The Snowy Day Review

 The Snowy Day Review

Bibliography

Keats, Ezra Jack. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. ill. by Ezra Jack Keats. New York, NY: Viking Press.         ISBN 9780140501827

Plot Summary

Peter wakes up one morning to find out that is has snowed. He goes out into the winter wonderland and does many snow day activities. He returns home and worries that the snow will be gone the next morning only to find that it is still there when he wakes up. He joins his friend for another snow day adventure. 

Critical Analysis

    Ezra Jack Keats's award-winning picture book, The Snowy Day, captures the childlike wonder that most people experience after the first snowfall. The reader follows Peter, who bundles up and takes a trek through his snow covered neighborhood. The writing of this story is straightforward enough for children to follow along. Keats's use of hyphens helps to add a slight dramatic effect in parts of the story, which highlights Peter's amazement and how much fun he is having. 

    Keats not only wrote the story but illustrated it as well. Since snow is prominent in the book, the pages have lots of white, but the color around the white really pops out. Even the snow banks have a slight coloring that gives them a textured look. Keats's use of the snowflake stamps before the story begins really draws the reader in and makes them want to continue. The artwork brings life to the simple story.

    While the story itself is straightforward, the story behind the story is something that fascinated as well as divided people at the time of its publication. Keats, a white author, had written one of the first books to feature an African American main character that was not negatively stereotyped. The young character of Peter helped to pave the way for more diversity in children's literature, and Peter and his snowy adventure is why this book is still remembered today.

Review Excerpts

Caldecott Award Winner 1963

Publisher Weekly: "Keats's classic The Snowy Day winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."

New York Public Library's #1 Top Checkout of All Time

Connections

Continue Peter's story in: Whistle for Willie, Peter's Chair, A Letter to Amy, Goggles!, Hi Cat!, Pet Show!

Make paper snowflakes like in the book: Pre K-Kindergarten

Picture books that feature African American main characters: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la                                                                                                     Pena

                                                                                                 The Magical Snowflake by Bernette Ford

                                                                                                 The Ring Bearer by Floyd Cooper

Click Click Moo I Love You! Review

 Click Click Moo I Love You Review

Bibliography

Cronin, D. 2017. CLICK CLACK MOO I LOVE YOU! Ill. by Betsy Lewin. New York, NY: Atheneum             Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781481444965

Plot Summary

Cronin's simplistic Valentine's story has Little Duck preparing the barn for the special occasion. The farm animals arrive, food is eaten, valentines are exchanged,, but an appearance from an unexpected guest could change the festive mood. Colorful and imaginative illustrations perfectly pair with this story of friendship and acceptance that will get readers Quacking and Yipping. 

Critical Analysis

    Click, Clack, Moo I Love You, written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, is a simple yet charming tale that touches on the themes of friendship, acceptance and diversity. Cronin's sentence structure flows together and makes the book easy for kids to follow and understand. Her inclusion of the "quacks" and "yips" makes it to where kids can partake in the storytelling, which makes the book all the more engaging. The plot itself helps children to see the importance of inclusion, even if others aren't exactly like you, which is a message that will resonate with lots of the readers. The fox's acceptance into the party and the animals breaking the status quo and dancing with other animals show young children that friendship and comradery can be found anywhere and with anyone. 

    The wonderful watercolor illustrations of Lewin with the added glitter on certain images draw the readers in and lead readers to want to interact with the pictures themselves. Lewin's art style for this book brings the Valentine colors of pink and read front and center and these colors pop out of the pages and help to create that heartfelt and loveable Valentine's Day mood.

    The combination of Cronin's playful language and Lewin's color scheme and cute animals make this book a must read for lovers of the frequent collaborators. 

Review Excerpts

Publishers Weekly: "Cronin subtly passes along some sage advice: the best parties have an element of the unexpected."

Kirkus Reviews: "A lesson in diversity and making people welcome that starts kids off on the right foot in these rough, divided times."

School Library Journal: "The textual simplicity and bright, clear visuals lend themselves well to storytimes and one-on-one reading, although the complexity of the pictures does invite more thorough contemplation."

Connections

-Story Sequencing: Number the boxes from 1 to 6 in the order they happened in the story

-More Valentine animal books: Happy Valentine's Day Mouse! by Laura Numeroff

                                                  Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood

                                                  Tiny T Rex and the Perfect Valentine by Jonathan Stutzman

-More books illustrated by Betsy Lewin: Good Night Knight, Tippy Toes, Thumpy Feet

Last Stop on Market Street Review

Last Stop on Market Street: Review

Bibliography 

de la Pena, Matt. 2015. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. Ill. by Christian Robinson. New York,              NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 9780545964524

Plot Summary

C.J. and his grandma leave church and head to the bus stop. At first, C.J. questions why they have to ride it, but with his grandma's help, he sees and meets people from all walks of life and learns to appreciate how wonderful and special every day life can be. He realizes that differences in race and class shouldn't divide people, and we end with C.J. and his grandma arriving at their destination; a soup kitchen to volunteer.

Critical Analysis

de la Pena's Newbery Award winning book does an excellent job of touching on the themes of family and community. C.J. and his grandma's relationship helps to emphasize how the older generations can teach and guide the younger ones. CJ's questions are answered by his grandma's thought provoking responses that open CJ's mind to the world around him and how despite people's differences, we are all people. de la Pena's simple yet effective writing style, with lots of imagery and metaphors scattered throughout, shows CJ's childlike wonder and reminds us of the innocence of childhood. Even though characterization is brief, the readers can sense how wise the grandmother is through her answers to CJ. de la Pena makes her dialogue straight to the point but profound.

Christian Robinson's art style perfectly fits the book. His use of color helps to depict CJ's innocence and view of the world around him. The simplicity of the illustrations fits the story and doesn't take away from or distract. Robinson did a wonderful job of illustrating in a way that kids can connect with and understand.

This book is a straightforward way to teach children about diversity and the beauty of our surroundings. They will enjoy the color and can easily connect with the character of CJ and the questions he has about the world and his experiences.

Review Excerpts

2016 Newbery Medal

Booklist: "The celebratory warmth is irresistible, offering a picture of community that resonates with harmony and diversity."

New York Times Book Review: "...it's also the warmth of their generational relationship that makes this book so satisfying."

Connections

-More by de la Pena: Milo Imagines the World, We Were Here, Mexican Whiteboy

-Write and draw about volunteering

-More books like Last Stop on Market Street:    The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

                                                                            All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

                                                                           Thank You Omu! by Oge Mora