Wintry Stories: A Book List for Middle Grades and Teens

Whether you live in a place with snow or not, January is the perfect month for a cozy snow story (or three). Look for some of these at your local library and enjoy a long winter’s evening story time.

WINTRY STORIES: A BOOK LIST FOR MIDDLE GRADES AND TEENS

The Wintry Stories book list below includes books for independent readers (roughly ages 7-18). Do check reviews if you are unfamiliar with a title or aren’t sure whether it’s a good fit for your children or students. Enjoy!

CHAPTER BOOKS

*A Long Road on a Short Day by Gary Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. Clarion Books, 2020. 59 pages. Ages 6-10.

• The boy’s struggle, the father’s determination, the neighbors’ helpfulness combine to make this a satisfying winters’ read, whether as a bedtime read-aloud or an independent third-grader curled up beside the fireplace. Read our review.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1961. 334 pages.

• The Ingalls family survives six months of snow without electronic devices, hot chocolate, stacks of books, or even the basic necessities. Even if you’ve read this title before, read it again.

MIDDLE GRADES

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee. Knopf, 2014. 240 pages.

• Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “Snow Queen,” Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy is more than simply a Snow Queen story for middle grade readers; it is broader and more complex than popular versions such as Frozen. Read our review.

*Twelve Kinds of Ice, by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Barbara McClintock.  Houghton Mifflin, 2012, 64 pages. 

• This unusual memoir for middle grades celebrates winter in Maine through the progression of 12 stages of ice formation from the thin skim on a pond to glorious skating. Read our review.

Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love. Candlewick Studio, 2021, 87 pages.

• Across the Rainbow Bridge puts Norse mythology in its original context of tales told around peat fires on long winter nights. Read our review.

Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr. Candlewick, 2018 (English language version). 320 pages.

• Astrid, the thunderbolt of Glimmerdal, charms readers as easily as she charms those around her in this delightful middle grades novel. Read our review.

Trapped in Terror Bay: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Franklin Expedition by Sigmund Brouwer. Kids Can Press, 2022, 155 pages.

• Trapped in Terror Bay takes readers into the mystery of the ill-fated Arctic voyage of the Franklin Expedition, 1845. Read our review.

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. Puffin, 2006. 208 pages.

• Children on sleds attempt to sneak millions of dollars in gold bars past the scrutiny of Nazi soldiers in Norway during World War II. An irresistible adventure.

*Sled Dog School by Terry Lynn Johnson.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 195 pages.

• An academically-challenged boy gains confidence and learns responsibility when he opens a sled dog school. Read our review.

The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher. Walker Books, 2020, 208 pages.

• Fans of Victorian fantasy will enjoy The Clockwork Crow, a series opener with fairies, automatons, and mystery. Read our review.

Wishes and Wellingtons by Julie Berry. Sourcebooks, 2020, 363 pages.

• Wishes andWellingtons is a light-hearted Victorian fantasy about being careful what you wish for. Read our review.

Survivor Diaries: Avalanche! by Terry Lynn Johnson.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, about 100 pages.

• The Survivor Diaries series present 10-and-11 year olds in life-threatening situations, who find the courage to persevere and . . . survive! Read our review.

Bound by Ice: a True North Pole Survival Story by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace.  Calkins Creek, 2017, 169 pages.

• This gripping true tale of first North Pole exploration takes middle-graders into the frozen wastes for a saga of endurance.  Ages 10-15. Read our review.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Clarion, 2014, 384 pages.

• Greenglass House takes the trope of crime-committed-by-someone-in-the-house (i.e. The Westing Game) and adds emotional heft, a complex backstory, a ghost, and adoption issues to the mix. Read our review.

TEENS

Ice Dogs, by Terry Lynn Johnson. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014, 279 pages. Age/interest level: 12-16.

• It’s the call of the wild—Victoria Secord loves her 16 dogs and her life in Alaska, where everything was perfect until the accident that took her father. Read our review.

The Winter King by Christine Cohen. Cannonball Books, 2019. 360 pages. Ages 12+.

• Snowy, wintry terrain, bitter cold, white wolves, a coughing sickness that strikes terror into parents’ hearts everywhere…. Cohen has created a rich setting that echoes Cora’s own heart condition. Read our review.

*Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. Harper Perennial, 2013 (reprint). 127 pages. Ages 12+.

• Based on an old Alaskan oral legend, this inspiring tale of two old women coming together and persevering against great odds is a quick, satisfying read. Read our review.

Don’t miss our Wintry Picture Book List!