6 Books to Curl Up With that Celebrate Winter

We love the outdoors, we really do, but on a dark evening, there’s nothing better than snuggling up with a book. In Nature, plants and animals rest over the winter months, taking time to regenerate before emerging in spring. Sadly, we can’t channel hedgehogs and sleep away the season, so here’s the next best thing: 6 brilliantly wintry reads. Grab your favourite hot drink, cosy up and get ready to (sort-of) hibernate.

Wintering by Katherine May

In this comfort blanket of a memoir, May takes inspiration from Nature as she faces a challenging time in her life. She prepares to hunker down and weather the storm, looking to the natural world and those who live in colder climes for ways to deal with the darkness. A powerful reminder that sometimes we need to retreat and rest, and that all winters, even personal ones, are followed by spring.

In All Weathers: A Journey Through Rain, Fog, Wind, Ice and Everything In Between by Matt Gaw

To complain about the weather is common in the British Isles. Warm, sunny weather is usually adored, while anything else is considered negative. In this book, Gaw takes walks in the kind of wild weather that would keep many of us indoors: wind, rain, fog, snow and ice. In so doing, he finds beauty and awe in conditions we’re programmed to see as ‘bad’. He explores the origin of our weather, how it’s changing – and encourages us to embrace the inclement.

Trees in Winter by Richard Shimell

Everybody loves to talk about how gorgeous trees look in autumn, but what about after the leaves have fallen? Journalist-turned-artist Shimell makes stunning linocut prints of bare trees in winter, celebrating their intricate, often skeletal silhouettes. This hardback book contains 40 of his creations, along with prose about his journey to becoming an artist – and the healing power of connecting with Nature, no matter the time of year.

Winter Sleep: a Hibernation Story by Sean Taylor & Alex Morss, illustrated by Cinyee Chiu

Picture books aren’t just for children, and here’s a case in point. This beautiful bedtime story follows a little boy and his Nature-loving grandmother on a walk in the woods in winter – and he wonders what has happened to all the wildlife. Chiu’s atmospheric illustrations reveal animals curled up and sleeping close to the boy and his gran, as she explains hibernation to him.

Nature Tales for Winter Nights, edited by Nancy Campbell

This is an anthology of eclectic winter stories, poems and non-fiction, all with winter at their heart. It’s packed with words from a mixture of modern authors and more historical writers (the likes of Anne Frank, Tove Jansson and Vincent Van Gogh are all on the list). Handy to keep on a bedside table or close to an armchair, ready to be dipped into whenever you’re in need of a cosy moment.

A Winter Dictionary: A Collection of Words for the Festive Season by Paul Anthony Jones

What does ‘chibbly’ mean? Apparently, it’s an old English word that means ‘crisp and crackly with frost’ – and it instantly conjures up the sensation of walking on grass on an icy cold morning. Chibbly is just one of the entries in this magical compendium of words to describe the finite details – and beauty – of winter. Delve in and find words you never knew existed – and find a whole new appreciation for the chilliest time of year.