Joanie Clarkson
With my area currently preparing for a big snow storm, I've been in the mood for Ezra Jack Keats's book, The Snowy Day. This read-aloud includes animations by Jay Boucher and narration and sound by Napoleon Maddox. It is such a fun story. The text of the story is included below the video.
This read-aloud is great for students to follow along with, or to give your voice a rest. There are some great points of discussion built into this story as well. For example; What should we wear when we go outside in the snow? Peter made fun tracks in the snow, can you think of other things that make tracks in the snow? What fun things do you like to do in the snow? What is your favorite thing to do when you get inside after playing in the snow? What happened to the snow in his pocket?
One winter morning Peter woke up and looked out the window. Snow had fallen during the night. It covered everything as far as he could see.
After breakfast he put on his snowsuit and ran outside. The snow was piled up very high along the street to make a path for walking.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, his feet sank into the snow.
He walked with his toes pointed out, like this:
He walked with his toes point in, like that:
Then he dragged his feet s-l-o-w-l-y to make tracks.
And he found something sticking out of the snow that made a new track.
It was a stick.
A stick that was just right for smacking a snow-covered tree.
Down fell the snow-plop! On top of Peter’s head.
He thought it would fun to join the big boys in their snowball fight, but he knew he wasn’t old enough... not yet.
So he made a smiling snowman, and he made angels.
He pretended he was a mountain-climber. He climbed up a great big tall heaping mountain of snow and slid all the way down.
He picked up a handful of snow, and another, and still another. He packed it round and firm and put the snowball in his pocket for tomorrow. Then he went into his warm house.
He told his mother all about his adventures while she took off his wet socks.
And he thought and thought and thought about them.
Before he got into bed he looked in his pocket. His pocket was empty. The snowball wasn’t there. He felt very sad.
While he slept, he dreamed that the sun had melted all the snow away.
But when he woke up his dream was gone. The snow was still everywhere. New snow was falling!
After breakfast he called to his friend from across the hall, and they went out together into the deep, deep snow.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats, Animated Children's book, Children's Picture Book