It is a snowy day, and Gabo wants to play outside and make new friends, but he does not have appropriate winter clothes. His inventive Mami comes up with a wardrobe solution. Once out, Gabo thinks he cannot play because he does not have a sled. Plus, he is shy. But Gabo learns fun is always possible outside during a snowy day with friendly neighbors, a cat called Misifú, a resourceful Madrina, and a new friend named Isa.
Author: Emma Otheguy
Writing Style: Spanish words, heartwarming, descriptive
Illustrators: Ana Ramírez González
Illustrations: bright colors, diverse, cheery, digital
Themes: making friends, shyness, resourcefulness, Winter, snow day
Publishing Year: 2021
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Ages: 4 – 8
Lexile: 610L
Henry, a boy who lives in an island town, meets a new friend. A polar bear! The friendly polar bear is stranded, so Henry will help him go back to its home. But first, the polar bear needs to eat. And eat he does. He eats so much that he gets too big to move. Henry asks Grandpa for help. Will Henry and Grandpa get the polar bear safely back to his home in the North Pole?
Author-Illustrator: Maria Kristjansdottir
Writing Style: simple, funny, rhythmic
Illustrations: colored pencil drawings, white space, humorous
Themes: friendship, teamwork, polar bears, kindness
Publishing Year: 2020
Publisher: Starfish Bay Children’s Books
Ages: 4 – 8
Lexile: Not Yet Rated
Sofia wakes up to a snow day. When she slides to the park’s soccer field, there is no single set of footprints. So, Sofia dances an entire ballet. That is until a bunch of kids arrives to play in the field. But a beautiful little girl thinks Sofia is a Snow Fairy. Together they show the other kids the abilities of a Snow Dancer.
Author: Addie Boswell
Writing Style: lyrical, joyful, onomatopoeic, descriptive
Illustrator: Mercè López
Illustrations: digital, graphite, acrylic, spirited, full of movement
Themes: snow day, winter, dance, play, imagination
Publishing Year: 2020
Publisher: Two Lions
Ages: 4 – 8
Lexile: Not Yet Rated
Ethan can’t wait to make maple syrup with his dad. But it is not time yet. Dad says they need to wait until the days get warmer and the nights get shorter. When they can finally make the maple syrup, they enjoy the process, and the result is delicious.
Authors: Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney
Writing Style: folksy, lyrical, gentle, sweet
Illustrator: G. Brian Karas
Illustrations: mixed-media,
serene winter tones, snowy farm vibes
Themes: making maple syrup, sap,
father and son relationship, seasons, winter, patience
Publishing Year: 2020
Publisher: Clarion Books
Ages: 4 – 8
Lexile: 500L
A little Korean girl goes outside during the first snow of the season. In the quiet winter setting, she makes and rolls and a snowball through town and the woods until she finds other kids building snowmen. The story is an ode to children’s imagination during the first snow day.
Author-Illustrator: Bomi Park
Writing Style: sparse words, meaningful
Illustrations: minimalistic, black and white palette with a bit of color, textured, gentle, evocative
Themes: winter, snow day, imagination
Publishing Year: 2016
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Ages: 4 – 8
Lexile: Not Yet Rated
Peter wakes up to a snowy day. He goes outside to have adventures in the show. He leaves tracks in different directions, smacks a snow-covered tree with a stick, builds a snowman, makes snow angels, and pretends to be a mountain climber.
A Caldecott Medal Winner, The Snowy Day by acclaimed author-illustrator Ezra Jack Keats has inspired children to have fun in the snow and kidlit creators to write and illustrate wonderful books since 1962.
Author-Illustrator: Ezra Jack Keats
Writing Style: lyrical, fun, onomatopoeic, classic
Illustrations: collage, vibrant color palette against the white snow
Themes: snowy day, winter, fun, snow, play, imagination
Publishing Year: 1962
Publisher: Puffin Books
Ages: 2 – 8
Lexile: 500L
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Glitter Reviews 
“The Snowy Day” is one of my favorites!
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