Our Favorite Seasonal Children’s Books for the Fall-to-Winter Transition

The shift from fall to winter is one of the most magical times of the year! The colors fade from fiery oranges and reds to crunchy browns, animals scurry around preparing for the cold, and the first hints of winter begin to appear in the air if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Children are naturally curious during this time, and seasonal books are a beautiful way to nurture that sense of wonder. These stories help little readers notice changes in nature, build seasonal vocabulary, and connect emotionally to the world around them.

Whether you’re a parent filling a seasonal book basket, a teacher planning a fall to winter unit, or a homeschooler weaving in nature study, read on for some of our favorite seasonal children's books to explore the quiet beauty of fall giving way to winter.

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Best Seasonal Children’s Books for the Fall-to-Winter Transition

1. Leaves by David Ezra Stein

This is a sweet, simple story of a young bear experiencing his first year. When he gets to autumn, he’s initially confused by the falling leaves. As the story continues, he begins to understand the rhythm of the seasons and eventually curls up for his long winter nap.

For young learners, the leaf fall and bare branches are shown as clear markers of shifting toward winter and introduces the concept of hibernation. It pairs beautifully with lessons on animal preparation for winter!

2. Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak

Kenard Pak’s beautifully illustrated story follows two siblings on a walk as they greet the final days of autumn and the first hints of winter. Each page offers poetic observations about nature’s shifting mood. It uses so many good sensory details to help children visualize the seasonal shift.

This one really encourages observation, which makes it a great companion for nature journaling! Kids love spotting the subtle changes from page to page, just like they see outside their own windows.

3. Winter is Coming by Tony Johnston

This one is my personal favorite. A young girl visits the woods throughout the late fall, observing animals and landscapes as winter approaches and making sketches of what she notices. The lyrical text and detailed illustrations offer a gentle, mindful look at nature preparing for the colder months.

It’s a book that highlights animal behavior as the season changes, but what I like most about it is how it encourages patience and curiosity. The language the author uses embraces the coming dark, cold days, and I even find this one comforting as an adult! 

4. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

This beautifully structured informational picture book takes us on a walk through the woods, simultaneously exploring what’s happening “over” the ground and “under” it. As leaves fall, animals prepare for winter in different yet equally fascinating ways.

This one brings about a lot of “I didn’t know that!” from our young listeners as it reveals the hidden activity underground as insects, chipmunks, and other creatures prepare for the cold months ahead. It seamlessly connects science and storytelling, making it a great companion for nature study or nature journaling.

5. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson

Fletcher the fox is distressed when his favorite tree begins losing its leaves. He worries something is wrong and tries to help, only to discover winter’s beauty waiting on the other side.

From a scientific perspective, it shows the natural process of trees going dormant, but it also addresses emotional responses to change in a very gentle way. At the end, the magical winter transformation helps remind us to embrace what’s ahead and see the beauty in winter, not just the cold.

Creative Extension Ideas to Pair With These Stories

Reading the books is just the beginning! Here are some hands-on and science-based ways to deepen your fall-to-winter learning units in the classroom or at home.

Nature-Based Extensions

Leaf-to-Snow Observation Walk: Inspired by Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter, take children outside to look for clues that fall is ending and winter is beginning. Encourage them to notice:

• Bare branches

• Remaining leaf piles

• Frost or dew

• Bird activity

• Changing temperatures

Bring notebooks so they can sketch or write what they see.

Seasonal Nature Journals: After reading Winter is Coming or Over and Under the Leaves, invite kids to create a two-page spread titled “Goodbye Autumn” and “Hello Winter.” They can record weather, animals, colors, and sounds.

STEM + Art Extensions

Hibernation STEM Bin (inspired by Leaves): Provide materials like cotton balls, felt, leaves, shredded paper, and small containers. Challenge children to build a warm den for a toy bear, then test “insulation” by placing an ice cube nearby and observing how well the materials slow melting.

Over/Under the Leaves Diorama: Using a shoebox, create a split-level scene: the forest floor on top and underground habitats below. This pairs perfectly with Over and Under the Leaves and supports science learning about animal survival strategies.

Seasonal Transformation Art (inspired by Fletcher and the Falling Leaves): Have children paint or draw the same tree twice: once at the end of fall and once covered in shimmering winter frost. This helps them visualize and appreciate seasonal change.

Literacy Extensions

Predict-and-Observe Seasonal Chart: Create a chart where children predict signs they’ll observe as winter approaches, then check off items throughout the month.

“What Winter Means to Me” Shared Writing: Using Winter is Coming as a mentor text, brainstorm sensory words about winter. Then write a class or family poem describing what winter feels, sounds, and looks like.

Embrace the Changing Season

The transition from fall to winter offers countless opportunities for kids to notice, wonder, and learn. These picture books celebrate the changing seasons and also help children understand that change can be beautiful. Whether you’re curled up with cocoa, staying warm in the classroom, or heading out for a crisp nature walk, these stories will help you embrace the peaceful shift from autumn’s warmth to winter’s quiet sparkle!