February's Featured Author/Illustrator: Ezra Jack Keats

Published in 1962, The Snowy Day marked the first appearance of an African American child as the central character of a mainstream American picture book. Today, children with all different skin tones populate the pages of picture books but fifty years ago Ezra Jack Keats broke new ground when he introduced us to Peter and his day in the snow. After winning the 1963 Caldecott Medal, Mr. Keats went on to write a number of books featuring children from an urban neighborhood similar to the one where he grew up. You can find many of his culturally diverse titles featured on the February Electronic Bookshelf.

For more information about Ezra Jack Keats and his legacy, visit his website or enjoy his biography.