Rating: 
(73 reviews)
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Publisher: Puffin
Amazon.com
The Snowy Day, a 1963 Caldecott Medal winner, is the simple tale of a boy waking up to discover that snow has fallen during the night. Keats’s illustrations, using cut-outs, watercolors, and collage, are strikingly beautiful in their understated color and composition. The tranquil story mirrors the calm presence of the paintings, and both exude the silence of a freshly snow-covered landscape. The little boy celebrates the snow-draped city with a day of humble adventures–experimenting with footprints, knocking snow from a tree, creating snow angels, and trying to save a snowball for the next day. Awakening to a winter wonderland is an ageless, ever-magical experience, and one made nearly visceral by Keats’s gentle tribute.
The book is notable not only for its lovely artwork and tone, but also for its importance as a trailblazer. According to Horn Book magazine, The Snowy Day was “the very first full-color picture book to feature a small black hero”–yet another reason to add this classic to your shelves. It’s as unique and special as a snowflake.
Book Description
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever.
5 Comments
“The Snowy Day” was the first book written by Ezra Jack Keats (formerly Katz). It was the winner of the Caldecott Medal in 1963, was cited by the NY Public Library as one of the 100 most influential books of the 20th century in 1996, won a citation from the Brooklyn Art Books for children in 1973 and was chosen by the US State Department for its Touring Collection in 1971. The author Keats grew up in Brooklyn and changed his name from Katz to Keats after World War II. Because of the discrimination he faced, he became the first American picture book maker to give a black child a major role in children’s books and literature.
Keats was inspired to write this book and develop the central character of Peter (a boy in this book about four) because he had become so enchanted with a photograph of a small boy in Life magazine. He cut out these pictures and put them on his studio walls. This boy in the magazine developed into Keat’s character named Peter. Peter would become the main character in six more books until he was portrayed as a young adolescent in “Pet Show”.
This is a lovely book which has Peter waking up to a “world of snowy white” delighted with the new snow and his day of playing with snowballs, making snowmen and angels and dreaming of another new day (although he feared that the snow would have melted over night). To Peter’s delight, he woke up on the second day to even more new snow. The book is delightful. I loved the part where Peter, just being filled with the joy of being a little boy, tried to capture the day and the snow by putting it in his pocket so that he could take it inside when he has to go into his house.
Keats writes, “Before he got into bed, he looked in his pocket. His pocket was empty. The snowball wasn’t there. He felt very sad.” What a delight when the little boy is once again filled with joy the next day discovering that the snow is still there as well as some new cover.
This is a wonderful book to experience for any young child. Keeping that wonder alive in a child so that they look at the world with the eyes of Peter embracing each new day is awesome. There are lessons to be taught in the book as well about diversity, friendship, hope, love, being patient about growing up and being able to enjoy the moment and seize the day.
Keats summed up the purpose for writing this book and series with this statement: “Just to get the feeling of this wonderful little boy. I wanted to convey the joy of being a little boy alive on a certain kind of day - of being for that moment -The air is cold, you touch the snow, aware of the things to which all children are so open.”
A very sweet book.
Bentley/2007
The Snowy Day
You can’t go wrong with a Keats book. The collage art work is super interesting and the multicultural aspects of the book are wonderful. This is a great winter book.
My kids love it just as much as I did when my mom read it to me.
This book is a classic! A must have for every child. A simple story about a snowy day in a small boy’s life which all small children can relate to. All Ezra Jack Keats books are great for children to read as they have a lot of the same characters & children like that aspect. We read about Peter here in The Snowy Day and he also appears in Keats’ other stories. I highly recommend a collection of Keats’ books especially The Snowy Day!
i remember this book from the days of watching Captain Kangaroo. it was a warm fuzzy to read it to my grandsons.