[For Age 4] Must-Read in January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter
By the time children are four, some can read hiragana and even picture books on their own.
So this time, I’d like to introduce picture books for January that let four-year-olds enjoy the winter season.
We’ve gathered lots of exciting books with real stories—perfect for four-year-olds who are starting to enjoy plot and wonder what will happen next.
You’re sure to find a new favorite.
Whether reading alone or listening to a teacher read aloud, enjoy exploring many picture books!
- [February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool
- [For 5-year-olds] Picture books recommended for reading in January
- A collection of recommended picture books to read with 4-year-olds that will make the wait for Christmas exciting
- [For 3-Year-Olds] Recommended for January! A Collection of Exciting and Heartwarming Picture Books
- [For 2-year-olds] Recommended picture books to enjoy reading in January
- [March] Recommended for 4-year-olds! Picture books that will make you smile and grin
- [Picture Books] Savor the fun of words: A special feature on recommended onomatopoeia picture books
- For 4-Year-Olds: January Crafts! A Collection of Fun Ideas with Winter and New Year Themes
- [For 1-year-olds] Recommended picture books to read together in January
- [February] A collection of picture books we want to read with the 0-year-old class
- Picture Books to Read with 4-Year-Olds in Winter: Heartwarming Recommended Stories
- Picture Books to Read with 5-Year-Olds: Recommended Titles to Make Winter More Fun
- Picture books to read in winter! Story ideas that will captivate 3-year-olds
[For 4-year-olds] Must-reads for January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter (41–50)
White, white Korowan.
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.
[For 4-year-olds] Must-reads for January! Picture books to enjoy winter (51–60)
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.
Where are the zodiac animals going?
A picture book that summarizes traditional Japanese events for infants and toddlers, “Where Are the Zodiac Animals Going?” It’s not about memorizing the order or names of the twelve zodiac signs; instead, it tells the story of the zodiac animals aiming for the top of a mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year.
Since long ago, seeing the New Year’s Day sunrise has been considered auspicious and special for everyone.
If you can watch it together, the experience is all the more moving.
It seems all the zodiac animals make it safely and offer prayers to the first sunrise.
Will children imitate them and pray too? May the new year be filled with wonderful days.
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.
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.
Someone’s single glove
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.
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.