*Created for Texas Woman's University graduate level class*
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Keats, Jack Ezra. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. New York, New York. The Viking Press. ISBN 0-670-65400-0
2. SUMMARY
The picture book describes the adventures of a young boy, Peter, when he wakes up in the morning to see the first snow day of the season. The author describes how Peter puts on his snow suit after breakfast and walks outside where he proceeds to makes tracks in the snow, snowmen and angels, climb a snow hill, make snowballs, tell his mom about his adventures, and dream about the snow melting.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author’s main character, Peter, is a likeable little boy, excited about the first snow day of the year. The enthusiasm for the snow day reminds adults of our own youth when we played in the snow. The writing is simple and direct, and the setting could be set in any time period, even though the story was written in the 1960’s. The book reminds readers of the joy and enthusiasm for simple things such as snow days and snow angels.
The illustration uses both bright colors and neutral colors to tell Peter’s story. The illustrations help to move the story along, as well as to bring the story to life. The book was awarded the Caldecott Medal, which we can see was well deserved. Ezra Jack Keats created Peter, the first African-American protagonist to be featured on a color picture book; this was extremely controversial in the 1960’s; and was done during the height of the Civil Rights movement. There are some stereotypical aspects of the novel, for instance, the mother is portrayed as heavier, almost as a “Mammy” figure.
4. REVIEWS
Caldecott Medal Winner
New York Public Library’s 150 most influential books of the 20th century
5. CONNECTIONS
Have children act out different parts of the story, such as dragging their feet through the snow
Have children create their own idea of what their perfect snow day would be
Read other stories by Ezra Jack Keats
Works Cited
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. "Awards and Honors." Accessed June 12, 2012. http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/introduction/a-biography/awards-honors/.
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