Best Children’s Books About Snow (2026): 5 Compared

A snow day is the perfect excuse to reach for the best children’s books about snow, and the right one depends on the child in front of you. We compared five picture books by listed reading age, grade level, page count and what each description says. Every detail below comes from the listings, not from our own reading.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Snowflake Bentley by Martin	9.7/10	Buy
2	The Snow Thief by Hemming	9.7/10	Buy
3	Cold Lady by Colandro	9.7/10	Buy
4	Stopping by Frost	9.6/10	Buy
5	Friendship Snow by Cann	9.6/10	Buy

1

Snowflake Bentley by Martin

Jacqueline Briggs Martin·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page picture book telling the true story of Wilson Bentley, the man who photographed snowflakes, for curious readers ages 4 to 9.

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Pros

• The listing states it won the Caldecott Medal
• Sidebars add biographical detail plus three of Bentley's actual snowflake slides
• A customer-listed reading age of 4 to 9 years and grade level Preschool to 3

Cons

• Published September 28, 1998, an older edition
• Nonfiction sidebars suit curious readers more than story-only readers
• Edition field reads First, so confirm the printing when ordering a gift copy

2

The Snow Thief by Hemming

Alice Hemming·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page picture book in which Squirrel meets snow for the first time, for readers ages 3 to 6 learning about the seasons.

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Pros

• Bonus material explains the changing seasons
• A customer-listed reading age of 3 to 6 years and grade level Preschool to 3
• Published September 3, 2024, a current edition

Cons

• Companion to The Leaf Thief, so fans will want the earlier book too
• Squirrel's anxiety about change may need a grown-up to talk through
• Readers new to Squirrel and Bird start mid-friendship

3

Cold Lady by Colandro

Lucille Colandro·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page rhyming picture book about a cold lady who swallows snow and more, for giggly readers ages 2 to 6.

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Pros

• Part of the There Was an Old Lady series
• A customer-listed reading age of 2 to 6 years and grade level Preschool to 3
• Surprise ending keeps young readers guessing

Cons

• Repetitive cumulative text suits very young readers most
• The swallowing gag repeats across the series, so it may feel familiar
• Published December 1, 2003, an older edition

4

Stopping by Frost

Robert Frost·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page picture-book edition of Robert Frost's poem about a snowy evening, for readers age 3 and up who like quiet winter scenes.

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Pros

• Robert Frost's poem in a picture-book edition with new spreads
• A customer-listed reading age of 3+ years and grade level Preschool to 3
• Susan Jeffers' illustrations add animals to find among the trees

Cons

• A poem, not a story, so plot-seeking readers may stall
• Reissue dated September 24, 2001
• Quiet tone suits bedtime more than rowdy read-alouds

5

Friendship Snow by Cann

Andi Cann·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 63-page picture book about Jojo, a lonely girl who meets a snowman made of magic friendship snow, for readers ages 2 to 7.

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Pros

• 63 pages, the longest book in this roundup
• A customer-listed reading age of 2 to 7 years
• Friendship theme reassures children who struggle to make friends

Cons

• No grade level is stated
• Description leans on a more-than-20,000-readers marketing line
• No publisher is named in the listing

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More picks to compare

• Pete the Cat: Snow DazeSuits shared reading with a child; a My First I Can Read book.Check on Amazon
• Snow by ShulevitzSuits poetic read-alouds; a boy, a dog and a city snowfall.Check on Amazon
• Snow by EastmanSuits early readers ages 3 to 7; a Beginner Book about snow play.Check on Amazon
• A Thing Called SnowSuits families wanting a fox-and-hare first-snowfall story.Check on Amazon
• Curious About SnowSuits curious readers wanting snow science with Smithsonian photos.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a young reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. All five listings give a reading age, marked by Amazon as from customers, and four of the five give a grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best children’s books about snow

Match the age band to the child

Reading ages here run from 2 to 9, all marked as from customers. Snowflake Bentley lists 4 to 9 years with grade level Preschool to 3, while There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow lists 2 to 6 years. When the band is wide, read the description and a sample page first. Browse all picture books for more choices.

Story or information

Snowflake Bentley teaches real snow science through sidebars and photographs, while The Snow Thief and the Cold Lady book are pure story. A child who asks why will prefer the Bentley book’s biographical sidebars and snowflake slides. Our children’s books about turtles list mixes story and fact the same way.

Series or standalone

The Cold Lady book belongs to the There Was an Old Lady series, and The Snow Thief follows The Leaf Thief, so fans will want the earlier books too. Snowflake Bentley, Stopping and The Magic of Friendship Snow stand alone. For a gift, a standalone avoids the follow-up purchase.

Before you buy

• Check the format: four of the five are 32-page picture books; The Magic of Friendship Snow runs 63 pages.
• For a series book, confirm which book of the series the listing sells before you buy.
• Compare the listed reading age with your child’s age, and read the description for themes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good snow book for a 4 year old?

Snowflake Bentley lists a reading age of 4 to 9 years, and The Snow Thief lists 3 to 6 years, both marked as from customers.

Which snow book is nonfiction?

Snowflake Bentley tells the true story of Wilson Bentley, the man who first photographed snowflakes.

Is there a snow book in a series?

Yes. There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow belongs to the There Was an Old Lady series, and The Snow Thief follows The Leaf Thief.

Still deciding? Our top pickSnowflake Bentley by Martin

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Related lists

See every picture books list and all kids and teens lists.

More lists: children’s books about turtles, children’s books about sisters and children’s books about telling the truth.