It’s Throwback Thursday! And since it is February and there is snow on the ground in New England, what better book to spotlight than “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats? The simplicity of the text and the illustrations highlights the simple joy of a child playing in the snow. He makes a snowman, then snow angels, and climbs a tall pile of snow to slide down. All things that kids who live in colder climates can relate to!
“The Snowy Day” is also an important book as it was the first winner of the Caldecott Medal to feature a main character of color. Actually, it was the first book to win any major children’s book award featuring an African-American main character, and to do so in a way that did not reinforce negative stereotypes. While the book did receive some early criticism, it is now widely considered to be a celebration of the first snowfall and the wonder and fun that accompanies that for children of all races.
