Brrr! Get cozy with a good book...

Heading out on my dinner break tonight I was greeted with windy, wet, and chilly weather. The local forecast calls for even chillier temperatures overnight and possible snow tomorrow. All of this blustery weather makes me want to stay indoors and cozy up with a good book. Here are a few of my favorite cold-weather themed books:

In the Snow by Peggy Collins

A little boy has fun playing in the snow with his father as they spot animal tracks, build a huge snowman, and fill the birdfeeder.

The Snow Day by Komako Sakai

A little rabbit enjoys having a day off from kindergarten and spending time with his mother during a snowstorm, but his father's flight home is cancelled until the snow stops falling.

Red Rubber Boot Day by Mary Lyn Ray

 A child describes all the things there are to do on a rainy day.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day. The classic children's snowy story! Check this one out on DVD, too.

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Some children create a family out of snow. Includes labeled pictures of all the items they use, as well as information about how snow is formed.

The Umbrella by Jan Brett

Carlos goes into the cloud forest to look for animals, but he manages to miss seeing them even though they have an adventure with his umbrella.

Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate by Carol Diggory Shields

A grandfather and his grandson enjoy sharing knock-knock jokes, playing games, hot chocolate, watching movies, reading books, playing baseball and just spending time together.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Raindrops & Reading

My last post featured a great new colorful book by Nancy Tafuri - a recommendation for brightening up the dullest of rainy days. As the drizzle continues, why not celebrate the wetness by sharing the joys of rain with these picture books?

The Yellow Umbrella by Jae Soo Liu, music by Dong Il Sheen (Kane/Miller Book Pub., 2002)

This is the story of children making their way to school on a rainy day. This wordless book comes alive when set to the accompanied music cd. A great way to begin a discussion about rain - how it sounds, how it makes us feel, what it looks and feels like. This book is a visual and musical treat!




One Rainy Day by Valeri Gorbachev (Philomel Books, 2002)

When Pig arrives at Goat's house drenched, Goat guesses that Pig got caught in the rain. Goat asks, "why didn't you stop under a tree?" to which Pig responds by explaining that he did, but was joined by several other animals. With so many animals seeking shelter from the rain under the tree, there was no room for Pig! A fun counting book.





Priscilla and the Splish-Splash Surprise by Nathaniel Hobbie (Little Brown, 2006)

Bored after three days of non-stop rain, Priscilla goes outside to perform a rain-stopping dance and meets Posy the Pixie, who shows her the magical land of Primrose and teaches her to appreciate both rain and sunshine. (c. Syndetics)



Soggy Saturday by Phyllis Root (Candlewick Press, 2001)

After a hard rain, the animals on Bonnie Bumble's farm all turn blue. (c. Syndetics)

Great for sharing with toddlers and preschoolers! This is also a fun book for talking about colors.





The Puddle by David McPhail (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1992)

A boy sets out to sail his boat in a puddle and is joined by a frog, a turtle, an alligator, a pig, and an elephant. (c. Syndetics)








Wet World by Norma Simon (Candlewick Press, 1995)

A small girl awakens one morning to find her world wet with rain. She spends the day witnessing the wet world around her - the watercolor illustrations are a great reflection of wetness and the alliteration of the simple text makes a delightful read-aloud. A good choice for rainy day storytimes.




In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest (Candlewick Press 1995)

While mommy and daddy duck love taking walks in the rain, Baby Duck certainly does not. But a stop at Grandpa Duck's house changes Baby Duck's opinion when Grandpa lets him in on a secret. A great read for little ones who are reluctant to changes or those who have close relationships with grandparents - as Grandpa Duck always seems to know just what to say and do!



Big Rain Coming by Katrina Germein (Clarion Books, 1999)

As one dry day follows another in the Australian outback, everyone and everything is waiting for the rain, which seems as though it will never come. Rosie"s kids, the panting dogs, the fat green frogs, and Old Stephen all do what they can to keep cool as they watch for storm clouds on the horizon. Stunningly beautiful full-color artwork and spare text evoke the long wait during the dry season, and the jubilant relief when the long-promised rain finally arrives. (c. Syndetics)


Gugu's House by Catherine Stock (Clarion Books, 2001)

Kukamba loves helping her grandmother decorate her mud home in a dusty Zimbabwe village, but when the annual rains partially destroy all her art work, Kukamba learns to see the goodness of the rains. (c. Syndetics)