The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Bibliography:
Keats, Ezra J. The Snowy Day. Bergenfield, NJ, Viking Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780670867332
Plot Summary:
Peter wakes up one morning to find snow everywhere outside his house. He was so excited to play in the snow, make tracks, build a snowman, and make snow angels. He knew he was too small to play with the big kids, so he continued to have fun by himself. The problem in the story was when Pete couldn't find the ball of snow he put in his jacket pocket because it melted. He also had a dream that all the snow melted away like his snowball. He woke up the next morning to find all the snow was still there. Problem solved. He grabbed a friend and went to have fun in the snow again.
Critical Analysis:
It was refreshing to see an African American child as the main character in the story without it being offensive or overriding the plot of the story. The pictures were in warm and soft colors allowing you to relax and enjoy they story of Peter discovering snow in the city. The pictures looked very familiar to me. I realized Ezra Jack Keats also wrote "A Whistle for Willie." This story is appropriate for young readers that are discovering new things everyday. You could sense the rhythm of the story especially at "He walked with his toes pointing out like this: He walked with his toes pointing in, like that:" Crunch went the snow in the onomoatopoeia. This is a book I recommend for ages 3-6.
Review Excerpts:
Caldecott Award Book- 1963
Top 10 Children's Books-TIME January 19, 2015
From Publishers Weekly- "Pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."
From Esther Ehrlich of Common Sense Media- "challenges the assumption that more is better, inviting you and your kids into a world of slow, easy pleasures"
Connections:
Gather another Ezra Jack Keats book such as:
Gather more books about snow such as:
Use these stories to compare characters.
Use these stories to teach seasons.
Keats, Ezra J. The Snowy Day. Bergenfield, NJ, Viking Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780670867332
Plot Summary:
Peter wakes up one morning to find snow everywhere outside his house. He was so excited to play in the snow, make tracks, build a snowman, and make snow angels. He knew he was too small to play with the big kids, so he continued to have fun by himself. The problem in the story was when Pete couldn't find the ball of snow he put in his jacket pocket because it melted. He also had a dream that all the snow melted away like his snowball. He woke up the next morning to find all the snow was still there. Problem solved. He grabbed a friend and went to have fun in the snow again.
Critical Analysis:
It was refreshing to see an African American child as the main character in the story without it being offensive or overriding the plot of the story. The pictures were in warm and soft colors allowing you to relax and enjoy they story of Peter discovering snow in the city. The pictures looked very familiar to me. I realized Ezra Jack Keats also wrote "A Whistle for Willie." This story is appropriate for young readers that are discovering new things everyday. You could sense the rhythm of the story especially at "He walked with his toes pointing out like this: He walked with his toes pointing in, like that:" Crunch went the snow in the onomoatopoeia. This is a book I recommend for ages 3-6.
Review Excerpts:
Caldecott Award Book- 1963
Top 10 Children's Books-TIME January 19, 2015
From Publishers Weekly- "Pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."
From Esther Ehrlich of Common Sense Media- "challenges the assumption that more is better, inviting you and your kids into a world of slow, easy pleasures"
Connections:
Gather another Ezra Jack Keats book such as:
- Keats, Ezra J. Keat's Neighborhood. ISBN: 978067003586
Gather more books about snow such as:
- Maclachlan, Patricia. Snowflakes Fall. ISBN: 9780385376938
- Rylant, Cynthia. Snow. ISBN: 9781328740557
Use these stories to compare characters.
Use these stories to teach seasons.
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