Customer Reviews

The Snowy Day Board Book

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a classic and will never be out of date. I used it back in the seventies and will continue using it again now.
Whether the children are one, three, 5-6 or parents, they never stop asking me to read it over again once they have been introduced to it. Miming it is great fun afterwards.
I'd love to have it translated in French. I wonder if I could do it myself and submit it...

This is a story that my kid brother (who is now 25 years old) adored when he was around 6 years old. He still has his origional copy of the book at home and now he reads this classic tale to his 7 month old son. The story is simple yet delightful and the illustrations are supurb in this sweet tale of a boy as he wonders at the beauty Mother Nature can bring with a cool, white substance called snow.

When "The Snowy Day" first came out, it was considered groundbreaking. Unprecedented. Here, at last, was a picture book in which the protagonist is black. It's not an overtly political book, mind you. Just a nice story about a kid in the city playing in the snow. Having heard about this story for a long time, I decided now was the moment to see how well this book has stood up over time. Ezra Jack Keats has long passed from idle picture book author to a somewhat god-like figure of the children's book world, so does this early work stand out even today? If it was introduced for the first time now, would it be considered as good as it is? Yes and no. The book is both a fabulous creation, and a very simple, very normal, tale that everyone on one level or another is familiar with.

In this book, Peter wakes up to discover that snow has covered the city in the night. Delighted, he pulls on his bright red (and now world known) snowsuit and plunges into a day of exploring and playing. He makes fun tracks, and hits snow off the branches of trees. He constructs a smiling snowman and slides down steep mountains of snow. At the end of the day his mother gets him out of his wet clothes and gives him a nice hot bath. The next morning the snow is still there, and an ecstatic Peter calls up a friend to do the whole day over again.

When I was a child I loved (and still do) stories that took place in the big cities. Keats never draws an inordinate amount of attention to Peter's surroundings. So while you won't see skyscrapers or taxi cabs, there's a distinctly urban feel to the lay of the land. The text is nice and easy for the youngsters to understand. As for the cut-outs, they're a delight to look at. Picture books featuring cut-outs may be remembered best as belonging to such artists as Eric Carle or Leo Lionni, but I consider Mr. Keats to be the granddaddy of the art form. Aside from the beauty of the landscaping in this pictures, I loved the papers used in the book. The section in which Peter sits on the snow, a snowball embedded on his chest, the black sky is a-swirl in greens, blues, and browns. When Peter slides down a snow covered embankment, the sky is then a delightful twisty series of white smoke-like curlicues. And Peter's home itself is eloquently rendered. From the wrought iron bed frame to the multicolored wallpaper and tiles that enhance the setting, the book is the best possible combination of elegance and realism.

If it came out today, "Snowy Day" wouldn't garner an overly enthusiastic response from publishers and critics. Which isn't to say that it's unworthy of the praise already received. As I've tried to show, the book is a wonderful amalgamation of text, pattern, and emotion. One of the finest books written for children, and a great evocative story.

"A Snowy Day," by Ezra Jack Keats is a true classic. The story is about a child named Peter. Peter was a city kid who woke up one morning to discover yhat the entire city was blanketed in snow. Seeing this Peter begins to engage in activities that any small child who grew up with a snowy climate would engage in such as: making footprints in the snow, striking a snow-covered tree in order to knock the clumps of snow off of the branches, making snowmen and snow angles, and sliding down a snowy hill. He ultimately sets it off when he stuffs a snowball in his coat pocket. This is a great book due to it's real like partrayal of a child and the significance of snow in his life.

I agree with other reviewers that the story in this book isn't heart-stopping exciting and it does drag on a bit toward the end, but frankly, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. The slow, languid pace of this story makes it a very calming and relaxing bed time read. The chunky, colorful illustrations are adorable, and the fact that the little boy is not very detailed makes him sort of a child's "Everyman." The story is really about a little boy whose imagination is maybe a little too big for the fact that he's only 4 and not able to do everything he'd like, but it's cute and engaging and well worth reading.

The Snowy Day is a great book for kids of the age 4-6 years old.
The book is about a little boy who has a great time out side. He plays in the snow making snow angles and snowmen and many more great things. He try's to have fun with older kids but he seemed to not fit in.
He soon learns that not all things are here to stay.
The book is not one of the best books out there but the pictures are pretty.

As a student at West Virginia State College I was required to view a Caldecott Metal winning book. The Snowy Day captured the child in me. Peter wakes up to find that snow covers everything. He is so excited. He dresses and runs outside. He builds a snowman and makes a snow angel. He is in a magical world of imagination. He tries to save a snowball by putting it in his pocket only to find it had melted. Overnight he dreams the snow has all melted only to awaken to another magical day of the winter wonderland. This book with its beautiful illustrations captures the excitement of winter through a child's eyes.

what a gem! this is a slice of life book: the adventures a young boy has after a nice snow. the illustrations are wonderful and the text is simple, yet grand. there isnt a person i know who has had a baby i havent bought this for. its just wonderful. any child (under 9 or so) who finds himself "bored" by this book has simply watched too much tv and forgotten how to play with a stick, some snow and a lively imagination.

"One winter morning Peter woke up and looked out the window. Snow had fallen during the night. It covered everthing as far as he could see..." Peter can't wait to jump into his snowsuit and run outside. There are footprints to make and watch as he walks along, snowmen to build, and angels to carve into the snow with his arms and legs. There are mountains of heaping snow to climb and then slide down, again and again, snowballs to pack, and snowball fights among the bigger kids to watch. And after a long cold, wonderful day outside, there are warm and cozy snow dreams to dream until he wakes the next morning to another fun-filled snowy day..... Originally published in 1963, Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day, is still as fresh and inviting today, as it was forty years ago. Mr Keats' gentle, engaging text captures the essence of the child in all of us on a snowy day, and is complemented by his simple, expressive and evocative, award winning illustrations. Together, word and art brings all the wonder, magic, and imaginative possibilities of a big snowfall to life on the page. Perfect for preschoolers, The Snowy Day is a captivating treasure, to read and share now with friends and family and future generations in the years to come. A MUST for all home libraries, this is a timeless classic that shouldn't be missed.

My 20 month old loves this book! He loves to look at the illustrations. The book reads smoothly and is great for bedtime. We love to read it, especially when it really is a snowy day!