Today I’ve gathered up some of my favorite Groundhog Day books for kids. What child would not be intrigued by adorable fuzzy creatures popping out of the ground and magically predicting the weather? These books are a great way to share this cultural tradition with young kids, while also teaching them about nature and wildlife. Here is a little background on this special day.
Groundhog Day is celebrated in the United States and Canada every February 2nd. The groundhog will emerge from hibernation and if he sees his shadow, winter is not over. If the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, spring has come!
Groundhog Day was said to have originated with the Pennsylvania Dutch when they carried over traditions from Germany. The old Christian holiday Candlemas is traditionally observed on February 2nd, which is the 40th day of the Christmas season. The story goes, that if the sun comes out on Candlemas, there will be six more weeks of winter. That evolved into the groundhog seeing his shadow (the sun is out!), and there will be six more weeks of winter. If the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow (a cloudy day), then winter is on its way out.
The first Groundhog Day was acknowledged in 1886 in a Punxsutawney, PA, newspaper. The most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil, although that’s just his nickname. His official name is actually:
“Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.”
So does a groundhog really predict the end of winter? Some people say yes! The fact that he emerges from his hibernation is a clue that spring is to come. But actually, studies show (and yes, there have been studies) that a groundhog has “no predictive skill” in determining the weather. The National Climatic Data Center compared U.S. national temperatures from 1988 to 2012 to determine the accuracy of Phil’s predictions, and he’s only been correct 39% of the time.
And in case you don’t follow groundhog news, this past Sunday was Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring! Yay! So as we drift into spring, be sure to check out some of these favorite Groundhog Day books for kids.
This book is all about girl power! Punxsutuwney Phyllis is Punxsutawney Phil’s niece, and is ready to step into her uncle’s coveted role.
I think grumpy themed kids books are all the rage now. (Grumpy Monkey, the Pout Pout Fish, etc.) On one hand, I love that these books teach children that it’s okay to have grumpy feelings, and also teaches them how to deal with those feelings. (On the other, smaller, hand, I’m more of a fan of happy books, rainbows and sunshine!) This story is actually very relatable, on Groundhog’s big day, he does NOT want to get out of his cozy bed and preform his duties!
This book might be my favorite of the lot. Groundhog is tired of the same old, same old every February. What about his wants? What about his needs?! Groundhog is taking a vacation! And the town has to scramble to find another animal to predict the weather in his place.
This book is pretty funny. Groundhog wants to be known for more than just predicting the weather! He shares some of his other talents throughout the book. It’s funny, and also a great way to learn more about groundhogs.
A good bedtime book, Groundhog is not tired and doesn’t want to settle down for his fall hibernation, so he goes on an adventure instead!
I hope you enjoyed this list and found some great books to introduce your kids to Groundhog Day! For more best of book lists, check out the best Wordless Books for Toddlers. And as always, thanks for stopping by!