January is the month for cold and wet or snowy weather and I have some great books about the subject that may just make you want to read these books by a warm fire and a hot cup of cocoa.

The Winter Room , by Gary Paulsen, has the potential of becoming one of my favorites of this year…even though the year is just beginning!   It’s that good!   Elgon is a son of a Minnesota farmer and the story takes place through his eyes.   But the telling of this beautifully described story will take you to life on his farm – “When the snow play is done and the barn and animals are settled in and the wood for the day finished, when our mittens are drying on the back of the kitchen stove and we have eaten the raw fried potatoes and strips of flank meat….father pushes his chair away from the table…and moves into the winter room.” Here is a story full of the seasons of life and introspection.   This is a perfect read-aloud to wrap your voice around for ages 9 through adult.

Frost Bites:   Edgar & Ellen Nodyssey #2 , by Charles Ogden, and illustrated by Rick Carton, is a continuation of the adventures of the twins as they are led to an Arctic village where the landscape “was a barren expanse of whiteness.” They run into many problems and begin to wonder if they will be able to leave this cold wilderness.   This book is ideal for ages 8 to 12.

That Girl Lucy Moon , by Amy Timberlake, is an insightful story about a girl as she moves from elementary school to junior high school where she discovers the fact that much is changing with herself and the kids all around her.   The author takes you down this road to maturity as Lucy Moon, the protagonist, struggles to define who she is as she fights for the rights of the kids in town to keep sledding down the only hill in town.    You’ll find yourself captivated with Lucy and her strong will all the way to the end of the story!   This book is for ages 11 through 15.

The rest of these are picture books that are great for all ages.   Snow , by Cynthia Rylant, and illustrated by Lauren Stringer, is the quintessential buffer for the sights, sounds and even the smell of the frosty precipitation as it covers the earth.   No one can express it better than Ms. Rylant and the jubilant pictures of children gleefully playing in the cold air will bring to mind many memories of cold days outside playing in the snow.

The Snow Day , by Komako Sakai, is quite a snow day as school has been canceled and a little rabbit gets to stay home with his mommy – but his daddy’s flight has been cancelled.   The atmospheric paintings on each page convey the heavy snowfall.

The Snow Show , by Carolyn Fisher, is snow-packed with information about snow, crystals and all the elements in between.   But the clever presentation of this book by way of TV has Chef Kelvin demonstrating his cooking techniques with hosts such as Jack Frost and Snow White.   Young, and old, are sure to learn much from this book.

The Snow Queen , by Hans Christian Andersen, and retold by Naomi Lewis, with illustrations by Christian Birmingham, is a beautifully bound and retold story about this classic.   The cover alone would be enough to keep it on a coffee table.   Reserve this book for a read-aloud on a cold winter night.

Footprints in the Snow , by Mei Matsuoka, has Wolf feeling “put upon” by too many stories about bad wolves.   So he sets out to show that all wolves aren’t nasty.   He decides to write his own story about a nice wolf but has some complications along the way made known by his own appetites.

A Penguin Story , by Antoinette Portis, has Edna, a penguin, looking for much more than her tricolor world.   All she sees is white snow, blue sea and black night.   But she finds something unique in shape and color.   What could it be?   This is a delightful story expressed with simple text and paint.

Where is Home, Little Pip? , by Karma Wilson, and illustrated by Jane Chapman, has little Pip suddenly lost without his mother and father.   Fortunately, she makes friends with other animals that help her find her way home.   The over-sized book is rich in color and love.

Let’s Play in the Snow , by Sam McBratney, and illustrated by Anita Jeram, is a sweet little board book about bunnies playing a guessing game as they hop through the snow.

And for the new reader here’s Snow Day!   A Winter Tale Pre-Level 1 Reader , by Joan Holub, and illustrated by Will Terry.   The Ant Hill gang is celebrating winter with snowballs and making snow ants.   And for a little more advanced reader, Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time , by James Howe, and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay, is a beginning chapter book about these two characters as they deal with the first snow of the season.