Book Review #4

 Book Review:  The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

1.  Bibliography

Keats, Ezra Jack. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. New York: Viking Press. ISBN 9781435208087

2.  Plot Summary

The Snowy Day is a children's book that tells the story of a boy named Peter and his fun filled day in the snow.  He wakes up one morning and see everything outside covered in snow.  He puts on his snowsuit and goes outside, he makes tracks with his feet and he smacks the snow on the trees.  He then sees children having a snowball fight, he knew he couldn't join them because he is too young.  Instead he plays alone, he made a smiling snowman, he made snow angels, and even pretended to be a mountain climber climbing a mountain of snow.  Peter even saved a big snowball in his pocket for the next day.  He goes home, takes a bath and thinks about the snowball in his pocket.  Before he goes to bed he checks his pocket and feels very sad because his snowball isn't there.  He goes to bed and dreams about the sun melting all the snow, when he wakes up in the morning he thinks about his dream.  He then looks outside and sees the snow falling, he gets ready to play outside again.  This time he goes out to play with a friend.

3.  Critical Analysis

The Snowy Day is an easy book children can enjoy and for those who don't have experience in the snow they can discover what kind of things children do in the snow.  It allows children who are not familiar with snow to experience what it would be like to play in the snow through Peter's adventures.  We can experience each on of his adventures in the snow through the illustrations, children who have never experienced snow can visualize what it would be like, what it would be like to make snow angels.  Children can visualize the snow angels through the wonderful illustrations. Watercolors are used to create simple, but yet wonderful images that helps tell Peter's story of his day in the snow.

This is a simple, but yet wonderful book of a little boy who has a fun day.  Peter plays alone in the snow and has a joyous day, he does not need others to enjoy his moments in the snow.  The author did an amazing job allowing us to experience the things Peter did in the snow.

4.  Review Excerpts

Starred review in THE HORN BOOK: "in this mood book, never static, but sparkling with atmosphere in lovely water-color pictures."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: In  it was ranked #5  among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published.

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER 1963

5.  Connections

Every child can relate to Peter and not necessarily playing in the snow, but just having an adventurous day outdoors.  This book shows the imagination children possess, they can enjoy themselves in what nature has to offer.  Children can make connections of adventures they have playing outside and this book also allows the reader to visualize what it would be like to play in the snow, to make a snowman, to make angels, and do many other exciting things in the snow.

 Many children in the South (South Texas) have never experienced snow and this book simply allows children to experience that. The author allows the reader to vividly experience snow adventures through his illustrations.

Other books with wonderful illustrations by Ezra Jack Keats are Peter's Chair, Whistle for Willie, and A Letter for Amy.