[February] Recommended picture books for 2-year-olds: Books that evoke winter and Setsubun
Two-year-olds, who are starting to learn conversation and speak words through play and daily life, can make all sorts of discoveries by reading picture books.
Some of you may be looking for perfect read-aloud books for children with a February theme, when winter’s chill is at its peak.
In this article, we’ve put together recommended picture books for two-year-olds for the month of February.
We’ll introduce a wide range—from unique picture books that kids can enjoy by imitating characters’ facial expressions to stories that warm the heart.
Be sure to try these works that let you feel the winter season indoors together with your children.
- [February] Picture books for 1-year-olds: books that evoke winter and Setsubun
- [February] Picture books for 3-year-olds with themes of Setsubun and winter
- [For 2-year-olds] Let's read together! Recommended picture books for March
- [For 2-year-olds] Recommended picture books to enjoy reading in January
- [Picture Books] Savor the fun of words: A special feature on recommended onomatopoeia picture books
- [For 2-year-olds] Enjoy spring-recommended picture books with your children
- [Childcare] Fun February craft ideas you’ll want to make with 2-year-olds!
- Ideas for Easy Winter Origami Crafts That Even 2-Year-Olds Will Love
- [February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool
- [For 3-Year-Olds] Recommended for January! A Collection of Exciting and Heartwarming Picture Books
- [For 3-year-olds] Recommended Picture Books to Read in March
- [For Age 4] Must-Read in January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter
- [For preschoolers] A collection of origami ideas to enjoy February, including Setsubun and Valentine’s Day
[February] Recommended Picture Books for 2-Year-Olds: Stories that Capture Winter and Setsubun (21–30)
On a night when snow falls silently
The heart-calming, cozy picture book “On a Quiet, Snowy Night” tells the story of a fox walking through a nighttime forest blanketed in snow, meeting an owl, a woodpecker, a snow hare, and more along the way.
In a forest covered with falling snow, you might discover things you don’t usually notice.
The illustrations in the book, with their use of color and depictions of animals, convey both warmth and strength.
As you read, the beauty of the forest comes through.
You may even feel as if you’re in a quiet, snowy forest yourself.
The Great Adventure of Sorachi Village
This is a story about Hiro the dog, who has all sorts of encounters while chasing a butterfly.
He meets a customer at a coffee shop, a girl throwing a party, and some delicious-looking, ripened grapes… While enjoying each new meeting, Hiro’s true goal is still the butterfly.
He chases it with all his heart—but when he comes across the grapes, uh-oh…? It seems he forgets all about the butterfly.
With each page they turn, children will surely search for the butterfly alongside Hiro and feel a thrill of excitement wondering what will appear next.
[February] Recommended picture books for 2-year-olds: Books that evoke winter and Setsubun (31–40)
Daruma-chan and Tengu-chan
Speaking of popular New Year’s decorations, daruma dolls come to mind, don’t they? The protagonist of this story is also a red daruma boy named Daruma-chan.
Daruma-chan becomes envious of the things his friend Tengu-chan has and keeps saying, one after another, “I want the ___ that Tengu-chan has.” Then, using his own ideas and flashes of inspiration, he makes those wishes come true, and in the end he turns into something truly wonderful.
It’s a book full of a childlike sense of admiration and the joy of becoming what you admire.
Reading it is sure to bring a smile to your face.
Whose footprints?
It’s fun to leave footprints in the snow when you walk, isn’t it? In this picture book, the animals follow footprints in the snow, wondering, “Whose are these?” Each set of footprints appears on one page, and the next page reveals the creature, so you can enjoy it like a quiz.
You’ll feel excited to see which animal appears next, and it’s interesting to spot the small differences in the tracks—some big, some small.
Rabbits, bears, foxes, and many other animals that kids love all make an appearance, making it perfect for winter read-aloud time.
Chiikuma-chan and Shimakuma-chan
The picture book Chiikuma-chan and Shimakuma-chan, filled with the wintry atmosphere of its snowy illustrations, is perfect for the cold season.
The best friends—Chiikuma-chan, a little polar bear, and Shimakuma-chan, a striped stuffed bear—are always together.
They ride a red sled to play in the snow, climb snowy hills, and build snowmen.
A warm drink enjoyed out in the cold might taste especially delicious.
Chiikuma-chan and Shimakuma-chan is a heartwarming read that will leave you feeling cozy and happy—please enjoy it together with your child.
The tiny, tiny land of ice
The picture book “The Tiny, Tiny Land of Ice,” with illustrations that make you feel gentle just by looking at them, is set in a frozen land.
One day, out-of-season snow fell on the hat-shaped house where Poko Poko lives.
Why did it snow even though the day was warm? What exactly is the silver ice cloud? With every page you turn, your excitement grows at the charming little items and cozy homes.
Wrapped in colorful, tender illustrations, it’s a delightful story.
brown bear
From autumn to winter…
and then spring.
This is the story of a brown bear mother and her cub, told alongside the changing seasons.
In autumn, brown bears eat plenty of nuts and fruit; when winter comes, they spend their time in a den—and that’s when new life is born.
What might the cub feel as it bursts from the dark den into the warm, vivid world of spring? The illustrations, rendered mainly in black, are a bit distinctive, yet they also convey a certain warmth.
Bears are popular animals among children, so I hope this picture book offers a glimpse into a bear’s life.