Winter reading: for the littles

We missed our visit to celebrate Solstice with our DC friends last week thanks to a nasty last-minute cold that swept through our household (and infected most of our extended family -- sorry, guys). Luckily, we were feeling much better by Christmas and had a blast at home (and we hope that you did, too.)

We did manage to celebrate the longest night of the year with a roaring fire and some winter-themed books. Here are a few of our favorites.

Northern Lullaby by Nancy White Carlstrom: This book was a random thrift store find and a fast favorite. It's one of the ones we come back to again and again year round but love especially to read by the fire on chilly nights. The illustrations of Native Alaskan imagery and the spare prose are haunting -- in the best way. We've read it so many times that I can recite most of the book from memory, and do, some nights, while putting Anouk to bed. "Goodnight, Sister Owl! Quiet your cry."

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft: This book is perfect for the scientific-minded kid who wonders what different animals do during the long, cold months of winter. From butterflies, who migrate, to woodchucks, who hibernate, to bats, some of which hang around all year, this book features drawings of habitats and clear, concise answers to questions about how real animals live in the wild.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt: Sort of a flip side to Animals in Winter, White Snow, Bright Snow tells of how different types of people -- postman, policeman, schoolchildren, farmer and his wife -- deal with an impending snowstorm. They get new boots, they stock up on cough syrup, and (because this book was originally published in the 1940s) they do old-fashioned-type things like mix up mustard plasters to ward off chest colds. The language is clear and vivid and descriptive: "Automobiles looked like big fat raisins buried in snowdrifts. Houses crouched together, their windows peeking out from under great white eyebrows." And I love the vintage illustrations of village life in winter. 

Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett: A favorite from my own childhood -- my sister K. and I were obsessed with this book growing up. I think we love it so much because the heroine, Treva, doesn't need any help in outsmarting a band of mountain trolls to protect her dog, Tuffi -- she does it through a lot of quick thinking and hard work. Another reason might be the beautiful illustrations of the snowy Norwegian landscape and traditional clothing (K. visited Norway a week after A. was born and brought her back an authentic "Trouble with Trolls" dress -- she wore it in our Christmas card photo on the beach this year).

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats: A little boy named Peter steps out of his apartment building and spends the day exploring the snowy city streets. He finds a stick, makes snow tracks, and puts a snowball in his pocket to try to keep the fun from ending. The Snowy Day won the Caldecott medal in 1963, and has the honor of being one of the first childrens' books to feature an African-American child as the main character. (To read a little more about the story behind this groundbreaking book, click here).

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen: Another childhood favorite, about a girl and her father, who go off in search of a Great Horned Owl on a cold winter's night. Along the way they are watched by quiet animals -- deer, fox, fieldmouse -- moving through the dark woods. The enture story is illsutrated from an "owls-eye view" from above, a neat trick that helped Owl Moon win the 1988 Caldecott.

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Have you and your kids read any of these books? What did you think of them? Do you have any wintertime book recommendations you'd like to share? We are always on the lookout for new favorites.