[February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool

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Started performing in bands in junior high school. Influenced by Japanese rock and UK rock, spent over 10 years continuing band activities while creating original songs. Later began producing Vocaloid tracks using Hatsune Miku, with total plays of released songs surpassing 10,000. Has five years of experience writing for music magazines. Currently works as a music writer, director, and composer, keeping a ground-level perspective on the scene by attending live shows across Japan. Now performs at live houses in Tokyo, showcasing guitar playing centered on acoustic guitar and informed by knowledge of chord analysis and guitar scales. Also writes leveraging a broad knowledge of music genres.

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 you feel winter at daycare (41–50)

White, white Korowan.

http://www.amazon.co.jp

This is a recommended winter read starring Korowan, a little puppy.

While Korowan is playing in front of his house, something like white fluff starts to fall from the sky.

When it touches his nose, it’s cold and melts right away.

When he asks his mother, she tells him, “That’s snow.” The snow keeps falling through the night, and by the next morning everything is pure white! Overjoyed, Korowan romps around in the snow.

Seeing Korowan play so happily will surely make children want to join in some snow play too.

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On a night when snow falls silently

http://www.amazon.co.jp

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.

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The Great Adventure of Sorachi Village

http://www.amazon.co.jp

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.

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Daruma-chan and Tengu-chan

http://www.amazon.co.jp

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.

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Someone’s single glove

http://www.amazon.co.jp

On cold days, lots of children go out wearing gloves, don’t they? Mako-chan, the little girl in this picture book, also puts on the brand-new gloves she just got and goes for a walk with her big sister and their dog Kunku.

Along the way, they find single gloves dropped here and there, and some of them look like rabbits and other shapes.

It’s a delightful book that showcases children’s rich imaginations.

The ending, where a miracle-like coincidence occurs, will surely put children at ease.

It also seems like a story that nurtures a sense of taking good care of one’s belongings.

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Whose footprints?

http://www.amazon.co.jp

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.

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