The Snowy Day
Bibliography:
Keats, E. J. (1996). THE SNOWY DAY. Viking Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 978-067086733
Plot Summary:
The Snowy Day, by author/illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, is a book about a young boy named Peter who wakes up one cold morning, looks outside, and is amazed by all the snow he sees. Peter decides to embark on an adventure that includes making snow tracks, smacking snow off of trees, participating in snowball fights, building a snowman, along with many other fun activities. At the end of his fun-filled day, he goes inside his home and tells his mother all about it. After changing out of his cold, wet clothes, he goes to sleep and dreams that a sunny day had melted all of the snow away. When he woke up the next morning, he saw the snow was still there. He goes outside once more for more adventures, but this time, he takes a friend to share in the fun.
Critical Analysis:
The simplicity of this book is something to really love. It is easy to read and follow which makes it appropriate for grades K-3. The illustrations are very unique. Keats does a great job of making the character stand out from the background by using red for his coat. The colors the author uses for the scenery almost make one feel as if one needed a coat of their own. The simplicity of the photos and the color white popping out everywhere makes the picture of the character and the coat always stand out.
The adventures Peter has throughout the story makes one remember and reminisce about their own childhood adventures. As someone who has never played in the snow, the illustrations make one want to take a trip up north to experience the fun. As someone who has played in the snow as a child , it will access that prior knowledge and turn on the memory lane of when that happened. The book is very appealing due to its feeling of happiness and remembrance.
Review Excerpt(s):
Caldecott Medal
“While lacking the original smaller-size picture book's intimacy, this large-size board book edition of Keats's Caldecott Medal winning classic would work well for group sharing.” -Horn Book
“Now in a sturdy board-book format just right for youngest readers, 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.” -Publishers Weekly
Connection:
*This story can be connected to a descriptive writing activity where students are given one illustration with no words from the story and they have to write a description of what is happening in the picture.
*In order to facilitate vocabulary for struggling readers and writers, teachers and students can develop a word bank with words that describe color, shapes, etc. Students can then start writing their descriptions. Struggling writers can use sentence starters to help them trigger ideas and help them be successful.
*Other books that reflect this genre include
Keats, Ezra Jack. (1964). WHISTLE FOR WILLIE. New York :Viking Press,
ISBN: 9780370007601
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