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[February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool
There are many occasions where we read books to children, such as storytime sessions held indoors at preschools.
Some of you may be wondering which picture books to read in February.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of picture books that are perfect for February and recommended for four-year-olds.
We’ll introduce works that let children feel the chill of winter, as well as ones themed around events like Setsubun and Valentine’s Day.
How about reading picture books with stories that warm the cold winter for the children?
[February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at daycare (1–10)
A chocolate shop with long linesYumiko Fukuzawa
In “The Chocolate Shop with a Line Out the Door,” Chipmunk-kun and Red Squirrel-kun, who learned that a single piece of chocolate can bring smiles to those around them, go to the man who gave them chocolate to learn how to make it.
It’s a perfect book for the Valentine’s season.
The gentle-hearted way Chipmunk-kun and Red Squirrel-kun set out to learn chocolate making, driven by their wish to make everyone smile, leaves a strong impression.
It might even inspire children to think, “I want to make chocolate myself!”
Whose panties?Shigeri Katsuhiko
Introducing ‘Whose Underpants Are These?’, a book you’ll definitely want to read again and again.
This picture book, released in 2019, is by Katsuhiko Shigeri.
The story follows a boy who finds an enormous pair of leopard-print underpants and sets out to find their owner.
Its highlights include a plot that fuels the imagination—wondering, ‘Whose underpants could these be?’—and dynamic, powerful compositions.
With clues scattered throughout the illustrations, you’ll make new discoveries every time you look.
The 14 Mice’s Cold WinterIwamura Kazuo
The fourth book in the 14 Mice series featuring a mouse family, The 14 Forest Mice in the Cold Winter, is a classic enjoyed across generations! It’s a book packed with the charms of winter that lets children fully savor the season.
From the 14 mice spending time in a warm room heated by a stove to them sledding without giving in to the cold wind—why not experience the blessings of winter nature together with the 14 mice? With its warm illustrations and simple text, it’s also perfect for reading aloud to four-year-olds!
The Red Ogre Who CriedWritten by Hiroshi Hamada / Illustrated by Tatsuo Ikeda
Since its publication in 1935, Naita Akaoni (The Red Ogre Who Cried) has been cherished as a classic.
Written by the children’s author Hiroko Hamada, this picture book features a kind-hearted red ogre as its protagonist.
Ogres are typically seen as frightening, so this alone is a surprising twist.
The red ogre wants to befriend humans, but things don’t go well.
Then his close friend, the blue ogre, offers to help—and so the story unfolds.
Its heartrending, sorrowful tale resonates deeply.
Lots of glovesText by Florence Slobodkin / Illustrations by Louis Slobodkin
A picture book that teaches the warmth of human connection, “Gloves Everywhere.” Twins Nett and Donny wore matching red gloves, but Donny lost his.
When the neighbors find out, they keep bringing over lost gloves one after another, until the house is filled with them.
It’s a heartwarming story that even four-year-olds can understand.
Children who have experienced losing a glove themselves may find this book especially engaging.
Chiri and Chiriri: A Snowy Day StoryKaya Doi
Chiri and Chiriri: A Snowy Day Story is a fantastical tale in which Chiri and Chiriri go on an adventure through a snow-covered forest.
The illustrations are beautiful and make you want to keep turning the pages.
The world that unfolds after they pass through the ice door is especially captivating.
It might even inspire children to hop on their bicycles and seek adventure, even in the cold of winter.
Since it’s part of a series, you can enjoy stories that match the seasons.
It’s a book that helps children learn about nature and the pleasures of the four seasons.
Even in the chilly winter, enjoy the excitement of adventure through reading!
Snowy days are so, so hot.Iwamura Kazuo
“A Hot, Hot Snowy Day” features two young squirrel brothers and their father, who’s sensitive to the cold.
The snow-loving little squirrels drag their chilly dad outside first thing in the morning to go sledding.
At first he seems reluctant, but gradually he starts taking off the layers he’s wearing—a very heartwarming turn of events.
It’s a story that makes you look forward to the snowy winter season.
As adults, we tend to stay cooped up at home because it’s cold, but this episode makes you want to head outdoors with your kids.
Be sure to read it together with your child!