The Perfect Winter Reads

Any one else struggle in the winter? I've been around long enough now to know that winter is going to be a struggle, where I wait for the first signs of spring and hope to return! Luckily for us, books can be a way to try and embrace winter - at least a little bit. Over time I've gotten better at trying to enjoy the season I'm in more, even though I may be looking forward to the days getting longer again. Curling up with a cozy story can be the perfect escape, and some of my all time favourite non-fiction books are perfect for encouraging a new perspective when it comes to winter, and the enforced time of slowing down and resting. Read on to see what books I recommend picking up to try and find a bit of solace and even joy this winter!

When it comes to novels I love to read in winter, I'm looking either for a story that is set in winter (or somewhere winter-like) that is going to help me find the magic in the season, or I'm just looking for one of those reads that are a little slower, ones that hit hard emotionally, and provide the perfect book to sit down and get lost in. 

You can't talk about winter without mentioning Claire Keegan's 'Small Things Like These'. This is a powerful and yet quiet little novel that takes place in 1980s Ireland, in a small community in the lead up to Christmas.  It's also a short book, one that you could enjoy on one chilly evening with a warm blanket and a hot drink. The Great Alone is top of my TBR this winter, partly because I'm yet to read a Kristin Hannah which is a travesty, but also because it feels like the perfect wintery novel, set up in the isolated landscape of Alaska. 

For other stories that are perfect for the season I'd recommend Wolf Hall for a big epic historical novel that will keep you going all winter, John of John's for a quiet and reflective Scottish novel that is no doubt (in my mind) Douglas Stuart at his best, or  The Correspondent if you need something a little easier but still heart warming and emotional in the best way.

One of my all time favourite non-fiction books is Katherine May's 'Wintering'. It's literally the perfect thing to read during the winter, but it's also a lifechanging reminder that during any time that is difficult - whether because of the season of the planet or just the season you are going through, there's an invitation to take extra care and to replenish. It's a beautiful read and would make such a lovely gift for someone who might be going through a tough time. 'Phosphorescence' by Julia Baird is another book that I love and gift for similar reasons, all about how we sustain ourselves and stay connected to a sense of inner joy and wonder even when things might feel dark and difficult. Both of these books connect our inner emotional experiences to the natural world in a way that feels both soothing and supportive.

If learning through reading is more your style, 'Where the Earth Meets the Sky' is a transportive recent read - part travelogue and part memoir, about scientific explorations in  Antarctica. What could be more ideal to read in winter than a book set in the coldest, windiest, wildest reach of our planet?

If I can make one last recommendation for your winter reading let it be to pick up a poem by Mary Oliver. 'Devotions' is basically my bible year round, but in darkest depths of winter I find my soul craves her words in all their beauty. Oliver is the queen of writing about nature and our tiny speck of existence in relation to it. Read one each morning and take the chance to ground yourself in the comfort she provides effortlessly with her writing. 

For our tamariki, winter can also be challenging - whether it's for my four year old girl who wants to wear sleeveless dresses and hates that she's forced to wear jumpers and dreaded long sleeves, or whether it's just that they can't ride their bikes after dinner or visit the park because it gets dark earlier. Books can be a lovely way to teach them about the rythm of the seasons, and about how we can enjoy winter as a season to slow down, to rest, and to embrace the magic of the coldest time of year before spring arrives. 

Some of my favourite picture books are the stunningly simple season board books by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, like 'Now I See Winter'. These are perfect for the littlest readers, with very simple text, beautiful illustrations that make the books feel like a piece of art. Once they are a little older, you could read them a winter themed Winnie the Pooh story, like 'Winter in the Wood', or 'A Long Winter's Sleep'. There is something so nostalgic about reading the stories we used to read as children, and I love how Winnie the Pooh invites a slow, playful approach to life through all its seasons.

Once they're able to listen to chapter books, or even read them themselves, there are a couple of excellent options for winter reading. You can't go past the queen of winter herself in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'. Winter is the perfect time to cozy up with Mr Tumnus and a cup of tea, and imagine fur cloaks, frozen statues, and of course some Turkish Delight.