The Snowy DayA picture book with story and pictures by Ezra Jack Keats
Published by Viking Press, 1962
Lexile: 500L
32 pages
Caldecott Medal, 1963
found: on the shelves
The Snowy Day is a story with no particular plot about a small boy named Peter and his diminutive adventures one snowy day. He loves to feel the snow crunching under his feet, make tracks and angels in the smooth snow surface, and hear the “plop!” of the snow as it falls from the trees. He loves the snow so much that he tries to keep some in his pocket for later. Unfortunately, it melts into water and Peter is sad as he goes to bed. When he wakes the next morning, he finds new snow is falling and inviting him out to play. The story encourages children to go out and explore using all the senses. Confidence comes from security and independence, as Peter demonstrates on this snowy day. He explores texture, sound, and even bravely experiments with motion down the hill. It also deals with the disappointment of the melted snow but give hope to readers in the freshly fallen snow of the new morning.
The sparse text tells a simple narrative, and this story is appealing to me mostly because of the artful illustrations by Ezra Jack Keats. They are minimalist and geometric, but his innovative use of texture and design really make the snow warm and appealing. This story is also significant because it features a young black boy as the main character, a radical choice for the early 1960’s.
Readers of any age will enjoy this story because the illustrations are bold and wonderful to look at. The story is easy to understand, and any child who has experienced a fresh snowfall will be able to relate to Peter’s joy.
The Snowy Day would be a great accompaniment for many activities during the winter. A science lesson on snow and the unique properties of water could lead to experiments about the reason the snow melted. This book was published right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. This book would be an excellent example of an outcome of that movement. Finally, the day after a snow day would present a wonderful writing prompt for students to make snowflakes and write their own story about a snowy day.
