Winter is such a unique and special time of year, that is if you live somewhere to experience it. 😉 But still, the magic of winter comes each year and with it brings unique opportunities that only winter can provide. Winter sports, such as skiing, ice skating, hockey, and many more are traditional winter sports. They are so popular that they are celebrated in competition every 4 years in the Winter Olympics! Students from California to Virginia should get the experience of learning about these unique sports. I’ve gathered some of my favorite winter sports mentor texts to share with you!
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Nonfiction Winter Sports Books
#1 – Speed Skating by Laura Hamilton Waxman
 This is the perfect quick and fun nonfiction read to experience speed skating! Through the book, the author breaks down the history of the sport, the differences between long track and short track skating, and much more! The book is filled with photographs, captions, and other nonfiction text features to help deepen the students’ understanding of speed skating. This is definitely a great one to have in your classroom library! And if you love this one, you’ll love that this book comes as a part of a series, all covering winter sports!
#2 – Goodnight Hockey by Michael Dahl
Through this poetic book, students get to learn and experience the unique perspective of hockey. Students learn unique vocabulary words, player 
positions, and the true comradery around this amazing winter sport. It would be a fun activity to have students try to write their own ‘Goodnight’ book on their favorite winter sport after exploring all of these books!
#3 – What are the Winter Olympics by Gail Herman
 Ever wonder where the Winter Olympics came from or when and why it started? Which countries competed and who won the first gold medal? This book breaks down the entire history of the Winter Olympics decade by decade to allow students to experience the iterations and changes of this sporting experience. This is definitely a longer book and more for higher grades such as 4th and up, BUT students in lower grades could still enjoy a chapter or two!
#4 – Skiing by Laura Hamilton Waxman
Another great book in the series by Laura Waxman, Skiing is the perfect book for students to experience this wildly popular sport. With the invention of 
‘fake snow’, even the warmest of locations can allow athletes to ski on slopes near them. Skiing is not only a winter sport in the Olympics, but it is also a very popular sport for families to enjoy together. Through the book, learn about the different types of skiing such as ski jumping, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and even freestyle skiing! Definitely the perfect book for your classroom to enjoy!
Fictional Winter Sports Books
#1 РIce Breaker by Rose Vi̱a
 This is a historical fiction piece written about Mabel Fairbanks, the first African American inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame. The story begins when Mabel was younger and finds her love and passion for ice skating. The problem is, at that time, only white people were allowed in places where people could skate. But that didn’t stop her! Mabel practiced and followed her dream and pushed the skating clubs to change their rules and give every talented skater a chance to compete! Your students will love this amazing story about not giving up, even when there are obstacles in your way.
#2 – Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
Skiing isn’t for the faint of heart, and Mr. Magee finds that out very quickly in this humorous fiction book! Mr. Magee and his adorable dog set out to 
learn to ski one day but in the midst of their training, a moose nearly collided with them both! This sent them into a frenzy and landed them in a very dangerous situation. By the end, Mr. Magee realizes skiing is definitely not for him. This story will get your students to laugh, worry, smile, and think all at the same time. Absolutely a cute book to help experience winter sports.
#3 – Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler
 Who doesn’t love dinosaurs, but dinosaurs who play hockey? Even better! This adorable story, written in rhyme, takes students through the competition between the Meat-Eaters and the Veggiesaurs. Fans cheering for their favorite team, coaches shouting advice, and pucks flying here and there; students will absolutely get the true hockey experience in this fun fictional tale!
#4 – Teach your Giraffe to Ski by Viviane Elbee
It’s fun having a pet giraffe until that giraffe wants to learn how to ski at the first sight of snow! And this giraffe is super eager to get started! From 
forgetting his skis to attempting the BIG hill, his owner is completely worn out. But through the experience, they both end up learning some amazing lessons! This is such a cute book that shows that skiing can not only but fun, but a bit dangerous if you’re not safe. Students will love reading about giraffe and might even want one of their own!
#5 – Glory on Ice by Maureen Fergus
 Being a big, mean vampire can get old after a while. That’s why Vlad sets out to find a new hobby. And when he stumbles upon a small hockey team talking about crushing their opponents, Vlad knew it was for him. But learning hockey didn’t come easy, even for a vampire! Through teamwork and perseverance, Vlad was able to learn something new! There is so much to talk about in this adorable story! Everything from hockey, to growth mindset, and even character development! This is definitely a must-have book for learning about winter sports!
I hope you found some new, fun winter sports mentor texts to add to your classroom! Grab some of my other favorite winter mentor texts while you’re here! If you want to save this pin for later, just pin the image below!
