Introduction
Jacob Ezra Katz officially changed his name to Ezra Jack Keats in 1947 (123). The reason for the name change was because of the anti-Semitic attitudes that were prevalent in the U.S. after the end of World War II (122). Keats familiarity with discrimination made him much more sympathetic to others with similar experiences, and it would be these experiences that would cast him into the celebrated role of author and illustrator. His work served to literally illustrate an under represented portion of the population in children’s picture books.
Biography
Keats was a city kid, as were many of his protagonists. He himself had grown up in Brooklyn, New York. He was the third child of Benjamin and Augusta Podgainy Katz, Jewish immigrants …show more content…
His full bleed images and naïve illustrations take the reader along on the journey, with Peter. He blends bold colors and simple shapes, with varied texture. These images paint a full picture for the reader, causing them to think back on their childhood.
Works Examined
The most well-known of all Keats stories, and the winner of the 1963 Caldecott medal is The Snowy Day. Inspired by a Life Magazine photograph of a small boy in rural Georgia, Keats created Peter, the main protagonist in The Snowy Day. Other than his eyes, Peter’s face does not possess any other features for most of the story. Yet the lack of features does not prevent Peter from conveying his emotions. Keats develops Peter’s feelings by the angle of his head. challenges the assumption that more is better, inviting you and your kids into a world of slow, easy pleasures. Ezra Keats is remarkable in his ability to create a calming yet vibrant story, striking this balance gracefully in pictures and in text. His artwork is spare yet the pictures burst with brilliant color and expression. In many of the pictures, Peter lacks facial features except his eyes, but Keats manages, with the angle of his head and the composition, to convey …show more content…
The end-pages contain multi-color snowflakes and sponge-like water colors. The cut-outs of the snow makes you almost feel the cold winter air and sense the still silence of the snow. This picture book is appropriate for all children ages 3 and beyond, because many children can relate to Peter excitement fun imagination and the different activities that he explores. Although he doesn’t used any lines in this book, Keats use negative space hand cut out stranded pieces of paper, while having Soft edges around each shape. The absence of contract creates a quiet or solemn mood (Galda and Cullinan, pg. 36). The pictures go along with what is written on each page, and the font stays consistent throughout the book. The cut out, water color, collage illustrations are simple yet unique. Peter’s bright red snow suite is a main focus on each page. Each page is filled with soft, warm realistic colors. When looking at the illustrations when Peter is indoors you can feel the warmth of his home with the soft hues present on the wallpaper and his pajamas. Prior to author Ezra Jack Keats career as an author he worked first as a graphic artist, then a comic book illustrator then a children’s book illustrator. The simple pictures in The Snowy Day correspond nicely with the simple text written on each
Jacob Ezra Katz officially changed his name to Ezra Jack Keats in 1947 (123). The reason for the name change was because of the anti-Semitic attitudes that were prevalent in the U.S. after the end of World War II (122). Keats familiarity with discrimination made him much more sympathetic to others with similar experiences, and it would be these experiences that would cast him into the celebrated role of author and illustrator. His work served to literally illustrate an under represented portion of the population in children’s picture books.
Biography
Keats was a city kid, as were many of his protagonists. He himself had grown up in Brooklyn, New York. He was the third child of Benjamin and Augusta Podgainy Katz, Jewish immigrants …show more content…
His full bleed images and naïve illustrations take the reader along on the journey, with Peter. He blends bold colors and simple shapes, with varied texture. These images paint a full picture for the reader, causing them to think back on their childhood.
Works Examined
The most well-known of all Keats stories, and the winner of the 1963 Caldecott medal is The Snowy Day. Inspired by a Life Magazine photograph of a small boy in rural Georgia, Keats created Peter, the main protagonist in The Snowy Day. Other than his eyes, Peter’s face does not possess any other features for most of the story. Yet the lack of features does not prevent Peter from conveying his emotions. Keats develops Peter’s feelings by the angle of his head. challenges the assumption that more is better, inviting you and your kids into a world of slow, easy pleasures. Ezra Keats is remarkable in his ability to create a calming yet vibrant story, striking this balance gracefully in pictures and in text. His artwork is spare yet the pictures burst with brilliant color and expression. In many of the pictures, Peter lacks facial features except his eyes, but Keats manages, with the angle of his head and the composition, to convey …show more content…
The end-pages contain multi-color snowflakes and sponge-like water colors. The cut-outs of the snow makes you almost feel the cold winter air and sense the still silence of the snow. This picture book is appropriate for all children ages 3 and beyond, because many children can relate to Peter excitement fun imagination and the different activities that he explores. Although he doesn’t used any lines in this book, Keats use negative space hand cut out stranded pieces of paper, while having Soft edges around each shape. The absence of contract creates a quiet or solemn mood (Galda and Cullinan, pg. 36). The pictures go along with what is written on each page, and the font stays consistent throughout the book. The cut out, water color, collage illustrations are simple yet unique. Peter’s bright red snow suite is a main focus on each page. Each page is filled with soft, warm realistic colors. When looking at the illustrations when Peter is indoors you can feel the warmth of his home with the soft hues present on the wallpaper and his pajamas. Prior to author Ezra Jack Keats career as an author he worked first as a graphic artist, then a comic book illustrator then a children’s book illustrator. The simple pictures in The Snowy Day correspond nicely with the simple text written on each