The Snowy Day facts for kids
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The Snowy Day
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| Author | Ezra Jack Keats |
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| Illustrator | Ezra Jack Keats |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
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Publication date
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1962 |
| ISBN | 978-0-670-01270-1 |
| OCLC | 3003159 |
| LC Class | PZ7.K2253 Sn 1978 |
The Snowy Day is a famous children's picture book from 1962. It was written and illustrated by an American artist named Ezra Jack Keats. The story is about a young African American boy named Peter. He goes on an adventure in his neighborhood after the first big snowfall of the year. In 1963, Ezra Jack Keats won the Caldecott Medal for his amazing artwork in the book. This made The Snowy Day the first picture book with a Black main character to win such a big award for children's books.
Contents
Peter's Snowy Adventure
The story begins when Peter, the main character, wakes up. He sees that it has snowed a lot overnight. It is the first snowfall of the season!
Peter puts on his bright red snowsuit. He then goes outside to explore. He makes fresh footprints and long trails in the snow.
Peter is too young to join the older kids in a snowball fight. So, he decides to make his own fun. He builds a snowman and creates snow angels. He also slides down a snowy hill.
When it is time to go home, Peter puts a snowball in his pocket. He wants to save it for later. But before he goes to bed, he finds that his snowball has melted.
The next morning, Peter wakes up to even more falling snow. He is very excited! This time, he goes outside with a friend to play in the fresh snow.
About the Author, Ezra Jack Keats
Ezra Jack Keats was born Jacob Ezra Katz. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His family was not rich, and his parents were immigrants.
After serving in World War II, he changed his last name to Keats. This helped him find work in the book world. Keats lived in a neighborhood with many different cultures. This experience showed up in his books.
For example, his first book, My Dog is Lost!, featured children from different backgrounds. But before The Snowy Day, none of his 30+ illustration jobs showed Black children. Keats always wanted his own book's hero to be African American.
Book Adaptations and More
The Snowy Day was made into an animated TV special. It was a Christmas special released on Amazon Prime in 2016. The famous actor Laurence Fishburne narrated the story. Other actors like Regina King and Angela Bassett lent their voices.
The special also featured an original song called "Snowy Day." It was performed by the group Boyz II Men. In 2017, this animated special won two Daytime Emmy Awards.
The book also inspired another book. It was called A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day. Andrea Davis Pinkney wrote it in 2016.
The Snowy Day has been translated into at least 10 different languages. This means children all over the world can enjoy Peter's story.
Honors and Special Tributes
Ezra Jack Keats's legacy lives on through awards. The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation created two awards. The Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award started in 1985. The Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award began in 2001. These awards help new talent in children's literature.
The New York Public Library named The Snowy Day one of its "Books of the Century." This shows how important the book is.
Peter and his dog, Willie, have a bronze statue. It is in Imagination Playground in New York City. This statue helps people remember the characters.
In 2017, the United States Postal Service honored the book. They released four special stamps. These stamps showed Peter playing in the snow.
The Snowy Day was also the number one book on the "Top Check Outs OF ALL TIME" list. This list was made by the New York Public Library.
