Celebrating Ezra Jack Keats and The Snowy Day!
Many articles and books have been written about this interesting author/illustrator. Here are just a few highlights that any fan should know.
Ezra Jack Keats was born in 1916 as Jacob (Jack) Ezra Katz in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish, Jewish immigrant parents. The Katz family had little money. The dad worked in a coffee shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Jack liked to draw from the time he was a boy. His father was concerned that this skill would not help Jack find employment that would pay the bills. Jack kept drawing; he was so good that he won a scholarship to go to art school. Tragically, his father passed away the day before his high school graduation and he had to decline the scholarship and work instead.
All along, Jack was using his art skills. Even when he enlisted in the army during World War II, he used his drawing skills to design camouflage patterns for uniforms and equipment.
After the war there was still a lot of prejudice towards Jews, even in America. In order to get a job, Jack changed his name to Ezra Jack Keats.
The first children’s picture book that Jack illustrated was Jubilant for Sure, published in 1954. In 1960, he co-wrote and illustrated My Dog is Lost. In 1962, he wrote and illustrated his first book that was all his own work, The Snowy Day!
The main character in this book is Peter, an African American boy. The author thought that all children should see characters in books that look like them. Ezra Jack Keats made a place for characters and settings that did not have a place before. The next year The Snowy Day won the Caldecott Medal!
Ezra Jack Keats passed away in 1983 but his work lives on through The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. His foundation works to advance diversity in children’s literature. It does this through its award, mini-grants, book-making competition, performance programs and scholarships.
The Ezra Jack Keats award is given annually to a new author and a new illustrator of children’s books that reflect the diverse nature of our culture. The 2022 award will be announced on March 8th. Be sure to check out the foundation’s very interesting website.
Our collection contains many different materials by and about Ezra Jack Keats. Here are some that I recommend you check out. Enjoy!
- by Connie, Hopewell Branch
Biographies
Ezra Jack Keats: A Biography with Illustrations by Dean Engel - This is a biography of Ezra Jack Keats suitable for children to read.
A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney - "A celebration of the extraordinary life of Ezra Jack Keats, creator of The Snowy Day"-- Provided by publisher. This book is suitable for children.
The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats by Claudia J. Nahson and Maurice Berger - Coinciding with "The Snowy Day's" 50th anniversary, this book features illustrations of Mr. Keats along with essays by Claudia J. Nahson and Maurice Berger discussing Keats' Jewish background, his advocacy of civil rights, his art and his influence. --from book jacket. This is an adult nonfiction book.
7 Books Related to Peter
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats – The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.
Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats – A little boy wishes so much that he could whistle.
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats – When Peter discovers his blue furniture is being painted pink for a new baby sister, he rescues the last unpainted item, a chair, and runs away.
A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats – Peter wants to invite Amy to his birthday party but he wants it to be a surprise.
Goggles! by Ezra Jack Keats – Two boys must outsmart the neighborhood bullies before they can enjoy their new treasure, a pair of lens-less motorcycle goggles.
Hi, Cat by Ezra Jack Keats – Archie’s day would have been great if he had not started it by greeting the new cat on the block.
Pet Show! by Ezra Jack Keats – When he can’t find his cat to enter in the neighborhood pet show, Archie must do some fast thinking to win a prize.
4 Books Related to Louie
Louie by Ezra Jack Keats - A shy, withdrawn boy loses his heart to a puppet.
The Trip by Ezra Jack Keats – Lonely in a new neighborhood, Louie creates a magic box from a shoebox and sees his old friends trick-or-treating.
Regards to the Man in the Moon by Ezra Jack Keats – With the help of his imagination, his parents, and a few scraps of junk, Louie and his friends travel through space.
Louie’s Search by Ezra Jack Keats – Louie goes out looking for a new father and instead finds a music box which he is accused of stealing. Or is that all he finds?
More Books
Apt. 3 by Ezra Jack Keats – On a rainy day, two brothers try to discover who is playing the harmonica they hear in their apartment building.
Clementina’s Cactus by Ezra Jack Keats – Clementina discovers a delightful surprise in the prickly skin of the cactus.
Dreams by Ezra Jack Keats – One night while everyone is sleeping, a little boy watches his paper mouse save a cat from an angry dog.
Jennie’s Hat by Ezra Jack Keats – When the hat Jennie receives from her aunt is not as fancy as she had hoped, her bird friends decorate it for her.
John Henry: An American Legend by Ezra Jack Keats – Describes the life of the legendary steel-driving man who was born and who died with a hammer in his hand.
Kitten for a Day by Ezra Jack Keats – A puppy joins a litter of kittens in their fun for a day.
Maggie and the Pirate by Ezra Jack Keats - When Maggie's pet cricket is stolen, she and her friends embark on a search for the "pirate" thief which ensues in a small tragedy, but also the making of a new friend.
Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats – Verses describing the activities of various animals; also illustrate the numbers one through ten.
Skates! by Ezra Jack Keats – Two friends almost give up their efforts to learn to roller skate until they have an opportunity to help someone.
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