I have witnessed firsthand the joy that comes from combining literature with learning in my Charlotte Mason homeschool. After all, one of the main principles of the Charlotte Mason method is to provide your children with high-quality literature and living books that enrich their minds and make learning fun.
With each changing season, we eagerly explore living books that reflect the world outside our window, making our educational journey not only informative but also incredibly enjoyable.
If you want to learn everything there is to know about what makes a book a living book be sure to check out this comprehensive post on Charlotte Mason living books*.
Now, as the winter season begins and a layer of snow blankets our surroundings, we’re excited to dive into our book basket full of our favorite Charlotte Mason winter living books.
In this blog post, I will share a selection of our favorite living books that perfectly align with Charlotte Mason’s educational principles. These books have become cherished additions to our homeschool, imparting knowledge and creating a love for learning with every turn of the page.
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Perfect Winter Book List for a Charlotte Mason Homeschool
Winter is such an amazing time of year to enjoy snuggly read-alouds with your children. There is nothing quite like curling up in your cozy home with a hot chocolate and a good book during the cold weather. Let me share with you some of our favorite winter books for the whole family. Whether you are looking for picture books for your young children or slightly more advanced chapter books for your older children, you are sure to find some great books on this list to inspire and delight them.
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen: a classic children’s picture book that tells the story of a young girl and her father who go owling on a cold winter night. The illustrations have a gorgeous classic simplicity that is just as sweet as the story.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats: this classic children’s book follows the adventures of a young boy named Peter as he explores his neighborhood after a snowstorm. The story captures the joy and wonder of playing in the snow with simple text and colorful illustrations.
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin: A true story of Wilson Bentley, the first person to photograph snowflakes. The book shows how Bentley followed his passion for snow and nature, and shared his discoveries with the world.
Burgess Bird Book by Thornton Burgess (chapters 39-45): The perfect book for teaching children about the appearance, behaviors, songs, and habitats of different types of birds in North America, through the stories of Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren. The book covers winter birds specifically in chapters 39-45.
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton: Katy is a brave and strong tractor who loves to work hard. When a blizzard hits the city of Geoppolis, Katy overcomes challenges while using her snowplow to clear the roads and help the people in need.
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner: Explore the hidden world of the animals that live under the snow, through the eyes of a little girl and her father. This wonderful living book reveals how different creatures survive the cold season in their cozy dens, tunnels, and burrows.
Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder(6th book in the Little House series): The story of how Laura Ingalls and her family survived the harsh winter months in the Dakota Territory in 1880-1881. The severe blizzards cut off their town from the outside world and left them with scarce food and fuel. The book shows the Ingallses’ courage, resourcefulness, and perseverance in the face of adversity, as well as their gratitude for the help of their neighbors and friends.
It’s Snowing by Gail Gibbons: A living science book that explains how snow forms, falls, and affects the world. The book is one of the many Gail Gibbons’ books that teach children about natural phenomena through clear text and colorful illustrations. The book also includes interesting facts about snowflakes, snowstorms, and snow activities
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock: The Handbook of Nature Study is one of the most comprehensive nature books and field guides for a homeschooling nature study. It covers plants, animals, rocks, and weather with detailed descriptions, illustrations, and questions. There is a section on winter birds, winter stars, and snow.
Story of Snow by Mark Cassino: A beautiful and educational book that explains the science of snowflakes. It explains how snow crystals form in the clouds, what shapes they can take, and why they are so diverse.
The Secret Life of a Snowflake by Kenneth Libbrecht: A beautiful book that reveals the art and science of snowflakes. It follows the journey of a snowflake from the clouds to the ground, with exceptional photos and explanations of how they form and why they are unique.
Stopping By The Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost: A classic poem that captures the beauty and mystery of a winter night. A traveler stops to admire the quiet woods that are filled with snow and darkness. He is tempted to stay longer, but he remembers that he has promises to keep and miles to go. This version is accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Susan Jeffers that bring the words and story to life.
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft: A nonfiction book that teaches how different animals survive the cold season through migration, hibernation, and food storage. The vibrant colors and realistic details in the illustrations show the beauty and diversity of all of the animals.
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer: A great book for learning all about the science behind the winter solstice and how it has been celebrated throughout various cultures and history. The book combines a fun poetic writing style with warm and inviting illustrations to make it perfect for children of all ages.
Winter Sleep by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss: This is a favorite in our house for winter study. A young boy and his grandmother walk through “the secret glade” and discover the hidden lives of the hibernating animals during winter. My children love to find all of the animals in the charming illustrations.
All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings by Gayle Boss: A perfect book for a winter nature study during Advent, we actually have used this book for the last 2 years leading up to Christmas and my children have requested to use it again this year as well. It shows how various animals adapt to the winter season and reveals the hidden wisdom of God in their behavior.
Brambley Hedge: Winter by Jill Barklem: Brambley Hedge tells the story of a tight-knit community of mice who predicted snow and then had enough snow to throw a beautiful ‘Snow Ball’. I strongly recommend getting the Brambley Hedge Complete Collection to have all of the seasons together. The stories are so very sweet and the detailed illustrations give a glimpse into the rich and charming world of the mice.
How to Incorporate Winter Living Books into a Winter Nature Study
The benefits of nature study are numerous, as you probably already know. Nature study helps children to develop a personal relationship with God’s creation, to cultivate habits of observation and attention, to foster curiosity and wonder, to enhance their artistic and scientific skills, and to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Here are some tips on how I like to use living books to enrich our winter nature studies.
Narrating a Living Winter Book: Pick a living winter book that matches your child’s interest, and let them tell you what they learned from it. Engage them with questions and explore more books related to the same topic. This will create a rich and complete lesson that covers different aspects of the subject.
Nature Walk Inspiration: Let the living book you read inspire your nature walk and spark your child’s curiosity. Look for the things you learned about in the book and observe them in their natural habitat. For example, after we read about the dark-eyed junco in “The Burgess Bird Book”, my kids were eager to find this friendly winter bird on our nature walk. They were delighted when they spotted a few dark-eyed juncos foraging on the ground and noticed their slate gray-colored backs. Going on winter scavenger hunts is also a blast.
Nature Notebook Entries: Invite your child to express their impressions and discoveries from the book you just read in a creative way, in their nature journal. They can use drawing, painting, or writing to capture the beauty and wonder of winter nature. They can also add magazine cut-outs or computer print-outs and diagrams to enrich their pages. For example, after reading “Snowflake Bentley“, my child made a watercolor painting of a snowflake and wrote a poem about how each snowflake is unique and special. He also printed out some photographs of real snowflakes and glued them to his notebook.
Hands-On Activities: After reading a living book that captures the beauty and wonder of winter, why not try some fun hands-on activities that relate to the story? For example, when we read “The Secret Life of a Snowflake“, we decided to make our own snowflake art by cutting out paper snowflakes and decorating them with glitter and sequins. We also used a magnifying glass to observe the real snowflakes that fell in our backyard and compared them to the pictures in the book. It was a great way to enjoy the winter season and appreciate the uniqueness of each snowflake.
Incorporating winter living books into your Charlotte Mason homeschool can truly transform the learning experience, making it both educational and enjoyable. These carefully selected books not only align with Charlotte Mason’s principles but also bring the wonder of the winter season to life through the pages. Whether you’re cozying up with a classic picture book or delving into a more in-depth exploration of winter nature, these books have the power to inspire and captivate both children and adults.
If you found this list of Charlotte Mason winter living books inspiring and informative, don’t stop here. Explore the other living book lists for different seasons and themes to continue enriching your homeschooling journey.
I'm Karen, a homeschooling mom and a lifelong learner who is a passionate advocate of Charlotte Mason's timeless educational philosophy. I have been homeschooling for over a decade, using Charlotte’s methods of living books, nature study, copywork, dictation, and narration. I've found that Charlotte Mason's holistic approach to education resonates deeply with my values and goals as an educator and parent. Through my blog, I aim to inspire and support my fellow homeschoolers as we explore the beauty and wonder of a living education that nurtures the mind, heart, and soul.
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