A child describes pleasant ways to stay warm during the winter, from sipping hot chocolate and eating grilled cheese sandwiches to wearing wooly sweaters and sitting near a glowing fireplace.
A curious young bear, who does not want to miss the delights of winter, skips his first hibernation to play in the snow, glide on the ice, and admire the glittering rows of icicles and snow-covered pine trees.
Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn't missing much. Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter?
When Bear notices that winter is nearly here he hurries to tell Snail, after which each animal tells another until finally the already sleeping Bear is awakened in his den with the news.
On a cold winter night many animals gather to party in the cave of a sleeping bear, who then awakes and protests that he has missed the food and the fun.
As winter comes and Big Bear prepares to hibernate, he keeps thinking he hears Old Man Winter giving him exhausting orders that prevent him from sleeping.
Nell is told by her BIG sisters and her mother that she is too small to help out, but everyone, including Nell, feels differently after her forest friends give her the confidence to build a large snowman.
