The Snowy Day By Jack Ezra Keats

 

The Snowy Day By Jack Ezra Keats

Bibliography:  Keats, Ezra Jack. 1962. The snowy day. New York: Viking Press.

ISBN: 9780670062591

Plot Summary:

This is the story of a young African American boy named Peter who wakes up one morning to a snow day. He is delighted, and goes outside to explore this new winter wonderland that has taken over his neighborhood. The book is colorful, and follows Peter as he walks throughout his neighborhood. He makes tracks in the snow with his feet, knocks snow off of a tree with a stick, contemplates joining a snowball fight with older kids, makes a snowman and snow angels, slides down a mound of snow, and eventually puts a snowball in his pocket for later. When he returns home, he tells his mother about his adventures, and takes a bath. In the meantime, his snowball melts and he becomes very sad. He goes to bed and dreams about all of the snow melting overnight, but is overjoyed when he wakes up to see that there is more snow than the day before.   

Critical Analysis:

From the very beginning of this text, readers are drawn in by the colorful illustrations, and the main character, Peter's excitement for a snow day. He goes on many adventures during his snow day, that all children can relate to, making tracks in the snow, building and making snowmen and snow angels, sliding down a mound of snow, and even having a snowball fight.  Readers are drawn into this simple text because of the basic story structure, and problem that is relatable. Peter, puts a snowball in his pocket, and goes inside. When he does this, the snowball melts and he becomes saddened, and even dreams that all the snow will be melted in the morning, like his snowball. However, when he awakes, the snow is still there, bringing joy to all readers hearts because he is able to have another snow day. The text if anything, is relatable to everyone that has ever experienced a snow day, and shows the pure excitement that a child can have with the simplest of things.  

The illustrations in this book are very bright and vibrant. Mr. Keats uses a mixture of watercolors, collages, and cut-outs to create the winter wonderland that Peter explores in the text.  The color scheme is bright, and allows the reader to become immersed in the text, and feel as though they too are having a snow day. The layout of the text allows the reader to fully experience Peter's snow day with a illustrations that span both pages. As a whole, the design of the book is very vibrant and draws the reader's attention.

Review Excerpts:

Caldecott Medal Winner - 1963

"In this book sparkling with atmosphere, a small boy experiences the joys of a snowy day. The brief, vividly expressed text points out his new awareness". — The Horn Book

"Ezra Jack Keats's classic The Snowy Day, winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."—Publisher's Weekly

The first book I would run to on my trips to the library. Just wonderful. – Hotspur Closser

Connections/Activities:

• If it is snowing, have students make snowballs and see how long they last in the classroom under different conditions.
• Have students create their own snowflake.
• Have students write about their own snow day adventures.
• Have students create an alternate ending for the text.
• Have students sequence the main events of the story.
• Have students find cause and effect relationships within the text.
• Compare/Contrast to other books that feature a snow day. One book is Snow Day! by Barbara M. Joosee  (0395968909)
• Select other books by Jack Ezra Keats featuring Peter:
• Whistle for Willie - 0670880469
• Peter's Chair - 0140564411
• A Letter to Amy - 0670880639
• Goggles - 0140564403  
• Related Texts:
• Snowy Day By Anna Milbourne - 0794511473
• Snow Day By Betsy Maestro - 0590460838
• The Snow Day By Komako Sakai - 0545013216

Personal Connections:

I have always heard of this story by Jack Ezra Keats, but had never read it for myself or to my students. I also do not remember reading it in school. However, it is in my classroom library because I received it as a gift. I enjoyed reading the story, and can think of many ways to incorporate it into my 3rd grade classroom. The text is simple, yet there are many cause and effect relationships within the text, as well as inferences that can be made. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I will have to read it to my students whenever there is an impending snow day. It is a colorful and vibrant text, and I love the watercolors, and collages that let the images jump off the pages! In all this is a wonderful book, and I now know why it is one of the classics!