Happy 2023! Below is Dr. Toughlove’s January 2023 column.
Happy 2023! Winter has arrived, so Dr. Toughlove wanted to highlight a perennial favorite, “The Snowy Day”, written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. This Caldecott Medal winner was published in 1962, and is just as popular now as it was when it was first introduced. While Ezra Jack Keats has written and illustrated several excellent picture books, “The Snowy Day” served to elevate him as one of the most noted children’s book illustrators/authors of his generation. Several generations of children and adults have enjoyed this enchanting tale.
When Dr. Toughlove read this book as a youngster and even now, it conjures up images of her early days living in New York City during the first big snowstorm of the season. Schools were closed, buses were barely running and the possibilities for fun were endless. This is exactly what happens to the protagonist Peter in “The Snowy Day”. The simple yet expressive illustrations depict Peter making footprints in the snow, using a stick to make tracks, building a smiling snowman, making snow angels, and so much more.
The words and illustrations work in tandem to captivate a young listener. Dr. Toughlove always loves books that provide opportunities for questions and discussions that go beyond the written words on the pages. In this regard, “The Snowy Day” does not disappoint. The underlying themes of discovery and wonder are depicted throughout. In addition, emergent readers can master this book quickly and feel empowered as oral readers.
If your child or student really loves this book and wants to hear it again and again (there was a time when Dr. Toughlove could recite this book by heart), there are a plethora of follow up art projects, writing activities and videos on the internet that can be used or adapted to suit your child/students’ interests.
The possibilities of how to expand upon the themes in this book are endless.
“The Snowy Day” makes a perfect read aloud book, particularly during the winter months, and is recommended for children in grades Pre-Kindergarten – grade 2. It is available at the Queen Anne’s County Library.