Reviews

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

ctay's review against another edition

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5.0

Kids loved this book. Thought it was hysterical.

elorith's review against another edition

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5.0

this is one of my favourite books of all times. i'm not sure i can articulate why, it just delights me.

mdevlin923's review against another edition

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4.0

Peter wakes up one morning to find the entire city covered in snow. He spends the day exploring and playing until he arrives back at home, where he shares his adventures with his mother.

A classic that is hailed for being the first picture book with a black protagonist to win a major children's award. Although it was written by a white author, it is still impactful and influential. Be sure to include other, more contemporary books with black protagonists that are written by black authors on your bookshelf along with this one.

mehsi's review against another edition

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4.0

My sixth book for Banned Books Week. This book was challenged for various reasons and I was curious to read it. :) It was a pretty good book, maybe I will re-read it when it is winter.

dicefab's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

lidiaaa222's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

haemelle's review against another edition

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5.0

There’s something so precious about playing and enjoying snow despite its simplicity. The art style is also incredibly cute.

book_concierge's review

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5.0

A young boy in the city wakes to a world covered in snow. He grabs his snowsuit and heads outside, where he is continually delighted by what he sees and feels.

Ezra Jack Keats noticed a lack of children’s books that depicted the kids of his Brooklyn neighborhood, and so began the “Peter” series, featuring this delightful little boy. When the book was first published in 1962, there weren’t many (or any?) children’s picture books depicting African American families. But this is a universal story. All children delight in that first snowfall, in making different tracks in the snow, poking at a tree with a stick, making a snowman, “saving” a snowball, making snow angels, etc.

I was completely caught up in Peter’s adventures. How even a change in the way he walks to produce different footprint patterns intrigues him and captures his imagination. I get the sense of wonder and the desire to be “bigger” so he can get into a snowball fight like the older kids. I also love the tender scene with his mother when she helps him off with his wet clothes and gets him into a warm bath (complete with sailboat and rubber duckie).

The illustrations earned Keats a Caldecott Medal. They are bright and cheerful, and Peter’s red snowsuit stands out in each frame.

vegprincess's review against another edition

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5.0

This was one of my favorite books from childhood. Unfortunately, I lost my original copy, and since I kept thinking about how much I missed it, I bought another copy. I read it as soon as it arrived and loved it as much as I did when I first read this it at age four.

kitsuneheart's review against another edition

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5.0

While it would be nice to say that it's shocking that "The Snowy Day" was ground-breaking 52 years ago, it's obvious we've not come quite far enough to forget the fact that having an African American child as the protagonist of a picture book (and one which was not explicitly about race) was considered novel.

"The Snowy Day" was accepted by the general reading public with so little notice of race from Caucasian readers and so much for African American readers, and the love for this book is all well-deserved. The words are too advanced for new readers to understand on their own, but the text is large enough for new readers to follow along with ease. The images are simple, but evocative of that calm, snow-filled day. And the entire piece is peaceful that most readers must find themselves similarly put at ease as they read.

A strong contender for any household, but always a must for public libraries.