By Ezra Jack Keats
Viking, 1962
Picture book, 40 pages, ages 1-5
Peter wakes up to see snow covering everything. He hurries into his snowsuit and runs outside, making tracks this way and that. Finding a stick that is just right for knocking snow off a tree. Making snow angels. Climbing a snow hill. Packing a snowball round and firm to keep in his pocket for tomorrow. Then back home, dinner, a bath, and to bed, dreaming of doing the same tomorrow, if the sun doesn’t melt it all away.
A bona fide classic that perfectly captures the delight of a snowy day.
A beloved classic and winner of the Caldecott Medal, The Snowy Day tells a universal story of childlike wonder and finding joy in simple things. From the writing to the illustrations to the layout, this is a superb example of picture book brilliance.
The Snowy Day is one of my all-time favorite picture books; I could go on and on about how much I love it. But I’ll rein myself in. One of the things I really appreciate: is its diversity. At a time when most children in picture books were blonde-haired and blue-eyed, Peter is Black. The story isn’t about race, it’s about a child going about his everyday life and finding wonder. And that can be a powerful thing. Peter is a character that many children can identify with.
Another thing I love about The Snowy Day: the cut-paper collage illustrations. The textures Keats creates are sumptuous. The colors are rich and unexpected. The scenes are full of life and expression, something very difficult to do with cut paper. Truly masterful.
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. It’s a go-to baby shower gift – an excellent choice for any picture book gift, really. Will children like it? Most will. This child did.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats receives 5 stars from this reviewer.