A Field Guide to Winter

5th December 2025 

Gabby Dawnay and Dorien Brouwers
Thames & Hudson, £10.99

Inspired by the phenomenon of the ‘forest school’, this beautiful little book is part of a series covering the four seasons. The perfect size for little hands to grab before heading off for outdoor escapades, it contains fascinating facts and information, ideas for hands-on activities that are fun and helpful to nature, as well as poems and inspiration for adventures. 

From how snow forms and why we have winter to helping birds find food and identifying constellations on long winter nights, there are tonnes of ideas to keep nature lovers enthusiastic even through the coldest of months. There are also useful safety tips and a preparation guide, perfect for children who don’t always take heed of their parents’ wrap-up-warm advice. And with soup recipes and writing tasks, if the weather really takes a turn for the worse, there are ideas for indoor fun that still manage to connect children to the great outdoors.

Information is given in a succinct and clear way that doesn’t overwhelm kids, and is styled for easy dipping in and out. There is just as much for adults to learn as there is for children, with every fact feeling as though it has earned its place in the book, rather than just being there to fill the page. Packed with painterly illustrations so pretty you’ll want to frame them, it is a perfect stocking filler for any budding little biologists.

Rachel Duffield