Help kids start the year out right with some cold weather activities, a splash of Spanish and a little history. There’s something to keep any child from being bored during the coldest winter weather. Parents and grandparents will also enjoy reading along with these books and helping kids do projects and make real world connections with what they learn.

Grumpy Gus Beats the Blues (Books for Kids Book 1) by Dale Lewis – Grumpy Gus is having a bad day. Can his friends come to the rescue? Kids learn about caring and friendship in this easy to follow story. For ages infant to 5

January Monthly Idea Book (The "Original" Monthly Idea Book) by Scholastic – filled with interesting and fun activities that are easily adapted for kids of different ages. Never let kids get bored on those days when it’s too cold to play outside. For all ages

The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers – This book is a complication of some of Mr. Rogers’ best stories, anecdotes, and insights taken from his speeches, program transcripts, books, letters, and interviews, including some of his never-before-published writings. Now is the perfect time to introduce your kids to Mr. Rogers and share his messages about love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty. For all ages

My Daddy, the Amazing Nurse!: A rhyming career exploration book for children (Nurse Books for Kids 1) by Donald Jacobsen – This book, written by a registered nurse, teaches kids about the field of nursing,  talks about the vital roles nurses play in health care and promotes gender positivity by highlighting men in the nursing profession. For ages Infant to 7

Basic Spanish Phrases: Learn Beginner Spanish to English Book for Kids (Pedro & Pete Spanish Kids 4)

by Bobby Basil – Young readers learn how to say words in Spanish and palabras en ingles from Pedro and Pete. Each page uses a split screen like Spanish learning apps, so young readers learn how to speak the Spanish language by seeing the English to Spanish words at the same time. Perfect for beginning readers or anyone who wants to learn a new language. For ages 2-8

Vincent, Theo and the Fox: A mischievous adventure through the paintings of Vincent van Gogh

by Ted Macaluso – With over 30 full-color reproductions of van Gogh’s greatest works, this book introduces children to the works of Vincent Van Gogh. Take an imaginative journey with young Vincent, his brother Theo and a fox through the beautiful landscape that would eventually inspire his art. Plus, a brief, factual biography of Vincent van Gogh. For ages 3-10

Martin Luther King, Jr. (Little People, BIG DREAMS Book 41) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara – This bestselling series of books and educational games explores the lives of outstanding people, designers, artists, scientists and activists. Each person began life as a child with a dream. Follow along as Martin Luther King, Jr. grows up in Alabama and follows in his father’s footsteps to become a minister and eventually the driving force behind the Civil Rights Movement. For ages 4-7

Squirrel's New Year's Resolution by Pat Miller – Squirrel has heard of making New Year's resolutions, but she’s not sure what it means to make a resolution.  Kids will enjoy tagging along as squirrel visits her friends around the forest and learns about New Year's resolutions. After she helps her friends get started making their resolutions, will there be any resolutions left for squirrel to make? For ages 4-8

The Lonely Polar Bear by Khoa Le is a subtle way to introduce young kids to climate change issues. A little polar bear wakes up and can’t find his family, so he begins a journey across the Arctic to find them. He meets and makes friends with other animals who are also struggling to survive as their icy home melts and food becomes harder to find. For ages 5-8

One Million Things: A Visual Encyclopedia Hardcover by DK. Filled with fun and interesting facts and dazzling photos, this book covers technology, Earth, people, nature, history, science, the human body, and many other subjects kids are curious about. The entries are presented in creative ways – different varieties of snakes on a ladder and mammals presented as relatives in a photo album. For ages 9-12