Picture books have a magical way of turning complex concepts into delightful adventures, making learning a joyous experience. In this blog post, we’ll explore a treasure trove of heartwarming and educational picture books that will captivate your students’ imaginations and teach them all about the wonders of hibernation. Get ready to snuggle up with your class and dive into a collection of stories that will make this natural phenomenon come alive in the most delightful way.
I’m sharing all of these books on video as well! Check out the Teaching Hibernation with Picture Books on my Youtube channel.
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Hibernation Picture Books
Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead
Bear found his friend Mouse, but Mouse was busy gathering seeds and didn’t have time to listen to a story. Then Bear saw his friend Duck, but Duck was getting ready to fly south. What about his friend Toad? He was busy looking for a warm place to sleep. By the time Bear was through helping his friends get ready for winter, would anyone still be awake to hear his story?
Click here to get the lesson for Bear Has a Story to Tell.
Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows
Everybody at the station! It’s time for winter hibernation! The sweet rhyming text of this book will teach kids about what it’s like to hibernate. Students will be delighted as this story introduces them to different types of hibernating animals. The creatures on the train are preparing to snuggle into sleep, although with a passenger list that includes chipmunks, bears, snakes, hedgehogs, groundhogs, frogs, turtles, mice, bats, and more, there’s a lot of noise! Will the hibernating critters ever get to sleep? Take a trip to Hibernation Station to find out!
Over & Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Part of the popular nature book series , this volume takes readers on a cross country ski trip through the winter woods to discover the secret world of animals living under the snow.
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This nonfiction picture book reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.
Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
A chill is in the air and Bear knows it is time for her winter nap. But first, she must tell Snail. And Snail must tell Skunk. And Skunk must tell Turtle. Each animal who tries to put off going to sleep just a little longer sees, smells, hears, or tastes the signs of the impending season. Finally, Ladybug rushes off to tell Bear–already asleep in her cave–the exciting news.
Time to Sleep is a warm-hearted story about animals of the forest settling down for their winter nap. But, like children who must go to bed for the night, they each find a way to put it off just a little bit longer.
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
Animals in Winter introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.
Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can’t survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate. Woodchucks don’t like cold weather either, but they don’t migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. How do these and other animals handle the cold and snow of winter?
The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett
A chill is in the air, and as Hedgie trundles around the farm all his friends tell him of the winter-time fun he will miss as he hibernates: Icicles decorating the chicken coop! Lisa making snowmen! The pond turned to slippery ice!
It sounds so amazing that Hedgie decides to stay awake instead of going to his burrow. But then, a snowstorm starts. Luckily, Lisa finds him and brings him to her home, so Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside the cozy house.
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
One by one, a whole host of different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into Bear’s cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped, Bear just snores on!
See what happens when he finally wakes up and finds his cave full of uninvited guests—all of them having a party without him!
Using picture books to teach students about hibernation is an effective way to introduce them to the wonders of the natural world. By carefully selecting age-appropriate books, employing engaging teaching strategies, and incorporating hands-on activities, you can inspire a lifelong love of science in your elementary students.
Listen on the Podcast
Save this List of Hibernation Picture Books
Be sure to save this pin to your favorite read alouds board on Pinterest! You’ll be able to come back to these hibernation picture books when you are ready to read them aloud with your students.
