Winter reading hits different when you can see yourself in the pages. There’s something magical about curling up with a hot chocolate and a good book while snow falls outside: especially when that book reflects your own experiences and celebrates your community.

Thanks to Sankofa’s Pen, a collective dedicated to promoting Black Canadian children’s and young adult literature, we’ve got a beautiful curated list of winter-themed books that do exactly that. These aren’t just books that happen to feature snow: they’re stories that celebrate Black Canadian experiences while embracing all the cozy, exciting, and reflective moments that winter brings.

The List That’s Got Our Attention

Sankofa’s Pen recently shared their winter reading recommendations on Instagram, and honestly, it’s the kind of list that makes you want to clear your schedule and dive right in. Using hashtags like #BlackCanadiankidlit and #winterbooks, they’ve put together something special: a collection that spans from board books to graphic memoirs, all connected by themes of winter, snow, and often hockey.

Picture Perfect Winter Adventures

Snowy Mittens: A Winter Adventure by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Candice Bradley, kicks things off perfectly for the youngest readers. This board book keeps it simple and rhythmic, following a Black family as they bundle up and head out for a day of snowy play. It’s all about those sensory winter moments: the feeling of mittens, the joy of snowballs, the excitement of movement in the snow. Sometimes the best stories are the simplest ones.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night by Megan Litwin, illustrated by Nneka Myers, takes that familiar nursery rhyme rhythm and transforms it into a cozy winter bedtime story. The lyrical text guides young readers through snowy evening scenes and nighttime wonder, complete with bright illustrations that capture all the magic of a clear winter night. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to peek out the window at the stars.

Hockey Stories That Score Big

Hockey and Canadian winter go hand in hand, and this list doesn’t disappoint on that front. The Hockey Jersey by Jael Richardson and Eva Perron, illustrated by Chelsea Charles, centers on Kareema’s excitement for her first hockey game and the special jersey that connects her to her heroes. It’s a story about belonging and representation: about what it means to see Black players reflected in the sport you love.

The Hockey Skates by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng, focuses on a young player (Little PK Subban) getting new skates and working hard to improve their game. The emphasis here is on perseverance, practice, and the encouragement that comes from family and coaches. It’s grounded in that Canadian winter hockey setting we all know and love.

I Am Big! by Itah Sadu, illustrated by Marley Berot, tackles something deeper. It follows a young Black hockey player who’s tall and strong for his age and has to navigate being perceived as “too big” or threatening on the ice. The story celebrates pride in size and Blackness while showing the joy and “magic” of sport, with family and community support helping the protagonist focus on their game and self-worth.

For older readers, 5-Minute Hockey Stories: All-Star Edition by Peter Norman, illustrated by Chelsea Charles, offers an anthology of quick hockey tales perfect for bedtime or classroom read-alouds. Each story can be read in about five minutes and features different characters and scenarios celebrating the fun, drama, and teamwork that makes hockey special.

Deeper Stories, Bigger Impact

Dreamer: A Graphic Memoir by Akim Aliu and Greg Anderson Élysées, illustrated by Karen De la Vega, takes us into more serious territory. This graphic memoir traces Aliu’s life as a Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian hockey player, from being the only Black child in his Ukrainian town to facing racism in minor and professional hockey. It tackles systemic racism, bullying, and financial hardship while emphasizing resilience and encouraging young readers to keep dreaming despite obstacles.

Brown Girl in the Snow by Yolanda T. Marshall, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer, explores the experience of a girl navigating Canadian winter while remembering or connecting to Caribbean warmth. Using snow as a backdrop, it negotiates themes of identity and belonging: what it means to find joy in snow while holding onto cultural roots. It’s about immigration, first winters, and that complex dance between where you’re from and where you are.

Stories That Warm the Heart

I Love Snow! by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Purple Wong, fits into this winter collection as a cozy read that explores reflective and affirming themes. Elliott consistently writes about self-love, imagination, and healing in contemporary Black children’s experiences, making this a perfect addition to any winter reading pile.

Malaika’s Winter Carnival, part of the Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher, shows Malaika adjusting to life in Canada and experiencing her first Canadian winter and winter carnival. The book explores homesickness for the Caribbean, culture shock, and how carnival traditions get reimagined in the snow, beautifully blending Caribbean and Canadian celebrations.

This List Matters

What makes this collection special isn’t just that it features Black Canadian authors and illustrators. plus characters: it’s how these books center Black Canadian experiences within distinctly Canadian winter settings. From the sensory joy of snow play to the complexity of navigating identity in new climates, these stories offer young readers mirrors and windows that reflect both their experiences and expand their understanding.

The fact that many of these books feature hockey is particularly meaningful. Hockey is so deeply embedded in Canadian culture, and seeing Black characters not just participating but thriving in that space sends a powerful message about belonging and possibility.

Building Your Winter Reading Stack

These books work beautifully as standalone reads, but there’s something to be said for experiencing them as a collection. You might start with the picture books for cozy family reading time, move into the middle-grade hockey stories for some action and heart, and cap things off with the more complex narratives that dig into identity and resilience.

For educators and librarians, this list offers incredible opportunities to build winter reading programming that’s both engaging and representative. For families, it’s a chance to see your experiences reflected in literature while discovering new perspectives and stories.

The beauty of winter reading is that it invites both comfort and contemplation. These books deliver on both fronts, offering the cozy familiarity of Canadian winter settings alongside the deeper exploration of what it means to be Black and Canadian in those spaces.

Your Next Read Awaits

Whether you’re looking for a quick bedtime story, a graphic memoir that tackles serious issues, or something in between, this list has you covered. The winter months are perfect for slowing down, diving deep, and getting lost in stories that matter.

Huge thanks to Sankofa’s Pen for putting together this thoughtful collection and sharing it with the community. Their work in promoting Black Canadian children’s and YA literature is making a real difference in ensuring young readers see themselves in the books they love.

So grab that hot chocolate, find your coziest reading spot, and dive into one of these winter reads. Your next favourite book might just be waiting for you in this snow-dusted collection of Canadian stories.