The Snowy Day was the first children’s book featuring an African American character to win the Caldecott Medal, one of the most prestigious awards for children’s literature. This beautiful, simple little book by Ezra Jack Keats follows Peter as he explores his neighborhood after a big snowfall. Keats believed all children should be able to see themselves in books they love.
Today, the EJK Award annually celebrates picture book illustrators and authors early in their careers. And the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation supports programs in schools in New York City and across the country to help kids learn to love reading.
The Snowy Day has sold millions of copies since it was published in 1962 and remains one of the most checked-out books in the New York Public Library system. Because I have never lived anywhere that had real snow, I can’t quite relate to the story, but the book is just so lovely that it brings a sense of peace and wonder.
And I was happy to see it in my grandson’s stack of books recently!
#Black History Month
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