalls family’s experience during a long and challenging winter.

The classic story of Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner is one that is difficult to forget. This is an on-the-edge-of-your-seat story about a boy and the National Dogsled Race with unforgettable twists and turns of events.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George is about an Eskimo girl lost in the Alaskan tundra. This unique survival story follows a young girl who is brave and determined when she finds herself in a difficult situation.

The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman is an unusual mystery surrounding bears and the required consumption of bear liver in one particular town. What happens this year during the traditional events? The kids take over. Middle school kids enjoy trying to find out why and how these events transpired.

The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig is an award-winning account of true events occurring in 1941. As a family is swept away for the accusation of being capitalists by Russians, this story is an eye-opening read for children ages ten and up about not only the realities of this time period but the perseverance and strength that families such as this one had in the midst of it. 

Do your children love The Boxcar Children series as much as mine do? The Boxcar Children: Snowbound Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner is another wonderful mystery perfect for a snowbound day!

The Poet’s Dog by Patricia MacLachlan focuses on a sweet dog and how it responds to the loss of its owner. Will he find anyone to help him cope? Will there be anyone to listen?

Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan is the third book in the Sarah, Plain and Tall series. Once a mysterious man is found in the barn everyone gets excited, except for Jacob. Will he let go of his bitterness? What causes his change of heart?

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater is a fun read for children of all ages. The whimsical way that this story is presented leaves readers wanting more!